Some beauty products go viral on Instagram and TikTok. Others go really viral. The difference is whether or not a product is plastered all over your FYP before your favorite content creator has even had a chance to review it. That was the case with the Shark Beauty FlexStyle Air Styling & Drying System. Soon after it launched, posts about it proliferated across social media. We saw some that claimed it could take wet hair and turn it into dry, perfectly styled hair in a pinch. We saw others claim it was the only styling tool you'd ever need. After enough of these flooded our feeds, we knew we needed to test it out for ourselves.
We did, and—spoiler alert—the people of TikTok were right to recommend it. The Shark FlexStyle is easy to use and non-damaging. Most importantly, it gives us the big, bouncy blowouts of our dreams. In other words, it lives up to the hype. Did we mention that it's currently on sale? Keep scrolling to learn why the Shark FlexStyle is a holiday hairstyling must-have. Plus, see some pretty epic before and after pictures for proof.
The Shark Beauty FlexStyle
Product details: The Shark FlexStyle comes with five styling attachments and features four heat settings, three airflow settings, and a cool-shot button. While normally priced at $300 a pop, it's currently on sale for $230.
The base of the tool is a fast, powerful, non-damaging hair dryer. It uses low heat that's regulated 1000 times per second to minimize damage, and a formidable airflow whisks water away from the hair in no time at all. When you fasten any one of the five attachments to the top, it becomes an ultra-versatile multistyler that can smooth, curl, and volumize the hair.
It's only 1.5 pounds, so it's portable for travel, and your arm won't get tired when you're holding it over your head (not that you have to do that for long). The airflow is so efficient that it can cut your normal drying time down.
Editor Before & Afters
Kaitlyn McLintock, Associate Beauty Editor
Before
After
Hair type: 2b
"I started out with dry, brushed-out hair. After 10 minutes of using the oval brush and curling attachments, my hair was done. I was shocked at how big, bouncy, and shiny my hair looked after using the FlexStyle. Keep in mind that I have naturally fine, flat hair, so this level of volume and body is usually hard-won. Needless to say, I was impressed.
"Along with the attachable Oval Brush and 1.25-inch Auto-Wrap Curlers, the Shark FlexStyle comes with a Styling Concentrator and a Paddle Brush for smoothing and straightening. The attachments are easy to swap in and out, which makes styling a breeze. Plus, they offer versatility in the styles you can create.
"Before you say it, yes, I've tried the Dyson Airwrap, and I love it. I truly think the Shark FlexStyle is comparable, at least for me, because it gave me similar results—big, bouncy, luxurious-looking hair. There is one difference, though: The Dyson offers two different curling barrel sizes with a switch on each one to redirect the airflow so you don't have to swap them out while styling. The Shark offers two same-size curling barrels that you do have to switch out to redirect the airflow. This isn't a big deal to me. Honestly, it takes all of three seconds to swap barrels. Still, it's something to consider. Overall, I'm a big fan of the Shark FlexStyle. If you've been thinking about snagging one for yourself, go for it. If you're anything like me, you won't be disappointed." — McLintock
Jamie Schneider, Senior Beauty Editor
Before
After
Hair type: 2c
"I have pretty thick 2c hair, so I personally love the longer bristles on the round brush attachment. It allows me to smooth bigger sections of hair and style my whole mane even faster, which is a major win. After I dried my whole head with the round brush, I went ahead and used the barrels to create big, bouncy, blowout curls. Pro tip: Take one of the curlers and hold it horizontally underneath your front pieces of hair until they wrap over and around the barrel. That's how you get fluffy, Sabrina Carpenter–esque bangs. (Thank you, TikTok!)" — Schneider
Charlotte Acevedo, Senior Analyst
Before
After
"The Shark FlexStyle is my go-to for styling my hair all year round but especially during the winter and less humid times of year. It's something I regularly use for touch-ups throughout the week and sometimes throughout the day. It's so easy to just flip on moments before getting on a work video call or running an errand. I bought it thinking I'd start regularly blow-drying my hair or at least diffusing my curls for faster drying, but instead, I haven't really gotten farther than using it for maintaining my bangs.
"Honestly, if you have thick, curly hair and don't typically blow out your hair, it's gonna take a minute to get used to this hot hair tool. However, when it comes to maintaining my bangs and face-framing fringe when they need a little TLC, this tool quickly and reliably brings them to perfection.
"When I am in the mood to give my whole head of hair the blowout treatment, I'm always pleased at how it turns out. Some caveats: It's large enough to be awkward (yet small and light enough to be manageable), its loud IMO, and with the attachments, it still can blow your hair all over the place with an uncoordinated arm repositioning. It can also get quite hot, so I never want to be too confident whipping the FlexStyle around while trying to grab sections of hair. As you can tell, I regularly use the Paddle Brush attachment. It's great for long hair to get that blowout look. I also have the FrizzFighter Finishing Tool, which is good at cleaning up flyaways and frizz, as well as the diffuser attachment, which I use on my whole head or sometimes just my bangs." — Acevedo
The Shark Beauty FlexStyle vs. SpeedStyle
Shark also offers a hair dryer called the SpeedStyle. It's collapsible and space saving. It comes with four styling attachments to create a variety of styles, and it offers the same high-speed efficiency as the FlexStyle. Whichever one you choose comes down to your specific styling routine and hair goals. If you like a little more versatility in your styling routine, we recommend the FlexStyle. If you like a fast and efficient blowout, we recommend opting for the SpeedStyle.
6 Hair Products to Pair With the Shark Stylers
This sulfate-free shampoo smells amazing (it has a light and citrusy scent) and cleans the hair without stripping too much moisture away. Thanks to the formula's high concentration of citric acid, it repairs broken bonds in the hair strands, strengthening them from the inside out.
Don't forget the matching conditioner. It gives us soft, smooth hair every time.
This hair repair mask quenches dryness and prevents split ends like a dream.
This dry shampoo prolongs our hairstyles so we don't have to wash our hair as often. It also gives us some welcome volume.
Shiny hair is healthy-looking hair. We've been loving this clear gloss shine spray to add an enviable gleam to our strands. It boosts shine without feeling heavy or greasy.
Schneider personally used Aveda's Smooth Infusion blowout cream before using the FlexStyle. "My hair is very prone to frizz, but this smoothing formula keeps my locks sleek and shiny. It also serves as a heat protectant!" she notes.
This article was published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
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