From Air Wraps to Super Sonics, Dyson have the market cornered when it comes to cult hair care devices. But it’s not all style. No substance. Behind the glossy locks, its safe to say that Dyson take your tresses seriously. With global headquarters in Singapore, two technology campuses in the UK and 10 engineering and research hubs around the world. In fact, according to one of Dyson’s 6,000 strong global engineers, the wonderfully whip-smart Ishika Kajari, the brand are on a mission to expand and accelerate research and technology development across the beauty category. Including their out-today device: the Dyson Airstrait.
The science behind straighter hair
“When we entered the hair care category, we wanted to understand everything about hair. From cortex to cuticle, and root to tip,” says Ishika. Before adding that, “Dyson has committed half a billion pounds (approximately one billion Australian Dollars) to expand and accelerate our research and technology development in this area. Building on 30 years of expertise in airflow.” This recently culminated in the release of Dyson Airtrait. A device that Ishika is particularly proud of.
“Of all our hair care machines, the air path of the Dyson Airstrait is by far the most complex. As we endeavoured to find the sweet spot between drying and styling,” she says. “The airflow comes in from the base of the machine, through the filter and passes through the motor. Two high-pressured jets of air, angled at 45 degrees, split before forming one focused jet of air. This concentrated jet of air has the downward force to straighten hair as it dries, without using heat plates.”
She explains that you must break and reset the hydrogen bonds within each hair strand to change your hairstyle to hold a new shape.
“When hair is wet, water naturally weakens these bonds. In this state, the bonds are more elastic and can be reset as hair dries without using extreme temperatures. By using the optimum level of heat and controlled airflow, we’ve found a way to style hair with less damage. Styling with air allows for the creation of straight styles while maintaining volume and movement. Once the hair is dry and aligned, the bonds reset in different ways, locking the new style in place.”
Sounding a little sciencey? We told you Dyson was serious about giving you good hair! Here are four ways the Airstrait is using tech to tame your tresses like never before.
1. Airflow: Precision Air Jets
Along the arms of the Dyson Airstrait are two 1.5mm apertures. These apertures accelerate the airflow, creating two high-velocity downward blades of air. Projected at a 45° angle, they converge to form one focused jet of air, creating the downward force needed to straighten hair as it dries, with control. This directional airflow helps align the hair strands for a smooth and shiny finish.
2. Hyperdymium motor
The Dyson Airstrait straightener is powered by the Hyperdymium motor, specifically engineered to be at the heart of Dyson’s Hair Care technologies. It is small, light, and powerful enough to generate the airflow needed to dry and straighten hair simultaneously from wet. A 13-blade impeller spins up to 106,000 rpm, propelling over 11.9 litres of air through the machine per second. This generates up to 3.5 kPa of air pressure, enough to straighten hair as it dries. At 27mm, the motor is small enough to fit in the handle, with no sacrifice on power.
3. Intelligent heat control
Like the rest of the Dyson hair care range, the Dyson Airstrait straightener features intelligent heat control. Glass bead thermistors measure the temperature of the airflow up to 16 times per second to prevent heat damage and protect hair’s natural shine. This data is sent to the microprocessor, which regulates the heating element, ensuring airflow doesn’t exceed the required temperature. This precise control ensures that your hair receives the right amount of heat without causing unnecessary damage.
4. Two styling modes: Temperature control
The Dyson Airstrait straightener offers ‘Wet’ and ‘Dry’ styling modes, along with a ‘Cool’ mode to set the style. The ‘Wet’ and ‘Dry’ modes are pre-set with specific heat and airflow combinations for optimal results. In ‘Wet’ mode, you can choose among three heat settings: 80°C, 110°C, and 140°C. In ‘Dry’ mode, you can choose between 120°C or 140°C or a top-up “boost”. For airflow control, there are two-speed settings: low flow and high flow, as well as a cold shot and root drying mode.
The Dyson Airstrait retails for $749 and is now on sale at Dyson.com.au
