There were plenty of devices at IFA 2024 that showed how technology in general is getting creative with form and function, but many eyes were on the beauty space as it continues to radically reinvent the look and feel of hair styling devices.
Gone are the days when conventional hair dryers were the norm on the market; once iconic gun-shaped hand dryers are transitioning into new formats, making the best hair dryers interesting again.
Of course, much of this can be attributed to Dyson's innovative reinvention of the hair care space, with devices like the Dyson Supersonic and Dyson air envelope Hair engineering is pushing the boundaries. However, since its devices are so expensive, it was only a matter of time before brands popped up across the industry to appeal to interested beauty lovers with smaller pockets.
Three new dryers in particular demonstrated just how varied tools can now be: Dreame’s new Pocket high-velocity foldable hair dryer, Shark’s new FlexFusion multi-styler, and the Laifen Mini, a more compact high-velocity wand dryer.
Pocket full of sunshine
To start off, we have Dreame’s new hair dryer, the Dreame Pocket, which packs some impressive features into its foldable structure. It weighs just 300g, but thanks to its high-speed motor, delivering 110,000 RPM, you almost get the performance levels of full-size dryers.
Its nozzle is hinged, allowing for added convenience when you’re on the go, but it’s also a versatile form factor that allows you to style at a variety of angles and with different attachments. Admittedly, they’re quite bulky and seem to go against the design ethos of the dryer, especially considering it’s quite a tight fit if you pack them all into the provided travel bag. I also didn’t like the weight of it when used in its wand orientation with the curling wand, but I do appreciate the convenience of having a curling wand in this lightweight form factor.
It's sort of a combination of the best of the Airwrap with the rotating head of Shark's Flexstyle, resulting in a modern, high-performance dryer that's perfect for travel. However, it's quite expensive ($159.99/€159) and its design may not be for everyone.
A shark in the waters of multiple styles
Shark's new dryer/multi-tool has sparked some controversy. As our Homes editor noted in her first impression of the new Shark FlexFusion, this fantastic dryer/multi-tool includes basically every accessory you could ever need in a hair care device, but in doing so, it makes some major sacrifices in size. In short, this is one sturdy dryer/multi-tool.
There are some innovative new features, though. Shark has addressed the fact that most people don’t wash their hair every day, so it has included settings for both wet and dry hair. I was also interested in its curling irons and new hair straightening attachment. Using air straightening logic similar to the Dyson Airstrait, Shark’s alternative also uses heated plates in addition to airflow to tame hair. Similarly, the hot brush combines heated ceramic bristles and combs to tame frizz while still achieving a beautiful hairstyle.
The FlexFusion will have a list price of £369.99 (about $490 / AU$720), a jump from its simpler sibling, the Shark FlexStyle, which costs $249.99 / £299.99 but doesn't offer the same range of accessories.
Make it mini
The dark horse for me ended up being the Laifen Mini, a new travel version of its popular Laifen Swift hair dryer. While the original device was positioned as an alternative to the Dyson Supersonic at a more affordable price, the brand put its own spin on the format and, most importantly, listened to consumer feedback.
Since the original Laifen Swift was launched in 2022, several new versions have emerged, each of which has been slightly updated to add features such as a child lock, hot-to-cold cycles, and a wider range of color options. Alongside the Mini, Laifen also announced its new Laifen SE 2, a slightly updated version of its mid-range dryer.
While it’s the simplest dryer I’ve seen, the Mini was one of my favourites on show because I found it to be the most well-rounded, offering a mix of really useful features with some solid specs and an affordable price tag (€99.99, about £80), all in a very nice, lightweight design (299g/10.56oz) that still packs a punch thanks to its 110,000RPM motor. For now, it’s not coming to the US just yet due to voltage differences, but the team hope to change that soon.
While there are a fair amount of borrowed features and similar specs in hair care, it's nonetheless really exciting to see such a wide range of form factors and technology breathing life into a once stagnant area – hair care.
It's a much-needed change that could put the fun back into functionality, and I can't wait to get my hands on some of these fantastic hair dryers and multi-stylers.
