Most of us remember our first hair dryer as a teenager: you felt glamorous and grown-up – and chances are it was from BaByliss.
The brand’s hair dryers – along with its straighteners, curlers and multi-stylers – remain as popular today as they were when BaByliss launched in the Fifties. Not only do the brand’s tools help you recreate a salon-grade bouncy blow-out at home, but they’re a lot cheaper than other market leaders (I’m looking at you, Dyson).
My first hair dryer was BaByliss, as was my first pair of hair straighteners (which I still have to this day). But with so many high-tech and multi-purpose launches from the likes of ghd, Dyson and Shark in recent years, BaByliss now has some fierce competition in the hair-drying game.
Rising to the challenge, the newly released air power pro hair dryer uses advanced airflow technology and boasts a quiet, high-speed motor for fast styling. The sleek, streamlined design also feels thoroughly modern, which sets it apart from BaByliss’s other dryers.
How I tested
I got my hands on the BaByliss tool upon its release, swapping my go-to Dyson supersonic hair dryer for the new air power pro – but does the £100 tool even compare to the £399 luxury option? I followed the strict testing criteria below to find out.
- Ease of use: Considering everything from the hair dryer’s cable length to weight and size, I assessed how easy the tool was to use.
- Heat settings: I noted if it had any heat settings and if so, how effective they were at drying my hair. I also considered the temperature of each setting and whether it felt damaging or uncomfortable to use on my hair.
- Speed: No one wants to spend too much time drying and styling their hair day-to-day – with this in mind, I noted how quickly the tool was able to dry my hair.
- Attachments: I considered how useful and effective each attachment was that came with the hair dryer, from diffusers to precision nozzles.
- Results: Above all, I wanted my hair to look healthy, shiny and salon-worthy after a drying session.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Daisy Lester is a senior shopping writer at The Independent who specialises in writing about all things fashion and beauty. She reviews products without bias, ensuring they live up to their marketing claims and puts everything to the test in a real world scenario. From expert guides on fake tan to lip oils and lip liners, it’s safe to say that Daisy knows a thing or two about the best beauty products worth adding to your arsenal. Specifically, she has reviewed countless hair products, including texturising sprays and Dyson’s latest supersonic hair dryer, so you can rest assured that she will always offer her honest opinions.
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BaByliss air power pro hair dryer
Number of attachments : Three
Speed settings: Three
Heat settings : Four
Cool shot: Yes
Weight: 380g
Why we love it
- Fast at drying
- Lightweight
- Portable size
- Various heat settings and airflow settings
Take note
- The dryer gets quite hot in hand towards the end of a sessio
The super sleek and streamlined design of this dryer makes it travel-friendly and easy to stow away when not in use. Thanks to it being lightweight (weighing just 380g, the Dyson supersonic in comparison is 600g), I experienced no arm ache. While it’s small, it’s impressively mighty, working magic on my locks in no time at all. I was also impressed with the ultra-quiet fan which is great for shared spaces (and not waking up disgruntled partners early in the morning).
There are three airflow settings and four temperature controls, with the controls being perfectly placed for easily turning on and off. Of the four temperature settings, the coldest is great for reducing heat stress and setting your look while the hottest drys hair rapidly without any burning sensation. However, the tool does feel quite hot in hand towards the end of a session.
As for the attachments, there’s a diffuser for defining curls and two styling nozzles (one for thicker hair and one for finer) that help with precision. I’m prone to frizz when styling with heat, so I love tools with flyaway attachments. While BaByliss doesn’t have one of these, the styling nozzles did an impressive job of fighting frizz for a smooth finish.
The dryer works fast – I rough-dried my hair using the hottest setting before smoothing and styling with the larger of the two nozzles. The entire job took around 10 minutes, which is similar to the time it takes me when I’m using my trusty Dyson supersonic.
Buy now £150.00, Boots.com
The verdict: BaByliss air power pro hair dryer
BaByliss’s air power pro hair dryer is a stellar alternative to pricier tools from the likes of Dyson and Shark. The small but mighty design is portable and lightweight, with the various customisable settings helping ensure the most comfortable styling session. The attachments cater for a range of hair types and lengths, too. Above all, it dries hair rapidly and effectively fights frizz for a smooth, sleek finish. With £50 slashed off its current price, you’re saving more than £200 compared to the Dyson supersonic.
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