Shark has launched a new multi-function hair dryer and styler, billed by haircare fanatics as an affordable alternative to the Dyson Airwrap. As someone who has been a loyal Dyson user for years, I’ve been testing the tool to see how it compares.
Like Dyson, Shark’s ionic smoothing and Coanda airflow technology work together to reduce frizz, add shine and give you bouncy hair with defined curls. These wet-to-dry hair tools have been game-changing in the last decade – especially for those like me who have spent too many hours having a two-part hair routine. First, fully drying it, and then sectioning it out and using hot hair tools, usually racking up an hour of styling.
What the FlexStyle offers
The new tool joins the FlexStyle franchise as an all-rounder with particular prowess for curling. There are two versions to choose from: the four-in-one model (two 32mm Coanda curlers, FrizzFighter high shine polisher, oval brush, and styling concentrator nozzle), and the five-in-one version, with two extra smaller-diameter curlers.
The FlexStyle also has one big claim: ‘zero’ heat damage. This is reportedly due to the new Scalp Shield mode, which activates automatically to control the temperature when drying hair near your scalp (Dyson uses similar technology). This aims to protect delicate new growth, which gets damaged significantly over time when using these drying brushes.
How I tested
I’ve been a regular user of hair drying brushes for a few years now. I usually go for a blow-out look, so to thoroughly test this product, I wanted to check both the curling and round brush accessories to see versatility.
With thick 2c wavy hair that hits around my waist, hair drying brushes are very hit or miss and can sometimes leave me with a lot of frizz. Timing is also a big factor for me when regarding how effective the product is. It's all well and good having sleek-looking hair, but if it takes me an hour to achieve, personally I won't be picking up that tool very often. I’m after a routine that takes a maximum of 30 minutes.
I also wanted to see how effective the hair tool is without help from products, so apart from heat protectant, no other products at any point were applied to see how the tool naturally leaves your hair.
Results and verdict
The new Shark FlexStyle tool far exceeded my expectations. Firstly, when trying out the oval brush and doing a simple blow out on my hair, the results were the sleekest I've ever had with a hair drying brush. Due to the bristle type, when brushing through your hair, there is a good amount of tension to allow your hair to achieve a smooth look. The size of the oval brush head is also great; it achieves the perfect effortless flick at the end of your hair instead of a tight curl.
With my Dyson, the brush head is too small and therefore difficult for someone with my hair length. With the Shark styling tool, I was able to complete a blow-out look in 27 minutes – 10 minutes faster than my usual routine.
Curling my hair is usually a big task – it requires sweat, tears and about an hour of my time. And after all that, it usually falls out after 30 minutes. However, with Shark’s Coanda airflow, like the Dyson Airwrap, curling my hair was a lot easier. Having a left and right curler, as opposed to the Dyson Airwrap, which only has one attachment which very easily switches direction, was an annoying design feature – it let the tool down a little.
Something I try to consider when purchasing a hair tool is how easy it is to pack, and extra attachments are not ideal. The curls, however, came out very defined, frizz-free, and required little skill to achieve. One thing to note is that, like the Dyson, Coanda airflow works best on a smaller section of hair, but this means having curlier-looking hair instead of looser-looking curls.
The high shine polisher made no difference for me, but that was down to the fact that my hair was already frizz-free and shiny after styling it. Out of all the attachments used, the most effective and impressive was the oval brush, which felt like a game changer on my hair.
After styling my hair using the attachment, I went out for dinner, which involved a classic London journey of multiple tubes, a bus and a walk, all in windy weather – really testing how well the style would last. Alongside compliments at dinner on my hair, the blow-out stayed close to perfect.
As someone who has been a loyal Dyson user for years, I was surprised at how much I liked the Shark FlexStyle Next Gen IonCurl Air Styler & Hair Dryer. It works perfectly with my hair type and gave me the results I was after, at just £269.99. While the Dyson is a sleeker-looking product and feels a lot less bulky than the Shark tool, the FlexStyle gave me results I’ve never had when using any other hair tool. For around £100 less than its counterpart, it is definitely worth it if you are after a versatile hair styling tool.
