Black Friday is always a great time to take advantage of beauty sales. But with discounts happening at pretty much every brand, it can be hard to know exactly what’s worth adding to your cart. While it’s never a bad idea to stock up on beauty essentials like skincare or makeup, I can say with certainty that it’s also a great time to invest in typically more expensive tools, like a hair dryer or multi-styler, at a cheaper price than you’ll find the rest of the year.
This year, I noticed Dyson is offering pretty steep discounts on it’s range of cult-favorite tools, including the Airwrap on sale for $499, for a savings of $100 off it list price. I also noticed the Shark FlexStyle, it’s biggest competitor, on sale for just $229. I’ve tested both for my best-in-class roundup and my colleague Najwa Jamal put them head to head back in the spring. So we’ve got good intel on both. I’ve outlined the differences below.
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Jamal and I pretty much came to the same conclusion when comparing the two: while the Shark can generally do the things the Airwrap does–smoothing, straightening, and curling–it is a lot louder, the features are a little clunkier, and the results aren’t quite as salon-worthy as the Airwrap’s. Jamal noted her blowouts were not as soft and flee-flowing as they are with the Dyson. However, if you want a multi-styler that can get the job done, the price is pretty hard to beat.
After weeks of testing, Jamal concluded “that the few hundred extra dollars make the Airwrap worth the purchase in my eyes. The Airwrap’s design touches, like the button placement and handle weight, as well as it being quieter overall, are a large part of its allure.” As I said above, I tend to agree here. Dyson’s updated curling barrels also don’t need to be removed to change the direction of airflow the way the Shark’s do, saving time during styling. The Airwrap’s drying attachments are also a lot more streamlined, making them easier to style with and allowing you to get much closer to the root, yielding a smoother blowout.
More status hair tools on sale
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