Knowledgeable's Score
Execs
- Airwrap-style curling barrels
- Intelligent hair dryer transformation
- Immediate styling improve
Cons
- Paddle and oval brushes are very related
- Nonetheless very expensive
- Not all fashions include a case
Our Verdict
The FlexStyle isn't just a critical various to the Dyson Airwrap. It’s an important multi-styler in its personal proper.
Worth When Reviewed
$299.99
Greatest Costs At present: Shark FlexStyle
When you’ve been hankering after a Dyson Airwrap however can’t justify the expense, this Shark sizzling air multi-styler may offer you what you need with out emptying your pockets. We take a look at the Shark FlexStyle.
Design and construct
- 7-piece equipment
- Twists to grow to be hair dryer
- Airwrap-style, auto-wrap curlers
The FlexStyle is a trendy five-in-one styling equipment. It’s a hair dryer, volumiser, straightener, diffuser and roller in a single.
Considered one of its main promoting factors is that its curling wands are modelled on these from the Dyson Airwrap. Shark calls them “auto wrap curlers” and identical to the Airwrap, they use the Coanda impact to attract strands of hair across the roller.
Which means that, not like a conventional sizzling curling iron, you gained’t burn your hair – or your fingers – when utilizing them. They’re kinder to hair and are far simpler to make use of than conventional curlers. They’ll make waves and curls a sensible possibility for individuals who’ve by no means been in a position to handle these seems beforehand.
The FlexStyle is available in two color choices: black and rose gold, or “stone” – a gold and beige colourway. We’re testing it within the latter.
Within the field, you’ll get the styling deal with which – in a intelligent twist, and actually, with a intelligent twist – turns into a 7-shaped hairdryer. To this, you possibly can add the hair drying attachments: a styling concentrator and a diffuser.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
Then there are the styling attachments. There are two auto-wrap curlers (one for both aspect of your face), an oval brush for smoothing and including quantity, and a paddle brush for straightening.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
The FlexStyle’s deal with is cylindrical, with a diameter of 14.5cm and a size of 29cm. In hair dryer kind, it’s a compact 22cm however, when in its styling mode with an attachment on the top, it’s virtually 44cm, which is longer than most particular person stylers.
Nonetheless, it’s across the identical dimension because the Airwrap. I didn’t discover it to be cumbersome to make use of however different reviewers have disagreed on this level, so that you would possibly wish to bear that in thoughts.
It weighs virtually 700g, together with the wire and plug, however it’s simply 400g with out them. It feels mild within the hand and is simple to carry whereas styling. That is maybe why the size didn’t trouble me.
The controls are simple, however with sufficient choices to tailor the settings to your wants.
Above the On/Off change is a warmth button that allows you to cycle by 4 warmth settings: none, low, medium and excessive. And above that's the airflow button, which has three energy settings. Indicator lights that illuminate in purple imply you possibly can examine the settings at a look.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
Positioned away from the remainder of the controls is the cool shot button, which is used for setting your type. It ought to be simple to search out with a finger whereas styling your hair, however it took me some time to have the ability to achieve this with out looking first.
It has a protracted, 2.44m swivel-set wire that’ll offer you loads of room to manoeuvre.
FlexStyle efficiency
- Attachments are simple to make use of
- You’ll have to prep and watch tutorials to grow to be an knowledgeable
- Hair dryer is mild and efficient
I’m somebody with restricted persistence the place hair styling is worried – and even much less talent. That’s partly why I needed to check the FlexStyle. It’s an costly little bit of equipment and if I can use it, just about anybody can.
When you’re contemplating shopping for it, one of many fundamental causes should be for the Airwrap-style auto-wrap curlers. So these have been the primary equipment I examined. The advertising tells us that they're simple to make use of – however is it true?
I’ve by no means efficiently used a curling iron earlier than, besides to provide myself just a few minor burns. So it was with some trepidation that I picked up a curling barrel.
There are two barrels, helpfully labelled left and proper. Use them on the indicated aspect of your head and your hair will curl away out of your face. For comparability, the up to date Airwrap enables you to change the course of airflow on the curling wands, however when you’re new to styling waves, you’ll admire the FlexStyle’s foolproof system.
All it is advisable to do is separate a bit of hair and maintain its finish to the curling barrel. The present of air will pull your hair in direction of the barrel and wrap it round.
The hair curling course of is easy, efficient and genuinely a little bit of a mini scientific marvel. I’m removed from an knowledgeable however the next waves took me simply a few minutes to realize on a kindly take a look at topic, who has lengthy, thick, straight hair.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
My very own hair is skinny, flyaway and unhelpfully, neither silkily straight nor reliably wavy. However I used to be nonetheless in a position to obtain constant waves that lasted all day with minimal trouble.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
The FlexStyle comes with a styling information, that can assist you use the attachments. Nonetheless, I’d advise that if you wish to take advantage of it and create extra advanced kinds, it is best to discover a tutorial to look at on-line.
I adopted the recommendation given by my colleague Hannah in her glorious overview of the Airwrap. I used it on simply barely damp hair, gave it a spritz of salt spray beforehand and, for longer-lasting outcomes, pinned up the curls and used hair spray afterwards.
Though it’s simple to make use of, you’ll nonetheless have to develop your talent, and take your time to type your hair correctly every time. When you do, it’ll pay dividends.
The oval brush attachment turns the FlexStyle right into a styler that’s just like the Revlon One Step. You should utilize it to clean your hair and provides it extra quantity. Basically, it’s a blowout device. Then there’s a paddle brush, which is used for straightening. On my hair, these attachments have been efficient however had just about the identical consequence. Nevertheless, when you've got longer, thicker hair, I think about that there might be an even bigger distinction.
The FlexStyle is an effective hair dryer. It’s not noisy however then it’s not as highly effective because the Dyson Supersonic or (my private favorite) the Zuvi Halo. Nevertheless, it’s light-weight, efficient and an important possibility for journey, given that you would be able to save a lot area on different styling equipment.
The concentrator works nicely to create clean kinds and the diffuser has a superb characteristic: you possibly can retract or prolong the prongs to fit your hair size. The Dyson Airwrap doesn’t embrace an official diffuser attachment, so the FlexStyle might be a greater possibility if you wish to protect your pure curls.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
In use, the attachments click on into place satisfyingly and there’s a launch button to take away them. The FlexStyle feels sturdy and nicely made.
Worth and availability – Is the FlexStyle price the fee?
There’s no getting round the truth that the FlexStyle is expensive at $299.99/ £299.99. However it’s an important all-round styling equipment. Nevertheless, not all styling attachments will likely be helpful for all hair varieties. Folks with curly hair or coils could discover that there are fewer helpful instruments.
However there’s a manner round this when you’re within the US. You possibly can head to the Shark web site and select the three equipment you need for $279.99. Or you should buy a $299.99 set for both straight & wavy or curly & coily hair. There’s presently no value benefit to purchasing from any retailer. Any value variation relies on equipment.
UK consumers don’t have a customisation possibility but. This offers the Dyson Airwrap the sting on this market. Order the Airwrap on the Dyson web site and you'll take a hair sort take a look at and get a personalized choice of equipment.
You should buy the FlexStyle from Shark, Currys or Boots, amongst different retailers, and also you’ll get the usual set of attachments as outlined above. The one value distinction relies on the colourway you select. The black FlexStyle comes with a case and prices £20 extra. If you need the stone colourway, you should buy a case individually from Shark for £22.99.
When you’re within the US, the FlexStyle doesn't include a case, though you could find loads of appropriate choices on Amazon. Shark additionally doesn’t supply an official smaller journey pouch if you wish to take one or two attachments away with you.
When you’re on the lookout for one thing even cheaper, then you possibly can take into account the Revlon One Step sizzling air brush for $59.99/£59.99, however this doesn’t supply any extra attachments for versatile styling.
Verdict
The FlexStyle will popularly be referred to as the extra reasonably priced competitor to the Dyson Airwrap. However it’s in no way an affordable possibility, both when it comes to its construct high quality, efficiency or, to be honest, its price ticket. For most individuals, it is going to be an enviable hair styling equipment in its personal proper. We’d suggest it.
When you’d wish to see the way it measures as much as the Dyson Airwrap, take a look at our in-depth overview.