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Dyson’s new airwrap id promises ‘perfect curls with no heat damage’ – but did it work?

The hair tool is a cult favourite for good reason

Elena Chabo
Beauty writer
Tuesday 15 April 2025 14:14 BST
I was floored by the comb, while the dryer was miraculously quick
I was floored by the comb, while the dryer was miraculously quick (Elena Chabo/The Independent)

I never thought the Dyson airwrap was for me and my fluffy corkscrew curls. The cult hair tool is designed to be used on wet strands, but my hair has to be straightened before being curled if the original texture is to be altered. So, you see the problem – it’s impossible for my curly hair to be wet and straight.

However, Dyson now has a version of the airwrap that has been designed for curly to coily hair, and I just had to put the device to the test. I was interested to see how the tool has been adapted to cater to textured hair and, of course, if it lived up to the claims in the marketing.

But true to form, this Dyson appliance is costly. Is the device worth its hefty £450 price tag? Scroll on for my full review and verdict.

How I tested

I tested each attachment on my curly 3B/3C hair
I tested each attachment on my curly 3B/3C hair (Elena Chabo)

Getting through the different attachments took weeks of testing. I have curly 3B/3C hair and, on separate occasions, trialled the large round volumising brush, the diffuser, the wide-tooth comb, the fast dryer and the conical barrel (aka the airwrap itself). I tested the diffuser on my human hair ponytail extension as well as on my natural curls. Here, I have gone into detail about each attachment. I looked at the ease of use, the results and how long the style lasted.

Why you can trust us

Elena Chabo is a beauty journalist. She has reviewed everything from ghd straighteners to Shark’s flexfusion and much more. Specialising in testing hair tools and products on textured hair, Elena’s reviews give honest opinions to help inform your shopping choices.

Dyson airwrap id multi styler and dryer, curly to coily

Dyson airwrap id multi styler and dryer, curly to coily review IndyBest
  • Temperature settings: Three, but these can be adjusted in the app
  • Colours: Jasper plum, patina/topaz, blue/topaz
  • Why we love it
    • Six tools in one
    • Gentle on hair
  • Take note
    • Some texture remains in curls
    • Expensive

Round volumising brush

dyson-airwrap-review-indybest
The round brush dried my hair quickly into soft curls (Elena Chabo)

I started the testing process by using the round volumising brush, as I regularly use this kind of tool to blow-dry my hair straight before I get out my straighteners. As I expected after my experience with the Dyson supersonic hairdryer, this new tool was incredibly speedy and effective. It was easy to use, light, and dried my hair quickly into soft curls – I would happily leave this as my final look. I loved the volume and the look of the curls. They frizzed up a little over the rest of the day, but this is unavoidable with my determinedly curly hair unless I top-up my style with straighteners. Using the brush first also made straightening my hair a quick process, as there was little left to do.

Wide-tooth comb

Next, I tried the wide-tooth comb (or pick) attachment. I was blown away by how easily this worked its way through my hair. I’ve never found even a standard comb that so easily moved through my damp curls, and it made stretching out my hair (drying it into a fluffy elongated straight) a painless task. This tool is perfect for stretching out and drying textured hair to get it ready for braids.

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Diffuser

The speedy and effective Dyson airflow combined with the perfectly cupped diffuser design makes for undeniable results. It made setting my natural curls with volume and bounce so much quicker, minimising exposure to heat. Somehow, it also made typically difficult angles and sections feel nimble and easy to style.

I also used the diffuser to dry a wavy human-hair ponytail extension, cupping the whole pony onto the diffuser and raising it up till it all sat piled up on the attachment. I’ve never seen the waves with so much definition, volume and bounce – it really brought out the texture without creating any frizz. Every feature is seriously impressive.

Fast dryer

I usually wouldn’t use this attachment as it doesn’t meet my needs. However, I tested it at the dense top of my ponytail hair piece, and it dried the hair miraculously fast. I had similar results when I tried it on a strand of my own hair.

Conical barrel

Finally, I tested the conical barrel that gives the airwrap its name. The idea is that the tool uses fast, hot airflow to wrap damp or wet hair around the barrel and dry it into curls. However, this revealed this tool’s only drawback. It struggled to draw my curly hair onto the full length of the barrel. Instead, I found its strongest suction was at the base.

dyson-airwrap-id-review-indybest
The conical barrel is what gives the airwrap its name (Elena Chabo)

I worked out that using my hands to smooth the ends of my hair onto the tool helped it attach. I also struggled to get the hair wrapped tightly around the barrel but found that sliding the barrel slightly downwards while wrapping helped. Figuring out the direction it was wrapping in wasn’t the easiest, but I think that will come with practice. However, I predict that hair tighter and coiler than mine won’t attach and wrap around the tool because the airflow would be fighting against hair with a stiffer structure.

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While I was impressed that the barrel created loose and bouncy curls, it wasn’t able to fully replace my frizzy and kinky texture, particularly around the roots. The result was a mixed texture that wasn’t very polished. I tried stretching out each section and sliding the barrel along the top part to smooth it out before wrapping, which helped a little. I actually really enjoyed wearing my hair like this, but it took an open mind to let go of the imperfections and warm up to the undone look. As the day went on, the curls held really well and even remained in place the next morning. I’m keen to keep experimenting and practising to see if I can improve the results.

  1.  £449 from Boots.com
Prices may vary
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The verdict: Dyson airwrap id multi styler and dryer, curly to coily

Overall, the Dyson airwrap id delivers, excelling in almost every task, with the airwrap barrels themselves the only function that leaves a little to be desired, especially for tight textures. However, if you have the budget to invest in a hair tool, this will set you up for almost every styling need, halve your styling time and minimise damage to hair. The airwrap name belies the range of functions included, and it is this variety that makes this an excellent, versatile tool.

For more of our favourite hair tools, read our review of the best airwrap alternatives

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