"It's a total reinvention of a category" – L'Oréal exec on why its new glass, infrared-powered hair straightener is so exciting

• L'Oréal Light Straight + Multi-styler has been unveiled at CES 2026
• Plates are made from glass and use patented infrared technology
• Can straighten effectively at lower temperatures

L'Oréal has just unveiled its next-gen straightener, and it could be a game-changer – not just for anyone struggling with frazzled locks, but for the haircare market in general. The Light Straight + Multi-styler uses a patented infrared light technology that's designed to work at lower temperatures, helping keep hair healthy.

L'Oréal claims the Light Straight works 3x faster than 'leading premium stylers' and leaves hair twice as smooth. While I can't verify that, it certainly was efficient in the CES 2026 demo room. Upsettingly, for hygiene reasons they wouldn't let me use it on my own frizzball hair, but I was very impressed with how smooth it made the human demo hair, in a single pass.

The Light Straight + Multi-styler never exceeds 320F / 160C (for comparison, GHD straighteners operate at 365F / 185C). Higher temperatures cause damage to hair over time by weakening the cuticles, leading to more breakage and less shine. I spoke with Guive Balooch, Global Vice President of Tech and Open Innovation at L’Oréal Groupe, to get the low-down on the new technology.

Guive explained to me that the Light Straight + Multi-styler – and the L'Oréal AirLight Pro hair dryer launched at CES 2024 – both use a specific, high-powered type of infrared light that until a few years ago was very expensive.

On the hair dryer, he told that the heat from the airflow "synergizes" with the heat from the infrared light, allowing the dryer to dry hair more quickly and at a lower temperature.

The same concept is used in the Light Straight, but here it's used slightly differently. "The light not only generates heat but also helps go into the hair and temporarily modify the bonds in the hair. It's synergizing with the heat that it generates," Guive explained to me. It's this synergy that means the straighteners can operate at temperatures that can be as much as 80F / 40-50C cooler than traditional options.

The infrared light used here is invisible, but LEDs are added to provide that space-age vibe. The light on the working prototype is red, but the final version will glow blue, to match the AirLight Pro.

Although the Light Straight + is called a 'multi-styler', I'd class it as a hair straightener – albeit a rather unusual one. Like most flat irons, it can be used to curl as well as straightening. However, I also saw an early concept of a L'Oréal multi-styler that uses the same technology.

Guive stressed that the form factor is still in development, but the current model looked rather like a squared-off infrared-emitting Lightsaber onto which various styling hats could slot. He also explained that now they had the infrared tech developed in both dryer and hot plate form, the real challenge was to figure out the exact design and its capabilities – wet-to-dry straightening and curling were both mentioned.

Category-changing tech

Guive is especially excited about the wider possibilities of the new technology. "It's a total reinvention of a category that has been using the same technology for a long time. But for a real purpose – like it actually gives you results that are less damaging to the hair," he told me.

L'Oréal has over 170 patents on the specific light used in its hair gadgets (and also a new LED facemask that I also got a sneak peak of at CES), but he predicts that light in general will become more prominent in beauty. "This particular wavelength and what we have patented is very high-performing – and we tested many types of wavelengths, both for the skin and the hair. Will people look at other types of light and see if they could make it work for hair and skin? Probably. And that I'm happy to see."

The bad news is you'll have to wait a while to get your hands on the straightener – the Light Straight + Multi-styler is set to launch globally in 2027. Pricing is also TBC, but Guive predicts the straightener will sit in the middle of the premium bracket.

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