The Shark FlexStyle features a swivel arm for easy styling around your head and 6 different attachments.
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Like many beauty enthusiasts, I have long coveted a Dyson Airwrap. This styling tool has been reviewed, loved, hated and adored worldwide for its revolutionary technology and ability to create salon-worthy gorgeous looks with little to no heat damage. It is The love-hate relationship many people have with Dyson’s Multi-Styler has to do with the fact that it costs $600.
As if to answer our hair goal prayers, vacuum brand Shark is launching this summer with near-identical technology, an updated design, and more aimed at replacing all existing hair tools. We’ve released a similar product that features attachments. The best part? Less than half price.
For about $280, you can build your own three-piece styler from Shark.
A five-piece styler for curly hair can be purchased from Shark for about $300.
You can buy a 5-piece styler for straight hair from Shark for about $300.
With the Shark FlexStyler, you can expect everything that made Airwrap so popular in the first place: an adjustable temperature stream of consistent airflow that promises quick drying and styling while minimizing heat damage. And the multiple attachments make it easy to volumize, curl, straighten, dry and coolshot your hair and keep it all in place.
Most notably, FlexStyler utilizes Coanda technology. This is the same feature that AirWrap is so famous for. With a styling setting that reverses the direction of airflow, Coanda automatically, but gently, pulls and wraps a portion of your hair into her curling barrel for an almost hands-free styling experience.
Besides the price, another big difference with the Shark FlexStyle is the swivel arm feature. This was a personal selling point for me and was very well received among other commenters and reviewers on TikTok.
The 90-degree position of the arms reduces overall styling hassle, making it easier to create multi-directional curls and turning the styler into a more traditionally shaped hair dryer. Dyson’s Airwrap, because the handle stays straight, requires a bit more manipulation on your behalf, especially when using a curling attachment.
Beauty content creators with the TikTok handle @neoitgirl conducted an unsponsored styling tool showdown, demonstrating in multiple videos how FlexStyle excels in terms of styling features, ease of use and installation.
“I’m obsessed with this swivel arm. It makes it so convenient to curl certain areas around my face…and my arm doesn’t wear out and blew it all away in no time,” she says. Said another TikTok creator, @Abbeyyung, in a side-by-side comparison video, “The verdict is out… Shark FlexStyle curls as good as Dyson.”
Both Dyson and Shark claim to be compatible with all hair types from straight to 4C, but the FlexStyle still features retractable teeth to define natural curls and roots. It’s the only option that offers a diffusion attachment that helps with Dry tip.
Other available FlexStyle attachments include a volume-inducing oval brush that smoothes boar bristle to help you achieve that 90s blowout, a styling concentrator, and a paddle brush that detangles boar bristle. , a wide-tooth drying comb, and two 1.25-inch curling wands. Switch according to curl direction. Each accessory can be purchased individually or you can choose from her pre-selected FlexStyle bundles offered by Shark to best suit your hair type.
As far as I can tell, Shark’s performance seems to be on par with its competitors, the product quality is about the same, and the price seems totally justified. If you’re affected too, scroll back to find out where you can get (or gift) this holiday.