My Dyson Airwrap Styler Review (Pros & Cons AND Before + After Pics)

March 3, 2023 (updated April 24, 2023) — Written by

The Dyson Airwrap Styler is a HOT ticket item—but does it actually work? Are the attachments worth it? Do the curls actually last? I’ve been using it since November 2022, and I’m giving you my personal review, with pros and cons, before and after photos AND my take on if it’s worth the money (hint: it replaced my Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer entirely).

A woman curls her hair with the Dyson Airwrap
Curling my hair with Dyson’s Airwrap.

By: Lisa Fennessy

IN THIS POST:

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My personal Dyson Airwrap Styler review

The passing of time can be marked by major technological breakthroughs, like the invention of sliced bread, gas-powered cars, personal computers and…the Dyson Airwrap. It’s a point on the humankind timeline that changes our trajectory and it’s the reason why we have sayings like “The best thing since sliced bread!”, “The best thing that money can buy!” and “That’s a [air]WRAP!” Okay maybe that last one hasn’t stuck yet, but give it time, lol. 

If you’re new to the Dyson Airwrap, this technology is borderline insane. It’s A HAIR DRYER + CURLING IRON all in one! And not only that, it basically does the work for you. Just put it next to your hair and it sucks in a lock of hair, Jetson’s style, curling it AND drying it like, listen bi*ch, I got you. 

I’ve been using the Dyson Airwrap Complete Styler (this is the 2.0 version) for months now and although I’m 100% obsessed, it’s not all rainbows and unicorns, so let’s go through the pros and cons. Plus I have some “how to” process pics, some before and afters, ways to save and more—basically, you’ll get all you need to know if it’s right for you. Let’s dive in. 

RELATED: Is the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer worth the price? No! and Dyson Hair Dryer vs. Airwrap Compared (Pros + Cons)


Dyson Airwrap attachments

The Airwrap was first released in 2018 and then got an overhaul and was rereleased the summer of 2022. This means you can now choose to buy the Airwrap for long hair (longer barrels), short hair (shorter barrels) or curly / coily hair (includes a curly hair specific attachment).

I picked up the Airwrap for long hair. And honestly? When it comes to the attachment and extras that came with the Dyson Airwrap Complete Styler, it’s a bit overkill. There are: 

  • 2 curling barrels 
  • 2 smoothing brushes 
  • 1 round volumizing brush 
  • 1 Coanda smoothing dryer 
  • 1 Filter cleaning brush 
  • 1 storage case 

And I got a limited edition so there was also: 

  • 1 wide tooth comb
  • 1 brush 
  • 1 travel case 

What’s true for me and I think what will be true for most people is you find your favorite attachment and use the same one every time. My favorite is the 1.6 inch curling barrel. I use it every time and I don’t use anything else.

However, I can see why Dyson would include all these options because they are creating a tool that will work for every hair type. And while that’s GREAT, for all of our sakes, I wish there was an option to just buy the Airwrap with the one attachment you know you will use (and maybe save a few bucks??!!). 

Anyway, here’s a rundown of the other attachments included that I don’t use. 

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The Dyson Airwrap attachments I DON’T use

The Dyson Airwrap curling barrels.
The Dyson Airwrap curling barrels, 1.6 inch on the left and 1.2 inch on the right.

1.2 inch long barrel

The 1.2 inch long barrel gives a tighter curl than the 1.6 inch long barrel and I don’t want it

A woman with long curly gray hair immediately after using the Dyson Airwrap 1.2 inch long barrel.
Immediately after using the 1.2 inch long barrel.
A woman with long curly gray hair after using the Dyson Airwrap 1.2 inch long barrel.
Side view immediately after using the 1.2 inch long barrel.
A woman with fully styled gray hair after using Dyson Airwrap's 1.2 inch long barrel.
My hair combed out after using 1.2 inch long barrel.
A woman with fully styled gray hair after using Dyson Airwrap's 1.2 inch long barrel.
Fully styled after using 1.2 inch long barrel.

A woman with long gray hair holds up the Dyson Airwrap smoothing brushes.
The Dyson Airwrap smoothing brushes, soft smoothing brush on the left, firm smoothing brush on the right.

Smoothing brushes

I can’t tell the difference between the firm smoothing brush (designed for frizz-prone hair) and the soft smoothing brush (designed for fine hair). Maybe it’s because I don’t have either of those types of hair, so it doesn’t matter for me. I tried using these attachments to straighten my hair and I will say I DID get a straighter look than I got with the Dyson Hair Dryer, which is a pro for the Airwrap.

But the con is it’s hard to really tackle the roots with this shape dryer and call me crazy but walking around with damp roots and dry hair isn’t my thing. So if I know I’m going to straighten my hair, I’ll use my Dyson Hairdryer instead of the Airwrap for that reason. 

A woman with long gray hair after it with the firm smoothing brush attachment by Dyson.
After styling my hair with the firm smoothing brush attachment.

A woman holds up two Dyson Airwrap attachments: The round volumizing brush (left) and the Coanada smoothing dryer (right).
Two Dyson Airwrap attachments: The round volumizing brush (left) and the Coanada smoothing dryer (right).

Coanda smoothing dryer

This attachment is a 2-in-1 flyaway smoother and a hairdryer and it’s interesting—I equally hate it as much as I love it. Love the flyaway smoother. It takes some getting used to, but it definitely gets rid of flyaways and it noticeably makes my hair look shinier and smoother.

I wish I had this when I was growing out my hair gray because I had SO MANY flyaways then. I don’t use this every single time because it’s just one more step that seems extra.

On the flip, I hate the hair dryer option. I wish Dyson just kept this as the flyaway attachment only and then created an additional attachment that mimicked the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer. As it stands, air just blows out of the bottom of this attachment, undirected, and it’s very hard to use as a traditional hairdryer or to dry roots after a workout as it just blows hair all over the place. 

RELATED: The best heat protectants for hair.


A woman with long gray hair after styling it with the Dyson Airwrap Round brush attachment.
My hair after styling it with the round brush attachment.

Round volumizing brush

I already have a crap ton of volume so again, I don’t use this attachment, but I can see how it would be great for someone looking for more volume. I also wish, since this is the long hair kit, that this brush was at least 2X the diameter it is now. I have long hair, so there is no way I can easily use this tiny round brush on hair that hangs down to my ribs.  

The Dyson Airwrap in it's case.
The Dyson Airwrap and attachments in its storage case.

Storage case

I hate how big this is and I don’t know where to put it. 🙄

The only other thing I use from the special edition I got is the paddle brush. I love it, but I’m not going to go into that because it doesn’t come with the standard kit. 

One last thing I’ll add is if you have the old Dyson Airwrap and want a taste of that new new, you can buy all the new attachments for $199 or individual attachments (prices vary) and they will work on the original motor.

RELATED: Are Shark hair tools worth the hype?


A woman styles her hair with the Dyson Airwrap.
The Airwrap works by sucking hair in and around the barrel to dry and curl it at the same time.

Is the Dyson Airwrap less damaging?

Listen, I’m not over here like some scientist with a microscope doing hair cuticle before and afters, but what I can tell you FOR SURE is the Dyson Airwrap saves on heat exposure. My hair goes from wet to styled in about 15 minutes with this tool, as opposed to using conventional tools, which would mean using a hair dryer for about 15 minutes to dry hair and then using a curling iron for about 15 minutes to curl hair (maybe longer!). 

Dyson also says they use a heat-controlled technology that measures airflow temperature over 40 times a second, intelligently controlling the heating element to keep the temperature under 302°F. Preventing extreme heat damage.

So if heat damages hair, then I would say YES, the Dyson Airwrap is hands down less damaging to hair than conventional tools because it uses less time and therefore less heat (and it also uses less heat in general). 


a woman with long gray hair curls her hair with the dyson airwrap.
I like to let my hair air dry a bit before stying with the Dyson Airwrap.

Styling my gray hair with the Dyson Airwrap

I typically wash my hair twice a week. On those days, I towel dry my hair and apply two styling products. The first product is the EVOLVh SuperFinish Polishing Balm, which you know I love because I talk about it all the time like here, here and here. But if you missed it, this is a water-based, gel-like product that is great for all types of hair and works to protect against heat and UV damage—plus it smooths, adds shine, detangles, defrizzes, hydrates and helps to prevent breakage. Basically everything us gray-haired ladies (and anyone with hair in general) needs. 

Then I apply a product that will hold a curl. I’m partial to Innersense’s Whipped Cream Texturizer. I like to use about a dime size of this tacky, thicker, creamier styler on wet hair before drying because it gives hair a natural look while defining and holding curls. 

After I brush my hair and apply product, I let it air dry while I get dressed and do my makeup. I like letting it air dry first as much as possible for two reasons. First, it makes the Airwrap dry my hair even faster. And second, the Airwrap picks up my hair easier if it’s not sopping wet. #hottake

The Airwrap works by sucking hair in and around the barrel to dry and curl it at the same time. If hair is sopping wet, the tool has a harder time sucking the hair in and I get some strands that hang out, not being dried or curled. But if my hair is towel dried or a bit air-dried first, this doesn’t happen and the tool easily sucks all the hair in at once, creating a beautiful curl.

Watch a quick video of me styling with the Airwrap for the FIRST TIME. Look how easy it is!

To actually use the Dyson Airwrap, I split my hair in three sections: a bottom half and then two top sections. I dry the bottom half, curling everything away from my face to meet in the back; I repeat that for the top two sections.

I like doing this because instead of keeping individual curls, my hair will morph into waves as the day goes on—and if I’m lucky (AKA if I don’t sweat too much during my sleep), I get a really cute, relaxed look on day two too (see below). 

ALSO! You can mix up the look of the curl by using the Airwrap as if it were a traditional curling iron. So instead of letting the air suck your hair into the barrel, you can hold the tool upside down and wrap strands manually around the barrel to get more of a wave rather than a curl. You got, OPTIONS, friend.


Do the Dyson Airwrap Curls last?

A woman uses the Dyson Airwrap to style her long gray hair.
My semi air-dried hair before styling.
A woman styles her long gray hair with the Dyson Airwrap.
Midway through stying my hair.
A woman's long gray hair right after using the Dyson Airwrap.
Immediately after styling with the Dyson Airwrap.
A woman's hair after using the Dyson Airwrap earlier in the day.
3 hours after using the Dyson Airwrap to style my hair.
A woman with long gray hair after styling her hair with the Dyson Airwrap.
8 hours after using the Dyson Airwrap to style my hair (in the Florida heat & humidity to boot!).
A woman's hair after using the Dyson Airwrap the day before.
Day 2 after using the Dyson Airwrap to style my hair.

For some people the answer to this will be yes and for others it will be no. Why? It depends a lot on hair type and product used. For example, I brought the Dyason Airwrap to our extended family Thanksgiving getaway and used it on my sister-in-law and nieces, and got DRASTICALLY different outcomes.

My youngest niece has naturally thick, curly hair and her hair held the Dyson Airwrap curl beautifully. I mean she looked like a little pageant girl walking around with a grownup blowout that was too mature for her cute little face.

Then I used it on my SIL who has stick-straight hair. I prepped her hair, adding hairspray both before and after and while her hair curled up really well, it was dead flat again after 20 minutes. 

For me? I have wavy, thicker-than-average, long hair and my hair looks bombshell SICK right after I dry it. Then it falls the most within that first hour and then a bit more as the day goes on. That being said, there is no stage throughout the day that I don’t love how it looks. I love it fresh and I love it relaxed at the end of the day too. 

So the long and the short of it is, Dyson Airwrap curls could last for you too…or maybe not. 


A woman styles her hair with the Dyson Airwrap.
Styling my hair with the Dyson Airwrap gets easier and easier—and honestly, it totally replaced the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer for me!

Is Dyson Airwrap worth the money?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: nothing is worth the money if you can’t afford it.

But I WILL say, if you have the money and you are trying to decide between the Dyson Airwrap and the Dyson Hair Dryer, it’s the Airwrap HANDS DOWN. 

Little did I know it but the instant I pressed “buy” on the Airwrap, it was RIP for my Dyson Hairdryer. I’ve owned the Airwrap since November 2022 now and I only used the Dyson Hairdryer ONCE in the first four months I had the Airwrap…which I instantly regretted. My hair just looks 10X better when it’s dried via the Airwrap. 

Lastly, and I can’t stress this enough, when considering the question, “is it worth it”, let me repeat, HAIR GOES FROM WET TO FULLY STYLED IN LESS TIME COMPARED TO ANY OTHER TOOL. 


Where to get the Dyson Airwrap on sale

Although Dyson is exempt from most retailer sales, it’s typically included in the Sephora VIB twice-a-year sale and I’ve seen used versions for less on sites like Ebay and Poshmark. I will add that Dyson DOES typically do a Black Friday sale, so if you want to save up for the big day this year, that could be a good way to get it at a discount too. 


A woman with long gray hair holds up the Dyson Airwrap
After using the Dyson Airwrap to style my hair.

My Dyson Airwrap complete review (pros and cons)

Pros:

  • I can go from wet hair to dry styled hair in about 15 minutes
  • It’s intuitive-ish to use
  • You can change the air flow direction, so you can get mirror curls on both sides of your face
  • Has a cool shot to set your curl
  • Light enough that it doesn’t make my arm hurt holding it
  • Cord is long 
  • You can use it to get waves or curls
  • You can use it on wet, damp or DRY hair
  • Can work on many different types of hair 
  • Can buy the Airwrap attachments for long hair or short hair (different length barrels) 
  • Potentially eliminates the need for owning multiple styling tools 
  • You won’t accidentally burn yourself while heat styling 
  • Gamechanger for travel if you just bring the dryer and your one fave attachment
  • Saves time 

Cons:

  • Very expensive
  • Took me a couple times before I got it right
  • Also, after 4 months, I still might not be using all the attachments right, lol
  • Most of the attachments I don’t even use
  • The storage box it comes in is SO BIG 
  • Won’t work magic for hair types that typically don’t hold a curl

Dyson Airwrap tutorial with step by step photos

A woman with a towel on her head.
1. First towel off or air dry hair a bit.
A woman brushing out her long gray hair.
2. Then comb through to detangle.
A woman holding up a bottle of EVOLVh's Superfinish polishing balm.
3. Apply heat protectant.
A woman with Innersense Inner Peace held in one hand and a bit of product in the palm of her other hand.
4. Apply styling product.
A woman sections off the back part of her hair.
5. Pin up top half of hair.
A woman puts an attachment onto a Dyson Airwrap.
6. Pick your attachment.
A woman curls her hair with a Dyson Airwrap.
7. Dry in sections working front to back.
A woman with part of her hair pulled up and one curl from the Dyson Airwrap.
8. Curls will look like this.
A woman with the bottom half of her hair curled.
9. And then this.
A woman sections the bottom part of her hair into a low ponytail.
10. Loosely tie back this first section.
A woman sections off her long gray hair.
11. Decide where your part will be.
A woman with long gray hair and part of it pulled up while the other half is down.
12. Then tie up one side.
A woman beginning to style her hair with the Dyson Airwrap.
13. Work front to back in sections.
A woman with one curl in her hair from the Dyson Airwrap.
14. Which will look like this.
The side of a woman's head with her hair curled from a Dyson Airwrap.
15. And then like this.
A woman curling her hair with the Dyson Airwrap.
16. Repeat on the other side.
A woman's hair after styling with the Dyson Airwrap.
17. Until you are all dried + curled.
The back view of a woman's hair after styling her hair with the Dyson Airwrap
18. Remove the back tie and shake it out.
A woman with long gray hair after styling her hair with the Dyson Airwrap
19. Continue on…
The side view of a woman's hair after styling with the Dyson Airwrap.
20. Looking…
A close up of a woman's hair after styling with the Dyson Airwrap.
21. FLY.

Dyson Airwrap shopping guide


Have you tried the Dyson Airwrap? Do you love or hate it? 

xo, lisa in cursive

TNK Team Note: This article contains affiliate links. TNK uses affiliate links as a source for revenue to fund operations of the business and to be less dependent on branded content. TNK stands behind all product recommendations. Still have questions about these links or our process? Feel free to email us.

Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete Long Review (Pros & Cons AND Before + After Pics)
  • Price
    (3.5)
  • Ingredients
    (5)
  • Effectiveness
    (4.5)

Summary

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: nothing is worth the money if you can’t afford it. But I WILL say, if you have the money and you are trying to decide between the Dyson Airwrap and the Dyson Hair Dryer, it’s the Airwrap HANDS DOWN.

Overall
4.3

Pros

  • I can go from wet hair to dry styled hair in about 15 minutes
  • It’s intuitive-ish to use
  • You can change the air flow direction, so you can get mirror curls on both sides of your face
  • Has a cool shot to set your curl
  • Light enough that it doesn’t make my arm hurt holding it
  • Cord is long 
  • You can use it to get waves or curls
  • You can use it on wet, damp or DRY hair
  • Can work on many different types of hair 
  • Can buy the Airwrap attachments for long hair or short hair (different length barrels) 
  • Potentially eliminates the need for owning multiple styling tools 
  • You won’t accidentally burn yourself while heat styling 
  • Gamechanger for travel if you just bring the dryer and your one fave attachment
  • Saves time

Cons

  • Very expensive
  • Took me a couple times before I got it right
  • Also, after 4 months, I still might not be using all the attachments right, lol
  • Most of the attachments I don’t even use
  • The storage box it comes in is SO BIG 
  • Won’t work magic for hair types that typically don’t hold a curl. 

By Lisa Fennessy

Lisa is the founder of The New Knew. Passionate about clean beauty, organic eats and nontoxic lifestyle, Lisa writes to create awareness. Conscious consumerism and informed decisions will impact the marketplace, our health and THE WORLD!

1 Comment

  1. Reply

    Kate

    Hi, Lisa. Thank you so much for this well-written guide on the new Dyson air wrap! It was such a thorough guide and it covered everything one needs to know about this new gadget. The photos really helped and you covered it from start to finish!

    Cheers!

    Kate from Carmel by the sea

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