We Tried Dyson’s New Styling Products on 4 Different Hair Types

Source images: Jesa Marie Calaor, Dyson

One thing is for sure: Dyson has range. The brand, known for revolutionary vacuums and cleansing air purifiers, bladeless fans and minimalist lighting options, headphones, and a line of industry-changing hair tools—hold on, as I catch my breath—is now expanding to styling products.

Named Chitosan after its key ingredient, the collection includes a Pre-Style Cream and Post-Style Serum. But what is chitosan? “It’s a complex macromolecule that gives the hair retention without the crunch of conventional styling products that use simple polymers,” says Robyn Coutts, senior design manager at Dyson. She explains that the chitosan used in this collection is derived from oyster mushrooms.

Dyson calls its use of chitosan “triodetic technology.” As the brand was developing its key ingredient, founder James Dyson said the hair it was being tested on was behaving as if it were wrapped in triodetic architecture (buildings that retain their structure with a foundation of tessellating triangles). “If you think about engineering, the triangle is the strongest shape,” says Justina Mejia-Montane of product innovation and packaging development at Dyson, who explains that as the products coat the hair, they create a flexible structure that preserves your style.

“Chitosan can act as a film former for hairstyling products that can help reduce static charge on the surface of the hair,” says Amanda Lam, a cosmetic chemist based in Los Angeles. It is not a new ingredient—brands like Aussie, Herbal Essences, and Kristin Ess all have products that contain a version of it. “Dyson’s chitosan from mushrooms aligns with vegan claims and may be newer to the market,” adds cosmetic chemist Kelly Dobos, who explains that chitosan is also commonly derived from shellfish.

The collection took five years to develop, between the brand’s goals for the packaging and the overall experience of using the formula. A pump dispenser is built into the bottom of each tube, dosing exactly 0.22 ml. of product when pressed onto the palm of your hand. “We wanted to provide a buildable amount initially and when we were not proving a more precise dose, we saw [overuse],” explains Coutts, who says a little bit of either product goes a long way. “The 0.22 ml. [dose] is precise enough to encourage users to go section by section to enable the strand-by-strand technology, but big enough to not cause frustration with having to continue to dispense.”

We know what you’re thinking. For skeptics who might say that is a lot of effort just for the application of your products, consider what happens when you use too little—or worse, too much product. “Using too much product may lead to excessive buildup, flaking, or a greasy appearance when it comes to the level of oils and emollients,” says Dobos, who adds that this isn’t a superfluous practice. “Conversely, insufficient dosing may result in inadequate hold and reduced effectiveness, failing to achieve the desired styling outcome.”

As for the texture and experience of the product, Dyson was specific about striking the right balance. “Getting the balance of formulation for styling whilst being lightweight and promoting healthy, natural-feeling hair was the most challenging part of formulating the Chitosan stylers,” says Coutts “When we found chitosan unlocked the balance of the two, enabling us to create a rich, almost skin-care-like formulation, while not weighing the hair down or leaving it looking greasy.”

Did the brand succeed? Before we get into the reviews, let's take an even closer look at each formula.

Meet the experts:

• Amanda Lam is a cosmetic chemist based in Los Angeles

• Kelly Dobos is a cosmetic chemist based in Cincinnati, Ohio.

• Ginger King is a cosmetic chemist based in Parsippany, New Jersey.

Chitosan Pre-Style Cream

The Pre-Style Cream contains between four to five oyster mushrooms’ worth of chitosan, which can “protect hair from heat and help it take a style more easily,” says cosmetic chemist Ginger King. It comes in four variations: Straight to Wavy Light Conditioning, Straight to Wavy Rich Conditioning, Curly to Coily Light Conditioning, and Curly to Coily Rich Conditioning.

The difference between them lies in the concentration of emollients, says Dobos. “The rich conditioning formulas contain higher concentrations of emollient esters and oils to help smooth the cuticle of damaged hair and add shine,” she says, noting that she thinks these four products cover a range of hair types.

To use the product, which can be applied to wet or dry hair, place the dispenser into your palm and press down. This will dispense a bead of the cream. Rub your hands together and apply it onto your strands, section by section. It will absorb quickly and that’s okay! A little goes a long way—and only reach for more if your hands are dry and free of product and you know you haven't fully coated the section of hair you're working with.

Chitosan Post-Style Serum

This serum absorbs into hair quickly, smoothing and reintroducing any moisture it might need after heat-styling. This is thanks to a blend of hyaluronic acid and amino acids, says King.

Consider this product extra reassurance that your style will stay in place throughout the day. The film that chitosan forms helps “resist penetration by water vapor in humid conditions,” says Dobos. “Humidity can wreck a hairstyle, whether curly hair that’s gone frizzy or heat-styled hair that’s gone flat. Some studies have shown chitosan to have good performance when compared to PVP, a more commonly used styling polymer in hair care.”

Similar to the cream, you’ll want to dispense a small amount into your hands with the pump dispenser and work the formula through, section by section.

Ahead, Allure editors put the two stylers to the test for their specific hair types. Hairstylist and brand spokesperson Matthew Collins guided editors on the amount of product to use at the strong recommendation of the brand. We recognize not everyone has a Dyson hairstylist on speed dial. When asked how consumers can choose the correct formula and amount to apply, representatives at Dyson said that the brand’s website and Demo Stores offer resources for guidance.

Both Dyson and our testers recommend the less is more approach, starting with one or two pumps and building more as needed for your hair type and style.

The testers:

• Jesa Marie Calaor has long, thick, unprocessed hair.

• Annie Blay has 4B hair with a keratin treatment and color.

• Sarah Kinonen has fine, flat, color-treated hair that’s straight with a slight texture from air-drying.

• Sarah Hoffmann has low-porosity, wavy, and curly hair.

Jesa Marie Calaor, senior editor

I went to an in-person masterclass with Dyson to learn how to use the new stylers on my long, medium-coarse, wavy, black hair. “It’s prone to frizz and my flyaways are unruly, especially on hot days, like the ones we’ve been having,” I told Collins.

After a thorough cleanse, he prescribed two pumps of the Chitosan Pre-Style Cream Straight to Wavy Rich Conditioning formula distributed between the back and top of my head and the area behind my ears. It had a slight, but very pleasant citrus fragrance that lingered as he worked it into the different sections. He styled my hair with the new Airwrap I.D.—which will be available for purchase on the same day as these stylers—giving me a bouncy, wavy blowout. He finished with two pumps of the Post-Style Serum. My hairstyle wore throughout the day with no frizz or flyaways in sight. I slept on it and when I went to work the next morning, my friend, associate beauty director Sarah Kinonen, commented on how great my hair still looked. “It looks like you just got a blowout this morning,” she says.

My hair was in the hands of a professional—of course it looked good! I decided to test it out myself at home. After cleansing my hair (and making sure it was free of all product) I swept the same Pre-Style Cream formula throughout, section by section. I was surprised at how quickly my hair absorbed it, so I ended up using more than what Collins had on my hair.

I styled my hair with the original Airwrap (using the round brush attachment) and noticed it was taking my styling more easily. Once I was done, I swept four pumps of the Post-Style Serum through my strands. My hair felt super smooth—as if it was laminated.

The style lasted through the following day. The only part of my hair I had to touch up the next morning were my bangs, which looked dented in all the wrong places when I woke up. My waves were just as bouncy as when they were first styled.

Annie Blay, associate editor

Styling my hair is probably my least favorite part of my hair-care routine—mainly because it takes the longest. Great styling products make this task a whole lot more enjoyable, though. My criteria for them include: making my hair softer and easier to detangle, defining my curls, and having a pleasant scent (because that never hurts). When I learned Dyson was coming out with styling products—and even some specifically for curly hair—I was intrigued. I love my Dyson hair dryer through and through, so I was excited by the idea of adding another Dyson favorite to my collection.

After washing my hair, I dried the excess water with a towel and sectioned my hair into four equal parts. I started by applying three pumps of the Curly to Coily Rich Conditioning Pre-Style Cream to one section (per Collins’s suggestion). Before I jump into my first impressions of the product itself, I have to say the pump left a lot to be desired. On washdays, my hands are (obviously) wet, so I appreciate a pump that is easy to use. If you press on the pump upside down—which I did at first—the product is dispensed into the bowl part of the pump and you have to scoop it out with your finger. It was a little messy.

As I applied the Pre-Style Cream from my mid-lengths to ends, the cream lightly moisturized my hair, but after working it in, my curls still felt a little dry. After brushing the section with my Tangle Teezer, I followed up with the Post-Style Serum. I was hoping to complete a wash 'n’ go with just these two products, but the Post-Style Serum didn't provide quite the hold and definition I usually look for, so I had to reach for the TPH By Taraji Tough Cookie Styling Gel, which better defined my curls. After going through my whole head with the Post-Style Serum, followed by the TPH gel, I dried my hair using the diffuser attachment on the Dyson Supersonic Nural dryer.

The result was a defined, springy wash ’n’ go. As my hair dried, the gel left a bit of a hard cast, so at the suggestion of my coworker Sarah Hoffmann, I went back in with a few pumps of the Chitosan Post-Style Serum l throughout my curls, which helped soften my hair without disrupting the curls. The product felt a lot more effective when used this way.

Overall, I don't see myself reaching for the new Dyson styling products for my washdays. While I liked the moisture added to my hair, it wasn't enough to replace my tried-and-true favorites.

Sarah Kinonen, associate beauty director

I’ll be the first to admit it, but I’m likely not the best tester for hair-care products. I only ever air-dry my hair after my nightly shower and—gasp!—sometimes I even go to bed with wet hair. That’s because I have little to no texture. Like, if I were to wash and air-dry right now, it’d fall flat and straight, which is why most days I’ll wear my hair in a clip or bun to coax out some “waves” post-style. Waves being the opertative word here, as you can see in my before photo, my waves are just the indents from my claw clip, but I digress.

That being said, here’s how I tried the two Dyson stylers: After letting my hair out of a clip that sat for eight hours, I rubbed two-ish pumps of the Straight to Wavy Pre-Style Cream into my hands before distributing the product through my dry strands, but mostly focusing on the back of my head, as instructed by Collins. I assume this was to add some volume to the flattest part of my hair, and it did! Well, kinda. Volume for me is sad-looking, but I did get a teeny-tiny bit of lift and tried to get the same effect near my roots by raking my fingers through and lifting up. Did it work? You tell me!

I flipped my hair over, back-combing with my fingers and then shook it out. I then applied one pump of the Straight to Wavy Post-Style Serum Serum to my hair in the same fashion as the first product and…noticed my hair looked the same? Sort of. There is a touch of lift and it did feel slightly softer, but otherwise not all that different. After closer inspection, it actually looked a little greasy, but I was on day three of not washing my hair, so that was definitely a factor in the visible oiliness.

All this to say, blame it on user error, but I don’t think the Dyson stylers did much for my hair—at least in this initial use. I think my hair needs to be slightly damp to reap the full benefits, so I plan to try again on Sunday night after I wash my hair. Then I can really decide if I’ll be adding them to my styling routine, which currently consists of a total of one prouct: leave-in conditioner.

Sarah Hoffmann, commerce producer

As recommended by the Dyson team, I added two pumps of the Curly to Coily formula of the Pre-Style Cream to each side of my damp hair, scrunched it a bit for shape, and let it air-dry. The first thing I noticed was the smell. Apricot? It’s super fruity and lovely, and I would wear it as a fragrance in a heartbeat. As my hair dried, I saw it holding the shape of my curls quite well, although there was a bit of a gel cast, so next time I’d be a bit more sparing with product.

Once my hair was dry, I coated my hands in the finishing serum and used my fingers to gently coax and separate the curls. The serum is definitely the standout for me and will remain in my routine. It gently broke apart the gel cast without disturbing the shaping the curl cream had done and it made my hair feel soft. I wish there was more of a smoothing factor present here, although I suspect the products really shine when you use them pre- and post-heat-styling, given that hot tools are Dyson’s bread and butter.

The Dyson Chitosan Pre-Style Cream and Post-Style Serum are now available on Dyson.com for $60 each.

Read more about hair care:

• We Tried the Dyson Airwrap Complete on 3 Different Hair Types

• 5 Types of Hair Damage and What to Do About Each

• How to Figure Out Your Curl Type

Now, watch Brooke Shields' 10-minute hair-care routine:

Originally Appeared on Allure