Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Review 2023: Two Beauty Editors Put the Hair Tool to the Test.

A $599 multi-styler? Let's see what it can do.

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April 18, 2023, 4:52pm

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Dyson Air Wrap Multi-Styler with attachments and after photos of editor who tested the hair tool

Courtesy of Ryan Burke

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What is the Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete?
Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Pros + Cons
Dyson Airwrap Attachments Guide: The New Attachments and How to Use Them
Dyson Airwrap Complete Editor Testing Reviews
Updated Testing: Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Review for 2023
Is the Dyson Airwrap Worth It?
How We Tested the Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler
Meet the Experts
Meet the Authors

What is the Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete?
Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Pros + Cons
Dyson Airwrap Attachments Guide: The New Attachments and How to Use Them
Dyson Airwrap Complete Editor Testing Reviews

View More

With over 5 billion views on TikTok, the Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler is a bonafide star in the realm of hair styling tools. It promises soft curls, sleek strands, and just-right volume without any heat damage. But with so much hype — and a recent update to the attachment set — it’s due time for a deep dive on the do-it-all tool.

We can say in full confidence (and without hyperbole) that the Dyson Airwrap completely revolutionized how we think about styling our hair when it launched in 2018. In a nutshell: The Airwrap was designed to deliver the results you’d expect from a standard hot tool, but rather than harnessing heat to style hair, the Airwrap uses precisely directed airflow to style, shape and set your hair. The result is minimal heat damage and quick styling.

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The Dyson Airwrap has garnered rave reviews from professionals and beauty enthusiasts, countless awards, and a general reputation for being one of the most innovative and effective hair tools in recent memory, second only to other Dyson tools. (If you’re curious about those, read our Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer review).

According to Dyson, the multi-styler is powered by an “aerodynamic phenomenon” called the Coanda effect, which essentially wraps hair to the barrel by manipulating the surrounding airstream, giving you salon-quality looks without any of the damage.

If you were willing to bear the cost of the OG Dyson Airwrap, you were essentially purchasing a lifetime supply of hair looks, courtesy of the six attachments that came along with it. You’ll still get six attachments — albeit, new and improved — with the Dyson Airwrap Complete to curl, wave, straighten or smooth your hair.

Without knowing much about the premier Airwrap, we turned to Chicago-based celebrity stylist, Alex Brown, for her thoughts. “The Airwrap is my go-to!” she said of the original tool. “I love all of the attachments it comes with and the heat control is amazing because it ensures the brush will never get too hot for your hair. Plus, you can wrap your hair around the barrel attachments to achieve a very bouncy blowout.”

For a Dyson Airwrap tutorial and two unbiased testing reviews of the Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete on different hair types, read on.

Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete

Products tested: Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete, plus each of the six attachments
Testing time period: Three years with original Dyson Airwrap; one year with the newer Dyson Airwrap Complete attachment heads
Number of testers: Two beauty editors
Hair types tested: Wavy and fine; curly and thick
Editor testing reviews: The Dyson Airwrap Complete has six attachments that function far better than the first iteration’s attachments. The tool isn’t ideal for maintaining natural curl patterns as it doesn’t come with a diffuser, however it’s an all-star for creating loose waves, bombshell curls, and sleek hair looks. After years of use, our testers report no heat damage or breakage that can result from repeated use of other hot tools.

Courtesy of Sephora

Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete $599.99 Buy Now at Sephora

Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete $599.99 Buy Now at Ulta

Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete $599.99 Buy Now at Saks Fifth Avenue

What is the Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete?

The Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete is an all-in-one hair tool that comes with six different attachments to dry, curl, brush, and smooth hair. The complete set is packaged in a sleek, leather-like storage case with velvet dividers and trays to house all of its different components. Here’s what’s included in the Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete:

Coanda smoothing dryer attachment
1.2” long curl barrel to create tight curls
1.6” long curl barrel to shape looser waves
Firm brush to straighten hair
Soft brush to detangle and tame flyaways
Round volumizing brush to add lift to your roots and curl ends
Cleaning filter brush
Storage case

Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Pros + Cons

There are plenty of reasons to love this engineering feat, yet the very best features may be the ones you don’t even see.

Pros

No heat damage — all attachments dry and style simultaneously without extreme heat
Enhanced engineering for overall faster process and increased control
Three airflow styling speeds to create versatile looks
Three heat settings for total temperature control, including a cold shot to set hair
All attachments are charged with negative ions to reduce hair static
New attachments work on the original Dyson Airwrap and old attachments are compatible with the new Airwrap
Improved attachment mechanics with Coanda airflow for longer-lasting styles
New Coanda smoothing dryer attachment has two settings — pre-style and smoothing mode — to quickly dry hair and set the style as a last step, respectively and promises up to 58% less frizz
Comes with an easy-to-store protective case for the full suite of tools

Cons

The $599.99 price tag
Does not include a diffuser for curly hair types
Need to read the instruction manual to get the most out of the attachments and features

Dyson Airwrap Attachments Guide: The New Attachments and How to Use Them

Revamped Curling Barrels

The original barrels could only propel air in one direction, meaning you’d have to switch barrels halfway through curling your head to maintain a consistent curl pattern. The 2.0 barrels can spin air in both directions via tighter pressure and more controlled airflow, which offers bouncier curls with major staying power. What’s better than one new curling barrel? Two! Use the skinnier barrel for tighter curls and the wider one for looser beach waves.

How to use Dyson Airwrap curlers: Start with nearly dry, detangled hair. Section your hair into small pieces. Bring the barrel to the end of the sectioned piece of hair, lightly touching the tool to your hair. The Dyson Airwrap curling barrels will whirl your hair around the barrel. Move the tool toward your head: Stop mid-length to add bounce and curl to your ends, or bring the tool up to your root for full waves. Before you release the tool, switch to the cool shot setting to set your curls in place. Repeat until you’ve styled each of the sections, then mist with hairspray and rake through your hair with your hands or a wide-tooth comb.

Airy Brush Heads: The updated brush heads have been tweaked to accommodate additional air vents to provide a straightening and smoothing effect that will outlast any blowout you’ve ever had, especially if you pair it with dry shampoo (we can vouch). You’ll get two here as well — a firm and a soft brush.

How to use Dyson Airwrap brush heads: These attachments require little technique to achieve a smoothed result. The difference between the soft brush and firm smoothing brush on the Dyson is subtle: The soft brush is designed for those with thin hair or a sensitive scalp, while the firm smoothing brush is best for thick, coarse hair types. Once you’ve selected the brush that best suits your hair type, move it slowly through sections of your hair from roots to ends, flipping the brush on your ends for some bounce. Repeat on the same section if necessary to fully dry and smooth your hair.

Dyson Airwrap brush

Updated Coanda smoothing dryer: This attachment will take your hair from sopping wet to mostly dry (the ideal state for styling) in minutes. But don’t expect it to look like a hair dryer nozzle — it looks kind of like a mailbox slot, only it shoots air downward, from root to end, making flyaways a thing of the past. This attachment is especially great for frizzy, curly or coarse hair textures looking to smooth out their strands.

How to use the Dyson Coanda smoothing dryer: To rough dry your hair, simply wave the rounded edge at your strands. To tame flyaways, adjust the dryer head so that the pointed edge of the barrel is facing your roots. Place the dryer head parallel to your hair and slowly move it from the root to the ends of your hair. The airflow tuck any flyaways under your top pieces of hair to conceal them.

Dyson Airwrap drying attachment

Round volumizing brush: Firm bristles offer the perfect amount of tension for a voluminous style with mega shine.

How to use the Dyson Airwrap volumizing brush: This attachment transforms the Dyson Airwrap into one of the best hair dryer brushes. Twist it under the ends of your hair for soft, face-framing curls, or brush it out and away from your face for classic bombshell waves. Those with curtain bangs can use it to coax bangs right into place — position the brush near the root and curl your hair outwards for Farrah Fawcett fringe.

Dyson Airwrap round brush

Dyson Airwrap Complete Editor Testing Reviews

You can never be too prepared, so before turning on the Dyson Airwrap to test it, I familiarized myself with the attachments and their features and I also read the instruction manual. Since straight, soft hair is usually out of reach for my coarse, frizzy and somewhat curly strands, I decided to try the smoothing brushes first. After showering and towel drying my hair with my best hair towel, I spritzed in Dphue’s Leave-In Conditioner Mist and combed through. Next, I pulled out the Coanda smoothing dryer attachment, rather than one of my normal hair dryers and set it to “pre-styling mode,” before rough drying my wet hair until it was dry-ish.

Then I swapped the dryer for the large firm brush with the increased number of air vents and basically just brushed my hair until it was totally dry. When I looked in the mirror, I saw that my never-smooth hair was, in fact, magically smooth, soft and shiny. I felt so confident with my newfound skills that I decided to roll with it and curl the ends, which was not quite as simple as just brushing your hair, but mastering the beach wave wasn’t difficult either.

In just 12 minutes, the final result was a head of hair that looked smooth, shiny, voluminous and full of wavy body.

Updated Testing: Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Review for 2023

I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with hair dryers. As someone who has naturally curly hair — and a lot of it — many hair dryers leave me with a rat’s nest of untamable frizz (and sore arms to boot). I prefer to wear my hair smoothed out most days, but consistent heat exposure to my color-treated hair does damage that asks a lot from my favorite hair masks. Suffice to say I’ll try any hair tool that promises smoothed hair and less damage.

The Dyson Airwrap had my full attention when it launched: Soft, shiny waves with no sizzling? Say no more. Before purchasing the Airwrap in June 2020, I tested out a friend’s to see if I liked the feel of the tool and more importantly, the results that the pricey device delivers. After 30 minutes testing out (and figuring out) the curling barrels, I was left with the bouncy, rolling waves that I previously could only achieve with my best curling irons. I purchased the device and it’s been my primary hair styling tool since.

With nearly three full years of experience using the Dyson Airwrap in different climates and for different occasions, I have some clear takeaways. First, the updated attachments (which I purchased separately to use with my original tool) are a major upgrade from the original ones. The curling barrels are much easier to navigate, and the Coanda smoothing dryer functions far better than the original oval-shaped rough dry attachment. Second, the brush attachments are the unsung heroes of the Dyson Airwrap. When I purchased the Airwrap, I thought that the curling barrels would be my go-to attachments. If you have a lot of hair, the curling barrels take a solid amount of time to fully dry and curl your hair (20 minutes for me), and for some hair types, those curls don’t last. The brush attachments are foolproof and dry your hair faster than the curling barrels — the round brush attachment is a great alternative if you need to get out the door quickly but want a little texture.

Attachments aside, I can confidently say that the Dyson Airwrap delivers on its promise of less heat damage. Since I switched from a traditional dryer to the Dyson Airwrap, my hair has grown longer than ever — breakage is officially a thing of the past. But that lack of heat does come with a caveat; those who want to take their hair from curly and frizzy to sleek and smooth will likely need to touch up with a hair straightener or curling iron for a shiny finish. For a healthier head of hair, that’s a compromise I’m willing to make.

Is the Dyson Airwrap Worth It?

I like to think of new items in terms of cost per use. If you consider that the average blowout including tip is around $75 (depending on where you live), then you only need to use your Airwrap eight times to make it pay for itself. For the Dyson’s price point, it’s understandable that you may want a little extra insurance, which is likely why they offer a two-year warranty, should anything go haywire.

The Airwrap is seriously great, but there are a few specific types of people who would may not benefit from having one. If you think you could probably go a year or two without squeaking in eight uses, then you’re probably better served spending your money elsewhere. Same goes for those looking for a hair tool that enhances their natural curl pattern — this device does not come with a hair diffuser.

However, if you’re a fan of blowouts or the blowout style, then there’s no better tool than the Airwrap for you. Without fail, it will deliver volume and silky smooth hair every time (even if you think you’re doing it all wrong). Or if your hair is generally hard to manage, the Airwrap will become your new best friend, taming flyaways on your behalf and getting scraggly ends into a straight line. And for those who care about the health and quality of your hair, then hands down, put those traditional hot tools away in favor of this one, which just uses lukewarm wind.

How We Tested the Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler

For this Dyson Airwrap review, two beauty editors tested the tool and all of its attachments. The testers have different hair textures and thicknesses, so our Dyson Airwrap review speaks to the tool’s ability to style different hair types. While using the Airwrap, our testers took note of how easy or difficult it is to toggle between attachments, the weight and feel of the tool during styling, and the effect of the Airwrap on our hair in the long-term. Both of our testers noted how our hair styles lasted in different weather conditions.

One writer tested the Airwrap over the duration of two weeks on her long, semi-fine hair. She used DpHue’s Color Fresh Leave-In Conditioner Mist to protect her color, add a boost of hydration, and amp up shine. This tester used each attachment for different hair looks, and was able to style her hair in 12 minutes flat.

Another writer has used the Dyson Airwrap for nearly three years. She used the original Dyson Airwrap before upgrading with the new Dyson Airwrap Complete attachment set. She has long, curly, and thick hair, so she was able to review how the attachments work for defining curls, smoothing out unruly pieces, and imparting shine. She used the Dyson Airwrap with a number of hair care products, such as leave-in conditioners, heat protectors, and Argan oil hair products.

Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete

Courtesy of Sephora

Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete $599.99 Buy Now at Sephora

Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete $599.99 Buy Now at Ulta

Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete $599.99 Buy Now at Saks Fifth Avenue

Meet the Experts

Alex Brown is a Chicago-based celebrity stylist who trained under hair pioneer and founder of Ouai, Jen Atkin. Brown is responsible for some of the world’s recent favorite hair looks, as worn by Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner, Chrissy Teigen and the Hadid sisters. She may take a no-nonsense approach when it comes to hair, but her striking creations are anything but serious.

Meet the Authors

Kaitlin Clark is a New York-based beauty writer and editor. Her ultimate goal in life is to recreate ’90s supermodel hair with ease and during this journey, she’s tested everything from DIY hair masks to glosses to the latest hair tools. She’s happy to report that Dyson has brought her closer than ever to her goal. Off-hours, you can find her strolling through the Brooklyn Botanic Garden or hopping on a train for a long weekend out of New York City.

Claire Sullivan is the Senior Beauty and Lifestyle Commerce Editor for WWD and Footwear News. She’s spent over five years researching, reporting on, and writing about the beauty industry for publications like Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle, and Byrdie. She’s tested hundreds of products during her time as a beauty editor, so she’s well-versed in selecting the products that make a meaningful difference in your skin and hair. She purchased a Dyson Airwrap in 2020 and hasn’t put it down since. Sullivan contributed to the 2023 update of this Dyson Airwrap review, adding her testing notes from years of usage.

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Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Review 2023: Two Beauty Editors Put the Hair Tool to the Test.

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