Back in the day, I’d need a hairdryer and a hair straightener to transform my thick, naturally wavy hair into a sleek, smooth style. Not only would I have to spend hundreds of pounds on different tools, but it would also take me hours to get the results that I wanted.
However, beauty tech has come a long way in recent years, and now there are lots of hot brushes available that dry and style your hair all in one. As much as I love these tools (the Dyson Airwrap is a particular favourite of mine), I still find it hard to get a super sleek finish when using a hot brush on my hair. Enter, a wet-to-dry hair straightener.
(Image credit: Grace Lindsay for Who What Wear UK)
Dyson’s wet-to-dry hair straightener launched in the UK last year.
Yep, that’s right, there are now tools that dry and straighten your hair in one go. We all know that using a hair straightener on wet hair is a big no-go (hello, fried ends) and although some brands have tried creating wet-to-dry straightening tools that don’t cause heat damage in the past, GHD and Dyson really spearheaded the movement when releasing similar tools in 2023. The only downside? These stylers don’t come cheap.
Because they are more of an investment, we thought it was only right that we put some of the most popular wet-to-dry straighteners to the test to see if they are really worth the money. So, if you’re thinking about giving one a go, keep on scrolling for all the info…
What Is a Wet-to-Dry Hair Straightener?
So, what is a wet-to-dry hair straightener? As the name suggests, this tool can be used on wet hair, and works to dry and straighten your hair at the same time. “A wet-to-dry straightener is the only tool you need to style your hair as soon as you step out of the shower,” says GHD ambassador and celebrity hairstylist Patrick Wilson. These tools often use a combination of hot air and styling plates to get the desired results while minimising heat damage.
Can a Wet-to-Dry Hair Straightener Cause Heat Damage?
I know what you’re thinking, using a straightener on wet hair has to be bad for your hair right? Well, as it turns out, these tools are actually quite kind to the hair. Because they use powerful airflow, they all work on pretty low heat settings meaning that heat damage is minimal. Most of the tools claim to cause no heat damage whatsoever, and although they definitely use a lot less heat than your typical hair dryer or straightener, they are still using some heat on the hair, so I would always recommend going in with your favourite heat protectant before using. “I’d recommend that you use the GHD Sleek Talker first onto damp hair; this will help to prevent frizz or humidity throughout the day and – most importantly – protect the hair from heat,” says Wilson.
(Image credit: Eleanor Vousden for Who What Wear UK)
More brands are now releasing wet-to-dry straightening tools.
Can a Wet-to-Dry Hair Straightener Work on All Hair Types?
Most wet-to-dry hair straighteners have been designed to work on all hair types, however the results may vary. As you’ll see below, we tested these tools on a range of different hair types and while those of us with naturally wavy hair achieved super sleek results, those of us with curlier hair types found that these worked best as more of a low-heat option for stretching hair before styling.
The Best Wet-to-Dry Hair Straighteners, Tried and Tested
1. GHD Duet
First up is the GHD Duet 2-In-1 Hot Air Styler. This tool came out in 2023 and took the beauty world by storm. It was the first 2-in-1 hot air styler that combined hot air and heated styling plates to dry and straighten your hair all in one. It uses Air-fusion™ technology, channelling concentrated airflow through a drying chamber and combining this with low temperature styling plates. Plus, it has infinity sensors to maintain this low styling temperature from root to tip. We asked our social media editor, Megan Storey, to put it to the test…
Before Using the GHD Duet
(Image credit: Megan Storey for Who What Wear UK)
Using the GHD Duet
(Image credit: Megan Storey for Who What Wear UK)
After Using the GHD Duet
(Image credit: Megan Storey for Who What Wear UK)
The Verdict
“I am a low-maintenance beauty girl,” says Megan. “I know if I put the work in with the curly-girl hair method I could really embrace my natural curls, but I just don’t like spending that much time doing my hair. Enter, the GHD Duet. As soon as I tried it I messaged our beauty editor telling her it was going to change my life.
“I have very thick, frizzy, curly hair but I prefer wearing it straight. From the get-go, it was so easy to use, my hair went from wet (and already going curly) to super smooth and straight in 20 minutes, and it didn’t feel like I was frying my ends. I’ve honestly never seen my hair this sleek and shiny after my normal wash/blow-dry/straighten routine. I also love the Shine Shot setting that gives a glossy finish.
“If I were to have any hesitations it’d be the price (but honestly, I think it’s worth it for the time it’ll save me!) and I don’t think it could fully replace my straighteners, which I’ve still used in the following days since testing to tame any kinks.”
Shop the GHD Duet:
GHD
Duet 2-In-1 Hot Air Styler
For
- Allows you to achieve sleek, straight hair at home
- Cuts down styling time
- Minimal heat damage
- Comes with exclusive Shine Shot mode
- Not too bulky to use
Against
- More of an investment
- Doesn’t fully replace hair straighteners
2. Dyson Airstrait
Next up is the Dyson Airstrait. Now, I’ve already tested this tool and I’m completely obsessed. As some with thick, naturally wavy hair it has cut my styling time in half. However, I was keen to know how it would perform on someone with curly hair, so I asked our contributing beauty editor, Ata-Owaji Victor, to put it to the test.
Similar to GHD, this tool uses powerful airflow to dry and straighten the hair with minimal heat damage. It features high-velocity air blades and an LCD screen where you can select your airflow and temperature settings before styling (there are three temperature settings, including 80°C, 110°C, and 140°C). It also comes with a few extra functions. For example, if you clamp the tool together it works as a hair dryer to rough-dry your roots. You can also select a cool mode to lock your style in place and you can select a dry mode to go over your hair once dry. Oh, and the machine automatically turns off when set down.
Before Using the Dyson Airstrait
Using the Dyson Airstrait
After Using the Dyson Airstrait
The Verdict
“As a long-time user (and lover) of the Dyson Supersonic thanks to its wide-tooth comb and concentrated attachment, I was interested to see how the Airstrait would fair on a few fronts,” says Ata. “My hair—type 4B and fine—tends to dry quite quickly, so I often use heat tools for styling, drying, and stretching out my roots rather than as just an out-and-out answer to post-shower hair. Despite appearances, the tool is light in feel and boasts an easy-to-navigate menu of heat, airflow and wet or dry styling options. I used the tool at 110 degrees, on damp, detangled hair. I sectioned my hair off, placing it at the root of my coils before bringing it down the mid-lengths and ends of my hair. I used the Airstrait first as directed – air channel facing down – before switching to a combination of up and downwind with the channel to dry my roots thoroughly and stretch out my coils. Although I did experiment with a few techniques to attempt to recreate the type of finish I’m used to achieving with a more conventional straightening tool, I found that the Airstrait worked best as a wet-to-dry tool.
“The flexible temperature controls make it a brilliant option for sensitive scalps and anyone with afro hair who wants to reintroduce heat styling to their routine gently. It’s also a great low-heat option for stretching hair before styling in braids. However, it’s not great for sleek, silk press styles on unprocessed type 4 hair.”
Shop the Dyson Airstrait:
Dyson
Airstrait™ Straightener
For
- Easy to use
- A range of heat, airflow and wet and dry styling options
- Automatically turns off when set down
- Comes in a chic case
Against
- More of an investment
- Works more as a wet-to-dry tool on type 4 hair
3. Shark FlexFusion
Last but by no means last, say hello to the Shark FlexFusion. This is one of the newest wet-to-dry hair straightening tools out there, so we were keen to test it out. Now, this tool is slightly different to the ones above as it actually features multiple attachments, including a hair dryer, straightener, curlers, styling concentrator and a curl-defining diffuser. However, the attachment we were most interested in was the straightener.
This particular attachment combines heat-controlled ceramic and powerful airflow for a long-lasting style, and can be used on both wet and dry hair. Again, it’s been designed to minimise heat damage while still giving that sleek, smooth finish. So, how did our beauty editor Eleanor Vousden get on?
Before Using the Shark FlexFusion
(Image credit: Eleanor Vousden for Who What Wear UK)
Using the Shark FlexFusion
(Image credit: Eleanor Vousden for Who What Wear UK)
After Using the Shark FlexFusion
(Image credit: Eleanor Vousden for Who What Wear UK)
The Verdict
“Featuring ceramic plates, this ceramic air-straightener uses heat and air in tandem to dry and straighten, and it’s easily my favourite attachment of the FlexFusion,” says Eleanor. “After rough-drying my hair to about 80% dry with the hairdryer nozzle, this then straightened and dried my hair in just one or two passes in wet-to-dry mode. It left my hair silky smooth, shiny and almost poker straight. For top-ups in between wash days, I used the dry mode to smooth over any kinks that had settled in.
“So, how does it work on different hair textures? When I attended the FlexFusion launch event earlier this year, I saw first hand how well this worked on curly hair, where it smoothed and straightened in just two strokes through the lengths when used on wet-to-dry mode. However, if you have a very curly or coily hair texture and want an ultra-sleek result, you may wish to switch to the ‘dry’ mode afterwards and pass over your lengths once more for a really smooth finish. But ultimately, this hair tool really streamlines drying and styling time without having to reach for separate hair tools to dry and style.”
Shop the Shark FlexFusion:
Shark Beauty
FlexFusion Straight 5-In-1 Air and Ceramic Styling, Drying & Straightening System
For
- Features lots of different styling attachments
- Minimal heat damage in wet-to-dry mode
- Never exceeds 110°C
- 3 heat and 3 airflow settings
- Comes with a ‘Cool Shot’ and ‘Scalp Shield’ mode
- Includes storage case
Against
- More of an investment
- Curly or coily hair types might have to switch to ‘dry’ mode for a super smooth finish