I tried the new Dyson Airwrap i.d. and app to automate my styling routine

Welcome to the future.

I’ve been the proud owner of a Dyson Airwrap since 2020. It was high-involvement purchase, involving months of researching ‘best Dyson Airwrap dupes’ and watching many YouTube tutorials of influencers with Utah curls. Finally, I bit the bullet and invested the $850 to majorly step up my hair game.

This was pre-pandemic. I had grand plans to be ‘the girl with the good hair’ at every event, social gathering, day in the office, just all the time. Unfortunately, my Airwrap arrived a week before we went into lockdown and had our social lives cancelled for the next two years.

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During that time, I learnt how to use every attachment it came with like a pro – even the round brush, which has always scared me. It took some trial and error but now I can confidentially style my hair into relaxed waves with Matilda Djerf-esque curtain bangs any time I want.

I have no qualms with my four-year-old Dyson Airwrap – it’s still going strong and I still use it nearly every day. But since I bought it, those Dyson engineers have been tinkering away, making minor improvements, and sometimes I have FOMO. I’m still switching manually between the left and right curling barrels, whereas now you can do that with the twist of a button. My original version didn’t come with the nifty Flyaway attachment and tapered curling barrel as it does now. And mine certainly didn’t come with an app and a Bluetooth i.d. curling system…

My first generation Dyson Airwrap (left) and the new Dyson Airwrap i.d. multi-styler and dryer.

What’s different about the new Dyson Airwrap i.d.?

The Dyson Airwrap i.d. multi-styler and dryer is very similar to the first generation, except for a few new and improved attachments and a Bluetooth function, allowing you to pair your Airwrap with an app on your phone. You can use the i.d. curling feature on the app which guides you through a personalised styling process, with step-by-step instructions, an automated airflow and cool-shot process and a styling timer as you go – great for beginners.

As for the six new attachments, there’s now two curling barrels instead of four, since you can curl in both directions by twisting the top of the barrel, instead of manually swapping them. It comes with one 40mm Airwrap long barrel to create looser waves and one conical Airwrap barrel, tapered slightly at the tip to curl hair more naturally from the root down. There’s also the Coanda smoothing attachment to tame flyaways, a larger round volumising brush, a soft smoothing brush with enhanced airflow and a fast hair dryer attachment. Oh, and a wide-tooth comb for detangling or to brush your curls out into softer waves.

How does the Dyson Airwrap i.d. compare to the regular Dyson Airwrap?

For a week, I packed my old Dyson Airwrap away and used the new version. I tried it for the first time on Monday morning before work. My hair was looking frizzy and a bit flat, so I wanted to smooth it out and add soft waves. I scanned the QR code on the box and got set up on the app, answering a few questions about my hair type (thick, wavy, frizzy) and desired result (smooth bouncy waves). Then it gave me a recommended styling programme that told me exactly where to start curling my hair and how. It cleverly connects to the Airwrap, counting down the appropriate time to hold each curl, followed by an automated five-second cool shoot, something I’m usually too rushed to bother with.

I know my way around an Airwrap but for any beginners, this app and i.d. curling feature would be really helpful. It even taught this old dog new tricks – the end result looks like my hair after I leave the salon, much more polished than my normal look. I like that the new conical barrel provides a more natural-looking wave. It’s also much easier to style without having to fuss around with different attachments, now I just twist the barrel and keep going.

On Wednesday, I washed my hair and decided to try out the new larger volumising round brush. Since I was in trial mode, I added two pumps of the Dyson Chitosan pre-style cream to wet hair, then rough-dried it with the dryer. Then I clipped it and started styling with the round brush, section by section. The result was very bouncy, Rich Housewife hair that lifted me out of my mid-week slump.

On Friday, I had an event to go to and wanted to try a more sleek look, but I had ten minutes to get ready. I ran the smoothing brush through my hair, switching to the Coanda attachment for the top layer. It did a really good job at smoothing my flyaways, even those pesky greys that love to stand to attention!

Is there a dupe of the new Dyson Airwrap i.d?

Considering all the features and different styles you can achieve with this tool, as well as the user experience, I say no, there’s not a real dupe for the Dyson Airwrap. I’ve tried plenty of cheaper multi-styling tools from different brands and also had good results, but the difference for me is my hair still feels healthy even though I use my Airwrap every day. Dupes from other brands tend to leave my hair feeling like straw after a week.

In saying that, if you’re still using the original version, or you’ve found a first generation Dyson Airwrap on Facebook Marketplace or eBay, don’t feel like you’re missing out on too much. Aside from regular keratin smoothing treatments, it’s the single best investment I’ve made in myself.

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