Ashleigh Cometti uncovers five of the best new-release hair-styling tools worth their price tag.
If one of your New Year resolutions includes leaving your wash-and-wear approach firmly in 2023 and actually putting effort into styling your hair each morning, may we introduce you to the newest and most innovative
While we’re all for using a device until it’s on its last legs (here’s looking at you, 12-year-old hair straightener that currently resides in my vanity drawer), these five new stylers make a strong case for upgrading your arsenal, especially those that cut down styling time or promise to achieve a multitude of looks using just one device.
Below, we spotlight the top devices that promise to glean a luscious, healthy-looking finish no matter your hair type or desired style.
If, like me, your hair straightener is looking a little worse for wear, consider Ghd’s latest technological advancement which is said to achieve enviable results up to three times faster than its predecessors, with less frizz and more enhanced breakage protection than ever before.
Named after the goddess of time, the new Ghd Chronos harnesses HD motion-responsive technology that uses a clever algorithm to assess how the tool is being used and responds accordingly by adapting heat and power delivery for optimum performance.
How exactly does that work, I hear you ask? The technology can detect how the user is styling their hair, through the motions used, and ensures the ceramic plates are heated evenly to the correct temperature of 185C to deliver better results, faster.
According to Ghd, one pass through a section of hair is all that’s needed to achieve ultra-glossy results for up to 24 hours.
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Launching just in time for Valentine’s Day, Dyson has revealed its special edition Ceramic Pop colourway in playful shades of teal, orange and blush pink. Dressing up two of its best-selling devices — the Supersonic hair dryer and Airwrap multi-styler — the eye-catching combination of rainbow brights showcases the brand’s playful side.
If you’ve ever been tempted by the lures of the Airwrap then a limited-edition presentation gives good cause to invest, as does its impressive credentials when it comes to achieving a multitude of styles without the need for extreme heat.
A single machine comes with six attachments to smooth, shape, curl and disguise flyaways.
The styling secret? The Coanda effect, which sees the Dyson digital V9 motor attract and self-wrap hair around the barrel or brush to style hair from wet to dry without causing any unnecessary heat damage (the hottest it gets is 150C).
With three airflow settings, three temperature controls and a cold-shot option, this now-viral device enables you to achieve everything from mermaid waves to a curly blow-out and everything in between.
In August 2023, Shark Beauty revealed the newest additions to build on its line-up of air technology styling tools — the SpeedStyle Rapid Gloss Finisher & High Velocity Dryer. Its launch was flanked by a second newbie, the SmoothStyle Heated Comb & Blow Dryer Brush (the latter sadly is unavailable in Aotearoa).
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Advertise with NZME.Promising to save precious time in the morning, the SpeedStyle takes hair from wet to dry within minutes without the need for extreme heat (its maximum setting is 110C).
Working intuitively, this high-powered hair dryer automatically adjusts its heat and airflow settings depending on which of the five attachments are being used.
Take your pick from the RapidGloss Finisher, which helps tame frizz and flyaway using two streams of air to leave hair smooth and glossy; QuickSmooth Brush, to dry, volumise and straighten all at the same time; Turbo Concentrator, to precisely smooth every strand; Express Touchup Brush, to curl layers and fringes; and the DefrizzFast Diffuser to define curls and dry evenly from root to tip.
If you love a bouncy blow-dry but struggle with the frizz that often comes with it, consider Cloud Nine’s newest innovation, which promises to tame even the wildest of locks.
The redesigned hair dryer launched in November 2023, and is the second iteration in the Airshot story, which has been reimagined to streamline the hair drying process even further.
It does so thanks to the addition of temperature regulators for healthier, shinier tresses, alongside Ionic Drying technology, which reduces the amount of negatively charged particles in hair, thus preventing frizziness and flyaways.
Those who struggle with sore arms while drying long or thick hair will rejoice over its lightweight design — the unit weighs a mere 440g, which is less than a block of butter. Not to mention the matte black colourway makes for a chic addition to your bathroom drawer.
It comes housed with a Precise-Drying Nozzle and a Diffuser, which use magnets to snap into place when attached to the main unit, and offers three fan speeds and heat settings, hot and medium to dry, with a cold burst available to set your style in place.
It’s been 10 years since VS Sassoon launched its original auto curler to market, which aimed to demystify curling hair for the time-poor or confused among us.
Last November, VS Sassoon revealed its new era in automatic curling, in the form of the Curl Secret Ceramic Auto Curler.
Developed under the tag line “hair goes in, curl comes out”, the reimagined device works by gently drawing in hair and winding it around a ceramic-coated barrel to result in smooth, healthy-looking curls.
It features three heat settings (210C for thick hair, 180C for medium hair and 150C for fine hair) and three preset curl types (defined, loose or wavy) which can be curled left, right or alternating to completely customise your style.
The clever curler is currently only available on VS Sassoon’s Australian site, but with a flurry of local influencers having recently given the tool a whirl, we’re predicting it won’t be long until the device makes its way across the Ditch.
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