At a look
Skilled’s Score
Execs
- Airwrap-style curling barrels
- Intelligent hair dryer transformation
- Prompt styling improve
Cons
- Paddle and oval brushes are very related
- Nonetheless very expensive
- Not all fashions include a case
Our Verdict
The FlexStyle is not only a critical various to the Dyson Airwrap. It’s an amazing multi-styler in its personal proper.
Worth When Reviewed
$299.99
Finest Costs Immediately: Shark FlexStyle
When you’ve been hankering after a Dyson Airwrap however can’t justify the expense, this Shark scorching air multi-styler may provide you with what you need with out emptying your pockets. We take a look at the Shark FlexStyle.
Design and construct
- 7-piece package
- Twists to develop into hair dryer
- Airwrap-style, auto-wrap curlers
The FlexStyle is a trendy five-in-one styling package. 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 similar to the Airwrap, they use the Coanda impact to attract strands of hair across the roller.
Which means that, not like a conventional scorching curling iron, you received’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 practical choice for individuals who’ve by no means been capable of handle these appears to be like 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 type, it’s a compact 22cm however, when in its styling mode with an attachment on the tip, it’s virtually 44cm, which is longer than most particular person stylers.
Nonetheless, it’s across the similar measurement 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 twine and plug, nevertheless 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 hassle 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 via 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 pink imply you possibly can test 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 model. It ought to be straightforward to seek out with a finger whereas styling your hair, nevertheless it took me some time to have the ability to achieve this with out looking first.
It has an extended, 2.44m swivel-set twine that’ll provide you with loads of room to manoeuvre.
FlexStyle efficiency
- Attachments are straightforward to make use of
- You’ll must prep and watch tutorials to develop into an professional
- Hair dryer is mild and efficient
I’m somebody with restricted persistence the place hair styling is anxious – and even much less ability. That’s partly why I wished to check the FlexStyle. It’s an costly little bit of package and if I can use it, just about anybody can.
When you’re new to styling waves, you’ll respect the FlexStyle’s foolproof system
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 straightforward to make use of – however is it true?
I’ve by no means efficiently used a curling iron earlier than, besides to present myself a number of 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 helps you to change the route of airflow on the curling wands, however in case you’re new to styling waves, you’ll respect the FlexStyle’s foolproof system.
All it’s good 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 the direction of the barrel and wrap it round.
The hair curling course of is straightforward, efficient and genuinely a little bit of a mini scientific marvel. I’m removed from an professional 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 capable of obtain constant waves that lasted all day with minimal trouble.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
The FlexStyle comes with a styling information, that will help you use the attachments. Nonetheless, I’d advise that if you wish to benefit from it and create extra advanced kinds, it’s best to discover a tutorial to observe on-line.
I adopted the recommendation given by my colleague Hannah in her glorious assessment 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 straightforward to make use of, you’ll nonetheless must develop your ability, and take your time to model your hair correctly every time. When you do, it’ll pay dividends.
The hair curling course of is straightforward, efficient and genuinely a little bit of a mini scientific marvel
The oval brush attachment turns the FlexStyle right into a styler that’s much 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 end result. Nonetheless, if in case you have longer, thicker hair, I think about that there could possibly be an even bigger distinction.
The FlexStyle is an efficient 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. Nonetheless, it’s light-weight, efficient and an amazing choice for journey, given you can save a lot house on different styling equipment.
The concentrator works properly to create clean kinds and the diffuser has a superb characteristic: you possibly can retract or lengthen the prongs to fit your hair size. The Dyson Airwrap doesn’t embody an official diffuser attachment, so the FlexStyle could possibly be a greater choice 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 strong and properly made.
Worth and availability – Is the FlexStyle value the price?
There’s no getting round the truth that the FlexStyle is expensive at $299.99/ £299.99. However it’s an amazing all-round styling package. Nonetheless, not all styling attachments shall be helpful for all hair sorts. Individuals with curly hair or coils could discover that there are fewer helpful instruments.
However there’s a manner round this in case you’re within the US. You’ll be able to head to the Shark web site and select the three equipment you need for $279.99. Or you possibly can purchase a $299.99 set for both straight & wavy or curly & coily hair. There’s at present no worth benefit to purchasing from any retailer. Any worth variation depends on equipment.
UK consumers don’t have a customisation choice but. This offers the Dyson Airwrap the sting on this market. Order the Airwrap on the Dyson web site and you may take a hair sort take a look at and get a customized 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 worth distinction depends on the colourway you select. The black FlexStyle comes with a case and prices £20 extra. If you need the stone colourway, you should purchase a case individually from Shark for £22.99.
When you’re within the US, the FlexStyle doesn’t include a case, though yow will discover 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 may take into account the Revlon One Step scorching air brush for $59.99/£59.99, however this doesn’t supply any further attachments for versatile styling.
Verdict
The FlexStyle will popularly be often called the extra inexpensive competitor to the Dyson Airwrap. However it’s under no circumstances an affordable choice, both when it comes to its construct high quality, efficiency or, to be truthful, its price ticket. For most individuals, it will likely be an enviable hair styling package 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 assessment.
