For years, the high-end air styler market had only one king: the Dyson Airwrap. It was amazing, but it was also incredibly expensive. Enter the Shark FlexStyle Air Styling & Drying System.
It promises to do everything the luxury competitor does—curl, volumize, smooth, and dry—without extreme heat, and for roughly half the price. But is it too good to be true? I’ve analyzed the specs, the unique design, and user feedback to see if this is the ultimate hair tool or just a cheap imitation.
What You Get: The Key Features
The FlexStyle isn't just a copycat; it brings some unique engineering to the table.
- Transformable Design: This is its coolest trick. With a simple twist of the wrist, the tool rotates from a vertical styling wand into a traditional 90-degree hair dryer. This gives you the best of both worlds: a powerful blow dryer and a multi-styler in one.
- Coanda Air Technology: Like its competitor, it uses the "Coanda effect." This means the airflow automatically attracts and wraps your hair around the barrel to curl it. No clamping, no winding, and no burning.
- No Heat Damage: It measures heat 1,000 times per second to ensure consistent temperature, preventing the extreme heat damage caused by traditional curling irons.
- Versatile Attachments: This set typically comes with Auto-Wrap Curlers (which curl in both directions), an Oval Brush (for volume), a Paddle Brush (for smoothing), and a Concentrator nozzle (for precision styling).
- Powerful Airflow: Shark is known for vacuum cleaners, and they brought that suction power here. The airflow is strong and fast.
How It Performs: The Real-World Test
The consensus among beauty enthusiasts is clear: The Shark FlexStyle is the real deal.
As a hair dryer, it is arguably better than the Airwrap. The ability to twist it into a standard dryer shape makes it more ergonomic for rough drying, and the airflow is incredibly powerful, cutting drying time significantly.
As a styler, the auto-wrap curlers work beautifully. Once you get the hang of letting the air grab your hair, it creates bouncy, salon-quality curls that hold well. The smoothing brushes are excellent for achieving a "90s blowout" look with massive volume.
Is it perfect? Not quite. It is noticeably louder than the Dyson (it sounds like a powerful hair dryer), and it is slightly heavier. However, considering the price difference, these are minor trade-offs for most users.
The Final Verdict: Is It Worth It?
Yes. A thousand times, yes.
If you have been eyeing an air styler system but couldn't justify spending $600+, the Shark FlexStyle is the answer. It is not just a "dupe"; in some ways (like the twistable dryer mode), it is actually better designed.
It is powerful, versatile, and produces gorgeous, healthy-looking hair. Unless you have an unlimited budget and require absolute silence while drying, the Shark FlexStyle is the smartest buy in the hair tool market right now.
