You've probably seen the videos. Someone takes a soaking wet, frizzy strand of hair, brings a whirring wand close to it, and—whoosh—the hair wraps itself around the barrel like magic. It looks like sorcery. It’s the Dyson blow dryer brush, or more accurately, the Dyson Airwrap multi-styler. People obsess over it. They save up for months. But here’s the thing: after the $600 honeymoon phase ends, a lot of people realize they bought a Ferrari to drive to the grocery store. It’s a magnificent piece of engineering, but it’s also remarkably finicky.
If you’re looking for a simple tool that just gets you out the door, this might actually annoy you.
The tech is undeniable. Dyson famously uses the Coanda effect. Basically, the motor creates a high-pressure jet of air that follows the curve of the attachment, sucking the hair toward it. It’s physics, not just heat. Because it relies on air pressure rather than scorching metal plates, you aren't frying your hair at $450^{\circ}F$. That’s the big sell. Healthy hair. No "burnt toast" smell.
The Learning Curve Is Real
Don't let the TikToks fool you. Using a Dyson blow dryer brush takes practice. A lot of it.
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I’ve seen people give up after three days because their curls dropped in twenty minutes. The secret—which Dyson’s own stylists like Jen Atkin have pointed out—is the moisture level. If your hair is too wet, it won't hold. If it's too dry, the Coanda effect won't grab the hair. You need that "sweet spot" of about 80% dry. It’s a narrow window.
Then there’s the cooling shot. You have to hold the button to set the curl with cold air. Forget that step? Your hair will be flat by the time you reach your car. It’s a process. It’s not a "plug and play" situation for most hair types, especially if your hair is pin-straight or incredibly thick.
Is the Dyson Blow Dryer Brush Actually Better for Your Hair?
Traditional hot brushes, like the Revlon One-Step that everyone owned in 2019, use a combination of high heat and bristles to tension the hair. They get hot. Really hot. We’re talking temperatures that can eventually cause "bubble hair" (tiny air bubbles forming in the hair shaft) if used daily.
Dyson claims to measure airflow temperature over 40 times a second. They keep the heat under $302^{\circ}F$.
Does it matter? Yes. If you have bleached hair or fine strands that snap if you look at them wrong, the lower heat is a lifesaver. You’ll notice fewer split ends over six months. But—and this is a big but—if you have coarse, Type 4 curls, the "gentle" air of the Dyson might not provide enough tension to get that sleek, silk-press look you want without a lot of extra passes.
Breaking Down the Attachments
The Airwrap isn't just one brush. It’s a system. You get the 1.2-inch and 1.6-inch barrels, which are the ones that do the "magic" wrapping. Then there are the smoothing brushes.
- The Firm Smoothing Brush: This has stiff bristles. It’s meant for frizz-prone hair. It works okay, but honestly, it’s not as satisfying as a round brush.
- The Soft Smoothing Brush: Better for fine hair. It’s very gentle.
- The Round Volumizing Brush: This is the closest thing to a true "blow dryer brush." It’s great for bangs and adding lift at the roots.
The 2022 redesign was a huge deal because they finally made the barrels bi-directional. Before that, you had to switch attachments halfway through your head just to change the direction of the curl. It was a pain. Now, you just flick a switch on the top of the barrel. It's a small change that saved everyone ten minutes of fumbling with hot plastic.
The Cost vs. Value Problem
Let’s talk about the $600 elephant in the room.
Is it worth it?
If you blow-dry your hair three times a week and spend $50 on salon blowouts twice a month, the math works out. It pays for itself in a year. However, if you're someone who puts your hair in a messy bun 90% of the time, this is an expensive paperweight.
There are "dupes" now. The Shark FlexStyle is the most famous one. It’s significantly cheaper—usually around $250 to $300. It’s louder. It feels a bit more "plasticky." But it gets hotter, which some people actually prefer because it makes the style last longer on stubborn hair.
The Dyson is the luxury pick. It’s quieter. It’s prettier. It’s more ergonomic. But it won't magically give you "Instagram hair" if you don't have the patience to learn the technique.
Common Mistakes That Ruin the Results
Most people treat the Dyson blow dryer brush like a curling iron. It isn't.
- Using too much product: Heavy oils weigh the hair down, and the air won't be able to lift and wrap the strand. Stick to a lightweight heat protectant.
- Sectioning too much hair: If the clump of hair is thicker than a finger, the Coanda effect will fail. The air can't penetrate the middle of the section.
- Ignoring the "Coanda Smoothing Dryer" attachment: This is the weird, hook-shaped one. It’s designed to hide flyaways after you’re done styling. If you skip this, your hair won't have that "salon finish." Use it on dry hair at the very end.
Real Talk on Longevity
The motor in these things is tiny but powerful. It’s the V9 digital motor. Because it spins so fast, it pulls in a lot of dust. You must clean the filter at the bottom. Dyson includes a little brush for this. If you don't use it, the machine will eventually overheat and just shut off. It’s the number one reason people think their Dyson is broken when it’s actually just "suffocating" from hairspray buildup.
Final Actionable Steps for Success
If you’ve already bought one or are hovering over the "buy" button, here is how you actually get your money's worth:
- Dry your roots first. Use the dryer attachment to get your scalp 100% dry. If the roots are damp, the whole style will collapse from the weight of the water.
- Work in small, horizontal sections. Start at the nape of your neck and work up. It’s annoying, but it’s the only way to get even volume.
- Pin your curls. If your hair refuses to hold a style, use the Dyson to create the curl, then immediately slide it off the barrel and pin it to your head with a clip while it's still warm. Let it sit for 10 minutes while you do your makeup. This is the only way to get "Dyson curls" to last on heavy hair.
- Clean the filter weekly. Just do it. It takes thirty seconds and adds years to the life of the tool.
The Dyson blow dryer brush is a masterpiece of technology, but it’s a tool, not a miracle worker. It rewards those who take the time to understand how air moves. If you want a quick, hot, "fried" look, stick to your old-school wand. But if you want to keep your hair on your head for the next twenty years, the investment in lower-heat tech is a smart move.