Dyson Airwrap ID Review: My Blowout Routine for Long, Thick Hair
It took me forever to pull the trigger on the Dyson Airwrap ID—here’s how it does on ultra long, thick hair (and my secret to a Victoria’s Secret blowout).
Disclaimer: I do use affiliate links in this blog meaning that if you purchase anything through my affiliate links I receive commission at no additional cost to you! I only recommend products that I have heavily researched, tested and loved, and/or used for several years.
Quick Verdict
Quick verdict: Worth the splurge for long, thick hair. It dries and styles my lengths in one step with less intense heat, and my blowouts last so much longer.
Best for: Long or thick straight-to-wavy hair, anyone who wants a bouncy blowout at home, and anyone trying to cut back on heat.
Skip it if: You want one tool to dry ultra long, thick hair from soaking wet. I still quick-dry my roots with a regular dryer first!
Good to know: Alternate the direction of your curls for a Victoria's Secret blowout. All outward looks beauty pageant, and all inward looks old Hollywood.
Price: $650 for the original, $750 for the latest Co-anda
My Old Blowout Routine (and Why I Waited So Long)
I resisted the Dyson Airwrap hype for a long time—and then it came out in a limited-edition pink, and that was the end of that, lol.
It honestly took me a really long time to pull the trigger on the Dyson Airwrap. It's a serious investment, and I wasn't sure how it would do with my ultra long, thick hair (it's Rapunzel-length, and it's all mine!). But that pink lured me in—and I was quickly so impressed by its performance.
Now it's the star of my blowout routine, and it won Best Multi-Styler Hair Dryer (#30) in my 50 Best of Beauty Awards. Here's exactly how I use it on long, thick hair, the curl trick behind my Victoria's Secret-esque blowout, and whether it's worth the splurge.
Before the Airwrap, my blowouts were a two-tool situation: my ghd Helios hair dryer for my roots, then my Drybar barrel brush dryer for the lengths. It got the job done, so I kept talking myself out of the Dyson.
My big question was whether it could actually handle hair like mine. When your hair is ultra long and thick, so many tools that look magical on TikTok give up halfway down the lengths. I just wasn't sure air-powered curling would hold up.
Then Dyson dropped a limited-edition pink. You already know what happened next!
What the Dyson Airwrap ID Actually Is
The Airwrap ID is Dyson's first connected beauty tool. It pairs with the MyDyson app over Bluetooth, where you take a quick quiz about your hair type, length and goals to build your own curling routine (Dyson calls it i.d. curl). Once it's set up, one press of the button runs each curl through three steps—wrap, style and set—and adjusts the heat and airflow for you.
Like the original Airwrap, it uses the Coanda effect: air flowing over the barrel pulls your hair around it, so it curls with air instead of extreme heat. Total science-meets-beauty nerd moment for me!
How It Does on Ultra Long, Thick Hair
I went in skeptical, and I was quickly so impressed! The Airwrap had zero trouble with the length or the thickness of my hair, which is not something I can say about most tools I've tried.
The airflow grabs each section and wraps it around the barrel for you, which makes a huge difference when you're working with this much hair. No awkward wrist twisting, and no fighting to keep the ends on the barrel.
My one tip: work in smaller sections than you think you need. With hair this long and thick, smaller sections dry and curl so much more evenly.
My Airwrap Routine for Long, Thick Hair
Here's my exact blowout routine, start to finish:
Detangle and protect. Right out of the shower, I spray Davines OI All In One Milk, my heat protectant holy grail for over 8 years, and brush through with my Sheila Stotts Untangle Brush.
Quick-dry the roots. I do a quick dry of my roots with my newest ReFa hair dryer, which I picked up on my latest trip to Japan.
Dry and style the lengths with the Airwrap. Then I use the Airwrap to fully dry and style the lengths of my hair.
Alternate the direction of your curls. This is the secret to the Victoria's Secret look (more below!).
Finish with a drop of oil. A little Shu Uemura Essence Absolue on the ends for that glass-hair shine.
Refresh on day two. A few sprays of K18 AirWash at the roots keeps the blowout going.
The Secret to a Victoria's Secret Blowout: Alternate Your Curls
This is my favorite trick! I like to alternate the direction of my curls so I get a Victoria's Secret-esque blowout. I find that curling everything outward looks a little too beauty pageant, and curling everything inward looks a little too old Hollywood glam.
Alternating gives you that effortless, bouncy, just-left-the-runway volume instead. Here's how I do it:
Curl one section away from your face, then the next section toward it.
Keep alternating all the way around your head, including the back.
Let each curl set before you release it. The i.d. curl's "set" step does this for you!
Once everything is cool, run your fingers through or use a brush to break up the curls into soft waves.
Healthier Hair and Blowouts That Last
The biggest surprise? I love that my hair has gotten healthier with less intense heat on it. Dyson says the Airwrap ID keeps the temperature under 150°C, and when your hair is as long as mine, the ends have been through years of styling, so every bit of heat you skip shows.
And my blowouts have amazing longevity! When the roots need a refresh, a little K18 AirWash brings them right back to life.
Who Should Get It (and Who Should Skip It)
Get it if you have long or thick straight-to-wavy hair, you want a salon-worthy blowout at home, or you're trying to cut back on heat. It's also the ultimate "I'd never buy this for myself" gift!
Skip it if your hair is curly to coily (get the Curly+Coily version instead), or you're happy with your dryer and round brush. And if $649 makes you wince, wait for Black Friday. Dyson has run Black Friday deals the past two years, and I'll add this year's to my Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals guide the day it drops.
