Is the new ghd hair styling device worth €399?

The first ghd hair straightener was released 22 years ago in 2001, transforming Irish heads in a way most of us could only have dreamed of. Poker straight hair characterised the decade to follow, and ghd was the brand that made salon-standard styling accessible at home. Since its debut straightener, ghd and other brands have continued to develop new styling devices, competing to innovate within a competitive market. The Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer and Air Wrap Styler, priced at €300 and €550 respectively, exemplify the technological advancement and frankly insane pricing which has become the norm for high-end at-home beauty tools. They offer styling versatility and make big promises.

Ghd has launched a tool which belongs firmly in that “shockingly expensive” category retailing at €399, returning to the brand’s poker straight origins. Their best-selling Platinum+ Hair Straightener is expensive at €265, so you may well wonder what the almost €400 price tag for the new Duet Style is based on. If you own a hair dryer, a hot brush and a straightener (as many women do), but prefer a simple, sleek and straight style, this may be the tool of your dreams – it’s a wet-to-dry hot air styler which converts to a straightener at the press of a button.

The claim that really sets the Duet Style apart, however, is that it leaves hair undamaged. This is a particularly big claim coming from the brand that popularised hair straighteners, with all their attendant impact on hair health, in the western world. More specifically, in consumer trials, no thermal damage was detected in hair that had been treated with four passes of the Duet Style in wet to dry style mode versus naturally dried hair. It works by using warm air flow through the chamber inside to dry the hair as the device is passed over it. You’ll hear the fan whirring as it gets to temperature, but it’s quieter than I anticipated. Because the air itself is warm rather than hot, hair is not fried or unsettled. Provided you section your hair and do not attempt to dry too much in one pass, it styles hair smoothly while drying it. The finished effect is sleek, fluff-free and impressive. My head of fine, shoulder (ish) length hair is completely dry and ready to go in about 15 minutes.

[ Weather-proof hair products for voluminous locks ]

Shine Shot mode is for use once the hair is completely dry. It dispenses with airflow, heating the ceramic plates on the styler to 185 degrees, allowing you to pass the Duet Style over your hair like a straightener. It’s not essential, but it can perfect a glassy smooth style and will give that straightened hair finish at a lower temperature and without needing more than one or two passes of the straightener.

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Overall, the Duet Style is a pleasingly foolproof route to quick but well-styled hair, and a kinder method for someone who straightens their hair regularly. There are two drawbacks – while you’re instructed to hold the styler for three seconds at the root of your hair to dry it, it is least effective at the root, so it is not great for achieving volume. Those with types three or four curly or coily hair may find that some of their natural texture remains at the root, which might not be desirable if you’re after a completely sleek and uniform finish. The second issue is only a drawback if you’re not keen on straight hair – that is what this device promises and delivers. If you’re after a device that can create diverse styles and finishes, this won’t be the one for you.

The brand has also released a heat protecting styling oil (€40) to go with the device, but any heat protector will serve you well, usually at a much lower price.