The multi-styler market has started looking kind of generic lately – Dyson led the way with its excellent Airwrap, and everyone followed suit with Airwrap alternatives that are more-or-less the same design, while delivering varying levels of quality. Recently, though, I got a sneak peek of a new type of multi-styler that might finally shake up the market.
It comes from L'Oréal, and it'll be a sister product to the already released AirLight Pro hair dryer and the upcoming Light Straight + straighteners. At the core of the whole lineup is a new technology based around a specific, high-powered type of infrared light, and it's this that has potential to really change the multi-styler game.
I spoke to Guive Balooch, Global Vice President of Tech and Open Innovation at L’Oréal, to find out how it all works. He explained that the light enables both products to operate effectively at much lower temperatures, thanks to a "synergy" between the light and the heat being generated. For example, the straighteners can operate as much as 80F / 40-50C cooler than traditional options, leading to less heat damage over time.
"It's a total reinvention of a category that has been using the same technology for a long time" enthused Guive. "But for a real purpose – like it actually gives you results that are better, with less damage to the hair. Of course, our vision in the future is that we could extend it to do multi-stylers. The light can help us do both."
The straightener looks very cool, but the bit that really piqued my interest was this multi-styler option. I was able to look at just such an appliance, and while it was a non-working prototype, there was enough to see the massive potential there.
Lighten up
The version I saw looked like a mini lightsaber, onto which different styling 'heads' could be slotted. There was a round brush and a wide, flat paddle brush on show – with the space-age blue infrared light glowing spookily through both – but it's easy to see how this kind of design could work with a whole range of attachment types.
That's not what the final version will necessarily look like – the actual form factor is still being figured out. Guive explained that in the multi-styler category, it was his view that the design is often more important than the tech.
"We already know that we can heat with the infrared, but now we need to see, what is the right gesture so that people could do multiple curls? And then, do we put a dryer in it and make it easier to go from wet to dry sooner?" he mused. "So we're in the beginning phases of that."
Efficient, effective styling with low heat damage is the multi-styler Holy Grail, so I'll be watching L'Oréal's hair and beauty launches closely for this new addition.
➡️ Read our full guide to the best hair styler
1. Best overall:
Dyson Airwrap i.d.
2. Best affordable:
Revamp Dynamic Radiance Pro
3. Best hot brush:
Revlon Pro Collection One Step
4. Best Airwrap alternative:
Shark FlexStyle
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