A new “hybrid” hair tool that transforms wet hair into a sleek style without causing damage has been described as “unbelievable” by experts and consumers alike.
Ghd spent nine years developing the new Duet Style (and presumably millions of dollars), with the aim of making the arduous process of drying and styling your hair much simpler.
While ghd – an acronym for “good hair day” – is best known for its next-level straighteners, the brand also has a range of other devices, including hair dryers and curlers.
The Duet Style, priced at $595, is a nifty combination of two of its best-sellers: The helios hair dryer and its cult straightener.
As well as cutting down styling time by drying hair strands and straightening in one sitting, the tool also claims to not damage hair in the process, a feat pretty much unheard of in the haircare industry.
SHOPPING: Buy the new ghd Duet Style
In fact, the technology breakthrough is so huge, even ghd have described it as doing “the impossible”.
Understandably, this has left hair experts and consumers a little sceptical – so Jeroen Temmerman, the brand’s CEO, told news.com.au’s The Beauty Diary exactly how it works.
“Duet Style, like all ghd tools, has been rigorously tested and has showed no damage to the hair,” Jeroen said.
“There is absolutely no sizzling or burning smell whatsoever. Our scientists have achieved the impossible.
While there have been straightening irons in the past that claim to “dry wet hair”, Jeroen is adamant they wouldn’t have been able to do so safely, making ghd’s creation a “wonder tool”.
“This is a revolution in tech-beauty and our biggest innovation ever,” he said.
“This wonder tool is groundbreaking and will change the way people style their hair – much like the iconic ghd styler did when it first launched over 21 years ago.
“The temperature of the Duet Style adapts to the amount of moisture that’s in the hair using infinity sensors, and dries it with a controlled flow of air and low temperature styling plates combined.”
Jeroen said Duet Style was created to give consumers access to “simplified hair styling”, as well as delivering “shine, softness and longevity”.
“It is also cost saving from an energy consumption angle, as it minimises energy waste for up to 45 per cent less energy consumption compared to regular hairdryers,” he added.
“This focus on energy efficiency is crucial, it is the way forward for ghd and the styling tool category as a whole.”
Using the ghd Duet Style
The tool makes some big promises, so how easy is it to actually use?
Firstly, you can’t avoid how big this device is, not to mention it’s weight. While it’s manageable, it definitely takes a bit of getting used to.
It’s also really loud. Like, it genuinely sounds like a is plane taking off when the in-built fan is running, which depending on hair length and type can be a considerable amount of time.
Australian influencer Sasha Morpeth was visibly shocked when she turned on the device in a recent TikTok – and I had a similar reaction.
The instructions state to section your hair before clamping the tool at the roots for three seconds before pulling down. You need to repeat this on each section three times before moving on.
I was super impressed by how easily the tool glides through the hair, there was no tugging and not a hint of a sizzle, which considering the straightening plates were on, which was a massive relief.
But I did have a couple of water droplets fall out of the device when using which were really hot – so make sure you don’t make the same mistake I did and towel dry your hair properly.
Getting through my head of hair in small sections felt time consuming, but in reality it only took about 15 minutes for my locks to feel completely dry.
It was also pretty straight too and I hadn’t even turned the “shine shot” on yet, which essentially spikes the temperature of the straightening iron function up to 185C, the level ghd states is the “optimal temp” for straightening hair.
The “shine shot” is very effective, it gave my hair a glassy, glossy finish and left my locks feeling super soft too. And as it’s a wide-plate, it gets the job done pretty quickly.
One thing I found a little fiddly and frustrating was that you can’t move between drying and straightening very easily due to the gadget’s temperature controls. It’s definitely not a deal breaker, but something to be aware of.
Overall, the product is definitely impressive, but not quite as “easy to use” as I would have hoped – but that is easily fixable with a little time and practice.
It seems lots of social media users have been very impressed with the Duet Style too, Sasha Morpeth even said she was “genuinely shocked”, but it is worth noting she appears to have been paid for her video.
She is one of many curly haired women online who have said it is a “game-changer” for them though.
“I’m still shook with the results,” another said.
As one said: “I’m throwing away all my other gadgets.”
This column is not advertorial content. Every review is independent, honest and ad-free. If you have a question about a beauty product or an item you’d like to see road-tested in The Beauty Diary, jump into our official Facebook group where you can join like-minded beauty junkies. You can also catch me on Instagram or tweet me – don’t forget to hashtag #TheBeautyDiary.
