Sometimes new launches cause such a wave of excitement—some may even say hysteria—amongst fellow beauty journalists, that there is no option but to get our hands on them. Think of it as the beauty version of being the owner of a coveted Harry Styles or Beyoncé ticket. And right now, said launch is the GHD Duet Style Hot Air Styler. It seems to have already got the industry in a chokehold, from freelance beauty editor Lucy Partington declaring her love for the hot new tool on Instagram to celebrity makeup artist Bryony Blake saying "it's an absolutely fantastic device" on a This Morning beauty segment.
Now, I’m already a real sucker for a hair tool. I have the Dyson hair dryer and air wrap, tongs varying in every width imaginable, multiple hot brushes and a pair of trusty straighteners. So the question for me is, can the new GHD tool do something that the others can’t? If you live in London you’ll know storage can be particularly precious and my allotted space is already 90% beauty, which doesn’t sit too well with my other half. There was only one way to find out if it could make the cut and that was to test it out first-hand. Scroll on to discover my honest thoughts...
What is the GHD Duet Style Hot Air Styler?
The GHD Duet Style Hot Air Styler is a 2-in-1 tool that essentially dries and straightens the hair at the same time. You may remember back in the early 00’s something was released which attempted to do exactly this, but caused the hair to sizzle—never a good sign. The scientists at GHD have created a new and pretty ground-breaking technology which supposedly doesn’t damage the hair and respects its natural moisture while making it super straight and shiny.
How does it work?
I prepped my hair as normal using a heat protecting spray and my daily hair serum. It’s important to note you must towel dry your hair before using the tool. Firstly, you slide the button on and after a few seconds the fan will start to ramp up as it heats to the optimal low styling temperature for wet hair. Once the light stops flashing and the product beeps, it’s ready to use.
Divide the hair into sections, take the first section and clamp the styler close to the roots holding for three seconds. Glide down the hair towards the ends in a slow and steady pace. Repeat until dry and move onto the next section, always starting at the root. I found I only had to go over a section of hair once—twice at the absolute most. My hair is fine but I have a lot of it, however you may need to go over sections more if you have very thick hair.
Once the hair if fully dry, you have the option to add even more shine by pressing down the Shine Shot button for four seconds until you hear it beep. The fan will stop and the plate temperature will increase to the optimal styling temperature of 185C. You can now use the tool as a regular straightener. Clever, ey?
The verdict
When I first used the styler I honestly couldn’t get over how straight, shiny and healthy my hair looked—I kept running my hands through it. It did help to tame my flyaways but I still had to go in with a hairspray afterwards to attempt to tame them further. Anyone else seriously struggle keeping them under control? Just me?
I would say it definitely isn’t a super quick way of styling your hair as I had to dedicate a good 25 minutes to doing it, which I expect would be more if you have thicker hair. Also, with a price tag of £379 it is by no means cheap, but if you are in need of a new straightener and/or hair dryer and love having your hair sleek and straight, it's a worthy investment because you're getting two products in one. I have naturally wavy hair and I really struggle to get a perfectly straight box bob, but it’s done that and more. As I am sat here writing this, my hair is on day three of first using the styler, still looking sharp AF and I haven’t had to re-do it at all. I’m shook.
Shop the product:
Well done GHD, you’ve done it again.
Shop my other hair kit must-haves:
Gentle, quick-drying and for all hair types
I've had this exact Tangle Teezer since I was gifted it as a beauty intern six years ago. Worthy every penny and then some.
I dye my hair dark, which can fade pretty quickly. This nourishing shampoo is perfect for colour-treated hair.
Another great product for coloured hair. Apply this ultra-conditioning shampoo once a week as a deep treatment.
Lightweight and non-sticky, the formula will protect your hair from potential heat damage. I've always really loved the smell of this stuff.
An absolute godsend at taming those pesky flyaways.
A nutrient-rich blend with cold-pressed omega oils to nourish and strengthen from root to tip.
If you like a sharp middle parting like me, this makes life so much easier.
Next Up: We Tried 5 Hair Multi-Stylers—Here's Our Honest Thoughts
