As a complete gadget geek, I was gagging to try the new ghd air hairdryer as soon as I heard about it. I’ve been repeatedly disappointed with budget and medium priced hairdryers and have wanted a fancy pants one forever - and after trying this one, I think it’s as good as it gets.
Technology
I thought it might come with more ‘bits’, but I supposed it’s a good thing it doesn’t, since I don’t actually need any more bits! The only extras are two concentrator nozzles in different widths to help hone a variety of styles.
It has ionic technology for a smooth, frizz free finish, a salon strength motor for fast powerful drying and an ergonomic design that suits both right and left handed stylists. Designed for professional use, the 2,100 watt motor shouldn’t be phased by heavy continual use. One of the things that pleases me most is the super long 3m cable that means I can sit comfortably on my bed while blow drying!
It’s rather elegant, a reasonable weight and the controls are simple, which again is good. Medium or powerful pressure, medium or hot temperature and a cool shot. That’s it!
So what’s it like to use?
I decided the best way to test it to the max was to blow dry my hair straight. I have a lot of hair and this always puts the most demand on any styling product for me - it takes my hairdresser around an hour to complete. My hair was semi dry before I started, not really on purpose but because I rarely get to do anything without being interrupted by small children!
I think the pics really speak for themselves. It would normally take me about 20 mins to get my hair anywhere near as straight and silky as this. You can see in the before pic how fuzzy and kinky it is naturally - what you can’t see is that it’s really coarse underneath - proper wiry red hair. I was actually shocked that it looked like this 3 mins later… I kept stroking it and even asked my 4yo to feel how soft it was (poor child gets such good training - he’ll make someone a wonderful husband one day!).
It is powerful and the barrel gets quite hot, which is something I’m not used to, though you could use the lower heat setting. The combination of heat, power and ionic technology means a much quicker drying time. I’d say 8-10 mins max for proper styling with a wide barrel brush as I did above. I’ve also used it for a more natural wavy look, when I literally blasted the hair from above for a few minutes and ran my fingers through it.
A closer look at some of the gadgety bits (my camera has not been focusing well lately so apologies that some of these aren’t as sharp as I’d like).
As you might expect, a machine like this does not come cheap and has an rrp of £99. Is it worth it? If you can afford it, then I do think it’s worth investing in. I’ve definitely spent more than that on hairdryers in the past 5-6 years, whereas I think you’d have (& love) this one for a lot longer. Of course there may well be others a bit cheaper that produce equally great results, but I’m very happy with this one and must admit there is something a little bit special about having a ghd - it just feels like the best!
ghd air is available at all the usual outlets for £99 and you can read more about it on the ghd website.
sample
