Dyson’s new Supersonic attachment has me hooked

Hairs that stick out – in all directions, in my case – are called flyaways. They act funny either because hair breakage has made them significantly shorter than the rest, or because they’re static. Whatever the reason, it’s not a look I want after putting a lot of effort into my styling. Hair salons normally smooth these rogue hairs with a styling nozzle and a round brush. However, mastering this requires a lot of practice, coordination and the right technique. Otherwise, there’s a risk of stirring up even more hair with the dryer’s air flow. I’ve never succeeded at taming my flyaways.

Now Dyson’s new attachment for the Supersonic hair dryer should help me get salon-style results. How does it work? The «Flyaway» takes over the job of the round brush, turning the hair dryer into a 2-in-1 device. Just like the Airwrap, the Flyaway also makes use of the Coanda effect and works with an airflow that pushes all the hairs along its curved attachment, thereby taming them at the same time.

Hairdryer accessories

Dyson Supersonic Flyaway Attachment

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Hairdryer accessories

Dyson Supersonic Flyaway Attachment

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Putting it to the test

My flyaways stick out around the root. I don’t have the same issue towards the tip. Also, the right side of my parting has more volume than the other, as you can see in the photo below. This makes things look a little askew. Literally. I’m hoping that the Flyaway attachment can restore the balance.

Prior to the test, I wash my hair thoroughly and leave out my usual anti-frizz styling products. Next, I use the Supersonic (minus the attachment) to blow-dry my hair. That creates total chaos on my head. This is where the Flyaway attachment comes into it. I only use it on the right side of my parting. This allows me to do a direct comparison.

In profile, the tool looks like Captain Hook’s left «hand». From the front, it reminds me of a vacuum cleaner attachment. Like all other attachments, it magnetically clicks onto the Supersonic. The open part of the hook faces downwards towards the handle.

Dyson recommends the following settings:

Regular hair: highest speed setting (3) and low heat setting (1)
Thick hair: highest speed setting (3) and high heat setting (2)
Fine hair: highest speed setting (3) and cool setting

As I have thick hair, I set my Supersonic accordingly and bring the attachment into position. The rounded part is facing my mane. To start with, I only run it along the top hair at my roots. Later, I move it all the way down to the tips. Fortunately, I don’t have to do any crazy moves to reach the back of my head, as the attachment is rotatable. The rotation gives me a new angle that allows for comfortable drying. Although I’m working close to my scalp, the airflow feels quite cool. The strands of hair follow the flow along the curved surface.

The result

The right side of my mop is almost outshining my freshly cleaned mirror. I’ve only ever reached this level of brilliance with specific styling products. What’s more, the hairline on both sides of my parting is now equally high. On closer inspection, I see only two or three hairs left that aren’t quite in line with the others. The rest is silky smooth. I’m impressed. What a rare sight to see with my thick hair.

If I didn’t know better, I’d even say my hair almost looks a little greasy. Especially the long strands didn’t like the treatment too much. They look a little stringy. To be fair, this would probably be different if I’d actually styled my hair beforehand and not just blow-dried it.

Verdict

Dyson’s Flyaway attachment is a tool to put the finishing touches on your styling. It smooths, tames and makes your hair shine. So much so that I’m not sure if every hair type would benefit equally from its power. If my thick mane already looks quickly flat and almost greasy, this effect will probably be even stronger with fine hair.

However, if used sparingly, the attachment could be a useful addition to your Supersonic. Especially if you have thick, voluminous hair. In my case, the motto is: less is more. I really only use the attachment where I need it most (at the roots) and with a maximum of two passes per strand.