Shark FlexStyle Review 2023: Is the 'Dyson Airwrap Dupe' Worth It?

Table Of Content

• I Tested the Dyson Airwrap vs. Shark FlexStyle to See Which Styling Tool Is Better
• Shark FlexStyle 5-in-1 Air Styler & Hair Dryer
• Shampoo + Conditioner 4pc Sampler Set
• Paddle brush
• So, what is the Shark FlexStyle?
• What does the Shark FlexStyle come with?
• My overall verdict: Is the Shark FlexStyle worth it?
• Shark FlexStyle System

Temperature and airflow buttons are easily accessible on the side and something that truly amazed me was the ‘cool shot’ feature. After styling with heat, it injects a burst of cool air to seal your cuticles and lock in the curl for longer (sensible and stylish!). Though, the 2-inch wide barrels don't offer much real estate length-wise at only 6 inches long, which meant dividing long hair into smaller sections.

I Tested the Dyson Airwrap vs. Shark FlexStyle to See Which Styling Tool Is Better

Even with my hair that’s prone to going a little skew-whiff by midday, I’m happy to report that it kept its fresh-looking finish. Using the concentrator attachment, it took mere minutes to get my medium, wavy hair about 70% dry. I typically only use the concentrator in conjunction with a round brush, so if you're willing to spend the extra money for the round brush attachment, I found it more useful than using the concentrator with a separate round brush. It's also worth noting that the Shark heated up quite high and the cool shot button took ample time to kick in (at least 10 seconds). Holding the cool shot button once the curl finished wrapping ensured that the temp simmered at the right time and gave good hold, which requires you to hold each curl for about 15 seconds. Fortunately, the sets have a helpful visual guide that walks through each attachment, its purpose, proper heat and speed settings and styling tips.

Shark FlexStyle 5-in-1 Air Styler & Hair Dryer

So for example, if you have curly or coily hair, you can opt for the attachments that work best for your specific texture, like the diffuser or the brushes, while someone with straight hair may choose the curling rods. The flattened paddle brush left hair styled and dried in a few swipes, though we found it worked best moving through coarser hair types, but wasn't as well-suited for finer or straighter locks. It doesn’t come with a diffuser, so although it’s marketed for all hair types, those with curly or coily hair may find it lacking. Dyson does have a slimmer build and two-directional, longer Coanda curlers, but all said, I think you're getting far more for your money with the Shark FlexStyle than with the Dyson Airwrap.

Shampoo + Conditioner 4pc Sampler Set

Dyson Airwrap vs. Shark Flexstyle: Which Hair Tool Wins? - The Mom Edit

Dyson Airwrap vs. Shark Flexstyle: Which Hair Tool Wins?.

Posted: Sat, 18 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Using a heat protectant spray helps, but realistically, any heat tool will come with some sort of damage. Unlike traditional stylers (a.k.a curlers or straighteners) where your hair is exposed to heat that’s hot enough to induce a sweat, the FlexStyle measures temperature 1000x per second so it never gets too hot. Plus, using heated air means the temperature doesn’t have to be scorching to create effective, bouncy curls. The Auto-Wrap curlers take a bit of adjusting to, but once you’ve nailed it, they create the perfect curl with little heat. If you’re partial to a super defined, tight curl I’d stick to a traditional curling wand, but for a natural bounce, it’s incomparable to anything else I’ve tried. It may be the most underestimated element of the styler, but the hairdryer was a big win for me.

Paddle brush

Each tool serves a different purpose, so we also tapped fellow staffers to see how it styled various hair types. Read ahead how the attachments worked across short to long hair and wavy to curly textures. Since Dyson is renowned for its Coanda-effect curlers (which use airflow to wisp hair around the barrel as the airflow dries and sets hair), I was most intrigued by whether Shark's iteration could stand up against it. The FlexStyle comes with two curlers that swirl hair clockwise or counter-clockwise, depending on the section you're working on.

So, what is the Shark FlexStyle?

While its popularity is undeniable, it's fair to say that the styler is no light investment. So if you've had qualms about parting ways with the cash, allow this rare sale to edge you towards that check-out button. Plus, each has a two-year warranty for a little insurance bonus, just in case anything goes haywire.

Before joining GH in 2021, she was a style and beauty reviews fellow at Insider, testing viral trends, reviewing sustainable brands and more. She's a graduate of the University of Florida's School of Journalism, with a specialty in magazines and mass communication. It may look like it weighs a tonne, but really it’s super lightweight and painless to use (no aching arms here). My only gripe is that I can already sense my annoyance trying to fit it into a small suitcase as it is a little bulky to fly with.

My overall verdict: Is the Shark FlexStyle worth it?

Enter the Shark FlexStyle, a multi-use air styling and drying system that transforms from a typical hair dryer to styling wand and comes with a collection of versatile attachments. My hair felt much smoother and bouncier when using it, but the device did get quite hot. Consequentially, the cool shot button takes significant time to kick in, and I often ended up foregoing using it for the full time... And while it's more affordable than the Dyson, it's still got a hefty price tag. You'll likely get the most use of it if you regularly style your hair with different hot tools.

Not only is the entirety of the kit luxe and beautiful to look at, but the overall finish makes it something comparable to what you’d pay for in a salon. Both tools have four heat settings, including a cool shot, and three airflow speed settings. There’s not a world of difference when it comes to the horsepower between the two. Quite similar to the oval brush, the round brush styles hair into a sleek blowout. I found it works best on nearly dry hair — damp hair took too long to dry. The bristles on its rounded barrel got much closer to the roots of my hair, which helped give optimal volume and worked wonders at tackling my outgrown curtain bangs.

Dyson's comparable flyaway attachment was tricky to figure out because of its unique shape, but once configuring the settings to high speed and low heat, it tamed flyaways before my eyes. It did a good job at grabbing large sections of hair, and I appreciated its holding knob at the end so I could get a better grip for curling. Another GH editor found the dryer versatile enough to see her through two haircuts (a chin-length bob and a curly pixie). "I've loved the brushes at either length, and I find it easy to convert to a standard hair dryer," she said.

Overall, both tools perform beautifully–they gave me shiny, bouncy, commercial-worthy hair every single time for every single look I styled. The Shark pulled through, however, simply because it offers a wider range of hairstyles and caters to more hair types and textures, courtesy of its included diffuser. Dyson’s Airwrap Multi-Styler is a seriously impressive, versatile hairstyling tool that can deliver nearly every type of hair look you could want—with a hefty price tag to match. Yet, Shark’s FlexStyle tipped the scales by creating equally gorgeous hair moments with even more attachment options than the Dyson (not to mention it’s also a stand-alone hair dryer), for a fraction of the price.

The oval brush accessory stood out for replicating the bouncy, sleek blowout results of a hair dryer brush. This attachment has a leg up on the Dyson, which does not have an oval brush attachment at all. If you’re on the hunt for a hair tool that will completely revitalize your at-home blowouts, you really can’t go wrong with either hair styler. The Dyson has all the bells and whistles of a luxury splurge tool, while the Shark harnesses similar technology, offers a more diverse set of attachments and provides the same glossy, runway-style hair.