Few products inspire the kind of whispered awe in the world of beauty like the famed Dyson Airwrap. On TikTok, among your friendship circle, the multi-styler has held us in a chokehold for the entire four years since it was first launched in 2018. So you can imagine the mayhem and bewilderment that followed the announcement that Dyson planned to release a reworked model (if it's not broke, don't fix it etc.).

Released on June 16, the next generation of the beloved Dyson Airwrap is well and truly here, although it's certainly not the same girl we once knew. No, the multi-styler has had a makeover and we're here to fill you in.

 

What's different about the new Dyson Airwrap?

If you're wondering how the original Airwrap compares to the latest version, so were we. Many of the new changes relate to efficacy and the streamlining of its attachments. However, Dyson has slightly increased the airflow from 13 litres a second to 13.5 litres, which sounds small but you can notice the difference. As for the other changes? Find them below.

 

Attachments

The most noticeable difference between the original Dyson Airwrap and the latest iteration lay in its attachments.

For one, Dyson has updated the technology on the Airwrap barrels; so that rather than needing two barrels – each holding a different airflow direction – that you would detach and attach as you gradually curled both sides of your hair, Dyson has condensed it into a single powerful barrel instead. To change the direction of the airflow, you need only flick the switch at the top of the attachment, which suits me: a lazy person. This is why the Airwrap arrives with two barrel attachments, a 30mm size and a 40mm size, rather than the original four.

As someone with thick, long, straight hair, I've always taken a low maintenance approach to styling (read: none) out of necessity and in all honesty, laziness. Curls take time, and as a rule of thumb I would rather look dishevelled than wake up two hours earlier than I need to. That's why, for me and for fellow lazy girlies, the Dyson Airwrap is actually a game changer. Curling my hair takes half an hour max, and the Coanda technology is not only novel, but it makes sense?

You're supposed to use the Airwrap on damp hair for best results if you're curling and when I went into the Dyson Demo store on George Street, the brand's Styling Ambassador, Peter Thomsen, taught me to use the new cold shot button to set the curls before I release them. The more you know, right?

As for the other attachment changes, there are 13 different ones to select from, including a wide tooth comb for textured and coily hair, and the multi-styler arrives with six options. Dyson has made the coating on the round volumising brush sleeker to stop hair grabbing as you twist. Meanwhile, it has added a completely new attachment which the TikTok algorithm has probably already served you, called the Coanda smoothing dryer. Basically, it's a dual function tool that dries your hair and can be used to smooth flyaways thanks to Coanda technology, which involves a jet of air pressing hair onto a curved surface.

Then there's the soft and hard smoothing brushes which have been designed for both fine and coarse hair, respectively. I've used them both, pulling from under the hair and have found this technique works best if smoothing and straightening is the goal.

 

Heat

First things first, if you're eyeing off the Airwrap you're likely doing it because of its promises around minimising heat damage. You know how we've all heard our hair sizzle on a curling tong or straightener? Well, that literally cannot happen with the Airwrap, because as the name suggests it sends out jets of hot air rather than applying direct heat to your hair. That and it does it mindfully. The Airwrap measures airflow temperatures over 40 times a second, ensuring that the temperature sits under 150 degrees celsius the entire time.

This time around, there are three heat settings rather than four, and there's a cold shot button that instantly blasts cool air to set your style. Meaning no burnt fingers, which we understandably love.

 

Is the Dyson Airwrap worth it?

If you're using heat styling tools everyday, then I would say yes. Just like sun damage, heat damage on your hair is cumulative, and once you've worn down your hair cuticles and broken its protein bonds, the damage is irreversible – no matter what that hair mask insists. So if there's an option to minimise that risk, I would personally take it.

However, that being said, the Dyson Airwrap doesn't come cheap. It's definitely an investment piece. Although, if you're already an owner of the original Airwrap, the good news is that the new attachments are compatible with the older design. Which is a thoughtful touch in a world of planned obsolescence. Dyson do offer buy now, pay later options at checkout like Afterpay and Zip Pay as well, if spacing out the payments works for you. So there's that too.

On the subject of dupes, personally I haven't tested any but I would be wary of buying into them. Not in a snobby way, but simply because the technology isn't comparable and you're best off just sticking with your current regime.

Explore the new next generation of Dyson Airwrap at the Dyson website.

Image: Instagram