Our beauty experts' detailed Shark FlexStyle review – how the do-it-all hair styling tool really performs

As someone who frequently tests hair tools in a bid to find the very best styling options, I was excited to undertake an in-depth Shark FlexStyle review. This multi-purpose hair dryer and styling tool promises big things, thanks to its impressive range of attachments. But I wanted to know if it delivered in terms of results.

Shark's FlexStyle multi-styler first hit the market in 2022, just a year after it became another vacuum cleaner brand to foray into hair tools with the launch of its answer to best hair dryer.

The FlexStyle has clearly been designed for versatility. With five different attachments for drying, diffusing, curling, straightening, and smoothing, you're well equipped to style everything from wavy hairstyles to super sleek finishes and natural curls.

To give the best possible Shark FlexStyle review, I have tested the tool's capabilities in creating several different hairstyles, from bouncy curls to diffused natural waves and even a classic 90s blowout. I paid close attention to both the ease of use and how well each style lasted in my hair, as well as looking at other factors including weight, drying time, and how easy it was to switch between attachments. After thorough testing, these are my honest thoughts on the Shark FlexStyle – with insights from one of our contributing beauty editors, too.

Our beauty experts' full Shark FlexStyle review

Our first impressions of the Shark FlexStyle

The Shark FlexStyle arrives housed in a stylish storage and travel case, with neat compartments for each of its attachments. Complete with a handle and zip-around closure, it's great for keeping the tool free from dust and all of the stylers in one place.

Diverting from the usual direct heat approach utilised in tools like the best curling irons is clear that the FlexStyle takes inspiration from the Dyson Airwrap for its curling attachments, utilising the same Coanda technology to wrap hair around the barrel. Often thought of as a Dyson Airwrap alternative, we found that the other FlexStyle attachments perform pretty differently from any other tool we have tried, so it has other unique selling points. (If you want more of a head-to-head, our Shark Flexstyle vs Dyson Airwrap will take you through a detailed comparison.)

The main blow dryer handle, onto which you secure the various styling tools, is designed for extremely easy use – and we love that it works like a regular hair dryer as well as a styling tool. The FlexStyle also measures heat 1,000 times per second, ensuring consistent air temperatures that gently dry without excessive heat damage.

Billed as a five-in-one tool, the Shark FlexStyle comes with six attachments in total: the paddle brush, the oval barrel brush, two curling barrels (one for each direction of curl), the concentrator and the diffuser. To use the hair dryer function alone, you simply twist the barrel down to reveal the hair dryer head. Below is a summary of how each one works.

• Main blow dryer: This long cyndrical dryer secures onto all of the accompanying attachments, but operates as a dryer on its own, too. Twist the head of the FlexStyle and it becomes a right angle shaped hair dryer that can be used for rough drying.
• Paddle brush: A wide, flat bristle brush that is great for stretching out the hair while drying, this attachment helps to create a smooth and straight finish.
• Oval brush: Secure on this attachment and the FlexStyle becomes one of the best hair dryer brushes – ideal for creating a bouncy blow dry look. With dual bristles, it smooths the hair and reduces frizz while retaining body and movement.
• Curling barrels: Probably the most recognisable part of the Shark FlexStyle, these automatically wrapping your hair around the wand while simultaneously drying. Each barrel curls in a different direction; choose the direction of your curls and switch out the attachments accordingly.
• Concentrator: An attachment that comes with many hair dryers, this slim nozzle concentrates the air making for a seriously powerful air stream that gets your hair dried in no time and is best used with a brush to get a pin-straight finish.
• Diffuser: Suitable for coils, curls and waves, this looks and performs like your standard hair dryer diffuser, except it also features extendable prongs to help lift the roots if you want to create extra volume in your curls.

How well does the Shark FlexStyle perform?

What I loved most about the Shark FlexStyle were the super simple heat and power settings that can be switched up mid-styling. The push buttons are much easier to operate than switches, and the cool shot button is comfortable to hold down when you've finished styling. If you like to switch between blow dryer strengths and use a variety of temperatures on your hair, you will love the ease of the FlexStyle.

If you have read our Dyson Airwrap review, you'll know that the ease of use does depend somewhat on getting used to using the barrels. I found that my hair actually wrapped around the Shark FlexStyle barrels more easily than the Airwrap's – perhaps because I found Shark's tool to be more powerful, so it was easier to style my thick and frizzy hair. Even if it is your first time using a tool like this, you will find that the FlexStyle curlers are easy to get the hang of, thanks to the strong suction.

You'll want your hair to be slightly damp before using this attachment, otherwise the curls will just fall out. On 80% dry hair, I find it only takes about five seconds to get a proper curl, which is great if you want to style quickly. Even with my thick hair, styling it all took no longer than 15 minutes. However, I would say that the curls I get from the Shark FlexStyle don't last as long as curls from a traditional curler – most likely because regular curlers get much hotter and are on the hair for longer. I'd say I can get a few good hours of hold before the curls start to drop; by the end of the day I'm left with a nice loose curl that I also love.

The diffuser is another attachment that seriously impressed me. Initially, I expected it to perform similarly to other diffusers for curly hair that I have tried. However, it gave a much more defined result as well as drying my hair super quickly – about 20 minutes in total. The easy-to-adjust prongs gave me gorgeous curls up to my roots, something I haven't found with other diffusers. This attachment alone has made me want to start wearing my natural waves more often, which is no mean feat.

I found the paddle and oval brush attachments were brilliant at drying and they both gave me a gorgeous sleek style. In my experience they work quite similarly and I get comparable results from both. Great for detangling and drying, I could get my whole head of hair from damp to styled in about 20 minutes with both, with the oval brush coming in handy for when I want more bounce at the ends of my hair.

Whilst the rounded brush works better for smoothing and adding volume, the regular paddle brush gave me a more or less totally straight style much quicker than using a flat iron. If you have curtain bangs or a box bob, you'll love the finish these tools give that totally removes the need for blow drying and then more styling. Contributing beauty editor Lucy Abbersteen also really rates these two attachments. "I have a lot of hair that's naturally ringlet-y, while the strands themselves are slightly fine and very prone to dryness and frizz," she explains. "Both brush attachments are able to create a good amount of tension to really dry my hair with a lasting smooth finish. For me, the paddle brush is the easier of the two for achieving this, while the round brush is great if you want that added body and bounce. I like it for styling shorter, face-framing sections of hair – AKA extremely grown out curtain bangs."

If you want to simply dry your hair, the built-in drier or styling concentrator both do the job excellently. I was pleasantly surprised by how powerful the tool is when on the highest setting. However, if you have fine or dry hair, you may want to stick with the lower setting on the concentrator to avoid any tangling or excessive frizz caused by the strength of the blower.

While the regular blow drier blows air on larger sections of hair, the concentrator is a more controlled option that would be good for smoothing, but both function very similarly. The concentrator is best for thorough drying, whilst I found the regular blow drier best as a step before one of the styling attachments.

How does the Shark FlexStyle compare?

Truthfully, there is very little that I don't like about the Shark FlexStyle. I have used a lot of different hair styling tools in my life, and my dry and frizzy hair takes a lot to look its best. After thorough testing, I can confidently say that the FlexStyle delivers on that front.

The main downfall that I noticed was the two separate barrels for different curl directions. This is a fiddly and slightly inconvenient factor that does slow down the styling process, and I would much prefer it if only one curling barrel was needed – this is one factor that the Dyson Airwrap has over the FlexStyle. It's not a deal breaker for me, but it is something I would like to see improved if the FlexStyle gets an update in the future.

Another slight negative is that, at £279.99, it is a considerable investment price-wise. However, compared to some other models on the market, and considering you get five tools in one, I think it is well worth the investment. If you were to purchase each of these attachments as separate tools at the same quality, you would definitely end up spending more.

Should you buy the Shark FlexStyle?

So, is the Shark FlexStyle worth it? I would say absolutely. I'm pretty fussy when it comes to styling tools, as I hate using anything that takes more than half an hour to get my full head done (tough, but a requirement I will stick to). The FlexStyle not only works quickly but also yields long-lasting, salon-worthy results.

Its biggest rival, the Dyson Airwrap, comes in at double the price, but I can say from experience that you will get quite similar results from both tools. I would say that the FlexStyle is best suited to those who want powerful and effective styling that can be trusted to last all day, so it is particularly worth the investment for people with tricky-to-manage hair, looking to make their life a lot easier.

Overall, if you typically struggle with blow dryer tools and getting results to last, it is worth giving the FlexStyle a go. The power of the dryer, combined with the range of heat settings, gave me long-lasting styles that didn't budge – even without using my best hair styling products.

Whether you have straight hair that you'd like to give a volume boost, want to create loose waves with a smooth finish or diffuser natural curls, the Shark FlexStyle is a worthy consideration. My new go-to for all occasions, this tool really is a winner.

Check out woman&home's latest Shark discount codes for even more money off your next purchase