My review of the ghd Speed ‘no heat damage’ hair dryer

Is a $595 hair dryer worth it? I tried it and here’s what I think.

As expected, working as an editor at a fashion magazine comes with an endless list of perks. Ranking fairly highly on the list is access to exciting new beauty releases. Collectively, we’ve been lucky enough to road test new makeup launches, review expensive hair brushes and be the guinea pig for crazy beauty treatments. Naturally, then, when I got the offer to try ghd’s new ‘no heat damage’ hair dryer, I didn’t hesitate to say yes.

Coming in at $595, the ghd Speed is the brand’s new and improved, super-charged hair dryer. Though my old ghd dryer has held up relatively well (considering I’ve been using it for close to a decade), I was keen to see what kind of technical advancements the brand had made in the years since.

For more hair and beauty features, check out our Beauty section.

I’ve been on a hair journey over the past two years, trying to grow out my locks and improve my overall hair health. Having worn it naturally almost every day for the past 12 months, I’ve recently dipped my toe back into bleach and highlights.

Though I’m devout when it comes to leave-in treatments and hair oils, the fact that the ghd Speed promised virtually no heat damage caught my eye. If there were a world where I could dry my hair quickly, easily and without singeing my ends off, then maybe the price tag was worth it.

How the ghd Speed works

As the name suggests, one of the biggest selling points of the ghd Speed is its speed. Powered by a compact motor that’s 91 per cent smaller than most other options on the market, the high-pressure air flow reaches 172km/h. All up, it’s meant to be the brand’s fastest hair dryer.

Another drawcard lies in its ‘dual-airflow’ technology. Though I won’t pretend to understand the engineering at play here, the top-line explainer is that the ghd Speed simultaneously blows out a ring of hot air, surrounded by a ring of cool air. By doing this, the hair dryer itself is meant to stay nice and cool, while keeping your hair’s surface temperature low, resulting in what the brand claims to be ‘no heat damage’. All that’s to say is the ghd Speed promises to be quicker and a great deal better for your hair.

How to use the gHD Speed

Part of the beauty of the ghd Speed is that it doesn’t require a step-by-step manual or a dozen TikTok tutorials to help you figure out how to use it. If you’re familiar with a standard hair dryer, you’re pretty much good to go – though there are a few extra features.

It comes with a ‘ghd Halo Styling Concentrator’ attachment if you’re going for a blowout-style finish, which clips in magnetically. However, that is the only attachment it comes with. If you want to try out the curly hair diffuser, hair comb or different-sized nozzles, you’ll need to buy them separately.

From there, you can play around with the four different fan settings and toggle between temperatures. Once you’ve found the right rhythm, you can lock in your settings so you don’t risk bumping them around while using the dryer.

The gHD Speed results

Rather than using it right out of the shower, I let my hair air dry for around half an hour before gearing up to try the ghd Speed. When ready, I coated the ends in heat protectant and sectioned out my hair. I ran it through with a round brush to give it a straighter, blow-waved finish and alternated with different fan and heat settings.

I’ve always associated blow-drying my hair with generally just overheating – my cheap metal brush is typically scalding and my hair is always red-hot by the time I’ve finished. It’s partially why I’d dread using the dryer in the summer, knowing that I’d end up a sweaty mess by the time I’d finished. Until now, I’d just assumed it was part and parcel of trying to get an at-home blow wave.

While the ghd Speed was definitely still warm to use, I noticed a drastic difference in the overall heat and efficiency compared to my old dryer. I could get up nice and close to my roots without giving myself first-degree burns. I ran an oil through the ends when finished and slept with a silk pillowcase before putting a loose wave in my hair the next morning.

Would I try the gHD Speed again?

All up, the process took around 20 minutes, which is definitely faster than the usual 40-minute allocation I’d give to a proper hair dry. It’s also worth noting that the weight of the product was noticeably lighter than I’m used to. Thick-haired girls will know the struggle of holding up a heavy-duty dryer for a long period of time (it’s borderline RSI), so this was a massive tick.

As for the heat damage, it’s hard to say. Given it’s the kind of thing that wreaks havoc on your hair over time, it’s a long game. While the immediate results felt much cooler on my scalp and brush, it’s a real trust exercise whether it’ll improve my hair health long-term.

For those curious, the ghd Speed will set you back $595, with hair brush and attachment bundles sitting at a higher price point. If you’re in a position financially and want to streamline your haircare routine, or take it with you when travelling, then the ghd Speed is a good option for your next upgrade.

For the best diffusers for curly hair, try this.