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Shark Flex-Style 5-in-1 Air Styler review: Dyson Airwrap alternative is £209 cheaper, but is it worth it? I put it to the test
The infamous Dyson Airwrap launched back in 2018, and inevitably inspired a myriad of more affordable alternatives - some great, some good, and some not worthy of your hard-earned money. So, how does the Shark Flex-Style 5-in-1 Air Styler fare up to the rest?
Its new, limited-edition Champagne Diamond version (which is bejeweled with over 20,000 shimmering crystals, just FYI), sits at £269.99 - still a pretty penny to drop on a styling tool, but much more affordable than the £479 Airwrap.
The Shark FlexStyle is a 5-in-1 styler with a styling concentrator nozzle, a curl-defining diffuser, paddle brush, oval brush and auto wrap curlers.
With five easy-to-use attachments, creating salon-worthy styles from the comfort of your own home has never been easier with the Shark FlexStyle 5-in-1 Styler - and this limited edition version is bejewelled with 20,000 shimmering crystals.
Create curls that last with the auto-curlers, shiny and seek styles with the concentrator nozzle, bouncy blow dries with the paddle and oval brushes, and enhance your natural curls with the defining diffuser. It's all possible with the FlexStyle 5-in-1 Styler.
The styling concentrator nozzle allows you to dry and style the hair at the same time - a must for those sleek, polished salon-esque looks. The curl-defining diffuser promises to add volume to curly hair of any length, and the oval and paddle brushes allow shaping and defrizzing for bouncy blow dries.
The auto-wrap curlers automatically wrap, curl and sets strands in a matter of seconds, for gorgeous, bouncy curls (or brushed out waves, depending on your style), meaning head-turning looks without the time and effort (or hand cramp). And with hundreds of reviews, it’s safe to say customers are obsessed with the results.
‘A hair game-changer!’, raved one user. ‘I’ve been using this for a good two months now and it’s completely changed my hair drying experience. I have thin, flat hair and since using this my hair has felt healthier and its given me more volume.'
‘I had my eye on a Dyson Airwrap for a long time but never felt like I could justify the price,’ said a third customer. ‘I am so pleased with this purchase! It is a fantastic hair dryer, I have a lot of hair and its never dried so quickly. Literally creates a salon-fresh blow dry in minutes’.
Designed for style versatility and at a fraction of the price of high-end alternatives, the Shark FlexStyle is a must-have for those on their healthy hair journey, as the tool measures heat at 1,000 times per second, ensuring consistent temperatures and no heat damage.
With three heat settings, users can quickly and easily create salon-worthy styles from the comfort of their own home before locking in their style with the ‘Cool Shot’ functionality - designed to set hair and maintain glossy locks for days.
The bedazzled tool includes five attachments and a convenient carry case - meaning you can bid farewell to multiple, heavy tools while travelling or on-the-go
A must-have tool for those who struggle with traditional stylers or those with long hair who want to kiss goodbye to the dreaded hand cramp that comes with curling or blow drying, the FlexStyle is beginner-friendly, with many praising the tool for ease of use.
The 32mm auto curlers — which are suitable for even long hair — use Coanda technology to automatically wrap hair around the barrel, while the two barrels included in the set allow the user to curl in both directions for a flattering, face-framing finish.
For the best results, Shark recommends rough drying the hair without an attachment to remove excess moisture after washing, before going in with a tool of your choice to create styles that stand the test of time. But what did I think?
Firstly, a tool that promises both less heat damage and lasting styles is music to my ears as someone who is on their healthy hair journey and on a mission to use heat less.
My hair, after years of bleaching and extensions, is short but thick, and in fairly good condition (after months of experimenting with reparative treatments). Blow dries and sleek styles tend to last fairly well on me, but getting my hair to hold a curl is a different story altogether.
Tube check: The final result lasted me just as long as a salon-fresh blow dry would
On first inspection, I was worried that the tool would be difficult to use, as it is rather large and bulky - especially when you add your desired attachment. But actually, upon use, it’s really lightweight - and after fiddling around with the blow drying brushes, diffuser and styling nozzle, I figured out it’s pretty easy to use, too.
Given I have pretty thick hair that normally takes at least half an hour to dry, I was shocked to find that my hair dried in a matter of minutes - and anything that means I get an extra 20 minutes of bed in the morning is a yes from me.
But the real test is whether the curling barrels would actually create a lasting curl in my hair, something that many have stated the Dyson Airwrap does not.
I set out to create a bouncy look with the right preparation - washing my hair, using a hair primer and heat protectant, and rough drying until my hair was around 60 to 70 per cent dry.
I used both the curling and the oval brush to create a bouncy, curly blow-dry look - and was shocked by how easy the tool was to use (and how long the finish product lasted on my usually frizzy hair)
It definitely took me a couple of goes to get use to the auto-curl technology, but after a few failed attempts, I finally got the hang of it - and was blown away by the tool literally sucking in my hair and creating the perfect curl. All those years of faffing about with curling irons when I could have been using this?!
Of course, the real test was in the longevity of my curls. After I had my whole head looking like I just stepped out the salon, and with a few spritzes of my trust L’oreal hairspray, I set about my day in a drizzly London.
The curls definitely did drop throughout the day, but by 4pm, they were still looking perky. And after sleeping with a low bun and giving my hair a lighting-quick touch up the morning after, I’m pleased to report they lasted well into the next day, too.
So, is the Shark FlexStyle worth the money? In my opinion, absolutely - and it’s trumped every tool I have in my collection so far (and that’s coming from someone who’s paid to test tools like these for a living).
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