We tried the new ghd Duet Style and here’s our honest review

A ghd launch is like a beauty lover’s Christmas. It doesn’t happen every day and it’s more exciting than pretty much anything else on the planet. Especially when it’s a game-changing tool like the brand new ghd Duet Style.

Promising to take hair from wet to styled in one fell swoop, we couldn’t wait to get our hands on the hair dryer-straightener hybrid. We had a feeling we were about to be blessed by the hair gods and we weren’t wrong. But for $595, we’re sure you’re going to want the details, so scroll down for our ghd Duet Style review and need-to-know info.

What is the ghd duet style?

The ghd Duet Style ($595 at Adore Beauty) is basically a hair dryer and straightener in one. It combines hot air and styling plates to eliminate the role of a blow-dryer altogether.

Taking a straightener to wet hair might sound like a sizzling disaster but the internal airflow and low-temperature plates are unlike any other tech we've seen before. Drying and styling your hair simultaneously is now possible — what a way to start 2023!

• ghd Duet Style review

At first glance, the ghd Duet Style looks just like a wide-plate straightener. But upon closer inspection, the centre and top sides of the plates give way to airflow. It carries a bit more weight in the handle (presumably to hide a motor) but is reasonably comfortable to hold.

After washing my hair, I combed through my usual leave-in treatment and then sectioned it off into top and bottom. As I flicked the Duet Style to ‘on’, it slowly began to make a whirring noise, similar to (but not as loud as) a hair dryer.

I then grabbed a section of hair, the same as though I was using a regular straightener, and ran the Duet Style over it slowly. No steam, no sizzle, just pure shock that the section of hair I’d chosen was now dry a few seconds later.

One of the most impressive things about this tool is how easy it is to use. If you can use a straightener, you can use the Duet Style. The only difference I found in my technique was to hold it at the roots for longer to ensure the area dried properly, and to be fairly precise with sectioning so that you’re not left with any wet missed bits.

The airflow is very controlled, so I didn’t have strands flying everywhere either. I’d simply clamp down and glide. To completely finish my head of fine-but-lots-of-it hair took about 15 minutes in total.

I then held down the ‘Shine Shot’ button and the airflow switched off, while the plates retained (and perhaps also increased in) heat. The ‘Shine Shot’ from what I can gather, simply turns the Duet Style into a pure straightener function, so you can do a quick once over to finish you style and lock in the smoothness.

Well, it bloody worked didn’t it?!

Overall, if you’re someone who blow-dries and then straightens their hair (like me), this tool easily turns your two steps into one. I’d liken the results to a straight salon blow-dry, and as someone who can’t control a brush in one hand and a hair dryer in the other, it’s not overexaggerating to call this tool a game-changer. 

If only this had been around when glass hair was at its peak! Maybe we need to bring it back…

FAQs

How do I use the ghd Duet Style?

#1/ Start with freshly washed, towel-dried hair

#2/ Section the hair and place your duet style at the root for 2-3 seconds

#3/ From there, you want to glide your tool down the hair from roots to ends, repeating until dry and smoothly styled

#4/ Finish off with a shine shot once all hair is dry, and you’re set to face the day, glossier than ever

When does the ghd Duet Style launch?

The ghd duet style will be available from February 2023, a month that will live on as the one that changed our styling routines forever. You can shop the ghd Duet Style at ghdhair.com as well as Adore Beauty.

How much does it cost?

The ghd Duet Style retails for $595, which is definitely an investment, but one that will serve your hair well.

Is the ghd Duet Style a blow-dry brush?

No. It’s basically what a blow-dry brush wishes it were! While there’s a similar goal (taking wet hair to freshly styled), the ghd duet style allows for more control, speed, and ease. The brand’s signature clampable style remains intact, allowing you to stick to a styling method you already know and love, while also adding in the drying aspect. No workout-rivalling brush-wielding routine here. Just efficient, smooth styling.

What styling products do I use with the ghd Duet Style?

The ghd duet style pairs perfectly with ghd’s new Sleek Talker ($60 at ghdhair.com), a wet-to-sleek styling oil with heat protection, that’s been specifically developed to guarantee premium results from your ghd Duet Style.

Main image credit: Supplied

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