You know when you’re at the salon, and the hairstylist whips out a round brush in one hand and a hair dryer in the other, then proceeds to create that straight and smooth but light and bouncy blow-out? Well, Dyson‘s new Flyaway attachment was built with exactly this hairstyling technique in mind, and you only need one hair tool to achieve very similar results…in the comfort of your own home. Harnessing the brand’s groundbreaking Coanada effect—which utilises intelligent air flow with extreme heat to style hair—the Flyaway tool works with the Dyson Supersonic by attracting and lifting the longer hairs to the front, whilst pushing shorter, smaller flyaways underneath, creating a smooth and shiny layer. Jen Atkin Dyson
“I think we can all agree that flyaway frustration is real!”, exclaims Jen Atkin during our Zoom interview, “nothing feels as good as that salon blow dry finish. The trick to tame annoying flyaways is a core skill for a stylist. However, we want our clients to now be able to get that same glossy finish at home. Dyson’s latest attachment does exactly that—it allows smooth seekers to get a super sleek finish, on their own, not just from the salon.”
Here, the celebrity hairstylist, Dyson Global Styling Ambassador and founder of The Ouai shares her top tips and tools to getting sleek, smooth locks and her signature waves.
Any tips for extending the life of your blow dry?
Totally! So I think that we all know the magic of dry shampoo when your hair is oily. I actually suggest if you have an oily scalp and dry ends to use two different types of shampoos. So maybe something a little bit more cleansing at the root and something hydrating from your mid length to the ends, just because it helps to balance your hair. And this could actually help your hairdo last a few days longer. And also, by using the right tools—like Dyson products all have intelligent heat control—it helps to really protect your hair from extreme heat damage, which honestly makes it easier to style or wear your hair naturally because it has, you know, healthy shape and shine to it. One more thing—don’t touch your hair. I don’t think we think about that at all, but playing with your hair a lot can sometimes get a little too much oil in it and could potentially mess up the style, so I would be careful of that too.
What do you love about the Supersonic?
I’ll go fast—the Dyson Supersonic has a filter in the handle so it’s super easy to use, and you won’t have those achy arms anymore because it’s super light with a digital motor. I also want to tell you that it is acoustically engineered so it’s super quiet and I used to joke that I can gossip while doing hair. The precise heat settings and intelligent heat control help to protect and style hair while maintaining its natural shine and health, and the engineers have worked so hard in developing all of these attachments that you basically can create any style you want all-in-one. Then we have the new Flyaway attachment that’s just another example of how the brand is constantly innovating. This really finishes the hair to completely tame flyaway hairs that drive us crazy.
With both the Supersonic and the Air Wrap, drying one’s hair is pretty foolproof with Dyson—but it somehow can still be tricky for some. What’s your best hack?
I don’t know why, but it’s like we’ve all been trained to turn the heat and the airflow up all the way to the maximum. And that’s actually doing you a disservice when you’re styling your hair and blow drying it. Most hair types don’t need that, so my tip is to bring down the airflow and bring down the temperature, and you might be pleasantly surprised at how your hair will take better shape and become more bouncy. Let’s just say forcing hair styles with strong heat or strong air isn’t actually saving you time or effort.
We have a lot of fine, curly and frizzy hair in Southeast Asia—and we’re faced with a lot of humidity. What are your tips to get the best curl-defining results?
You guys live in a beautiful climate and gorgeous city! I’ve been there a few times for The Ouai. I always suggest starting in the shower, using products like a treatment mask, finishing cream or some sort of lotion or leave-in conditions to give you sufficient moisture and prep before you blow dry. I suggest using the diffuser—which I love—for a gentle dry over the top layer, and you can use it to add lift to the roots as well. Always direct the airflow downwards so that it kind of helps tame and shape against frizz and humidity. This is where the Flyaway attachment comes in key, because it’s ideal for keeping flyaways smoothed down without flattening the hair, and gives you that soft, shiny layer—then a shot of cool air to lock it in place. This last step really helps against humidity as it calms and smoothes the hair cuticle. Jen Atkin Dyson
With the Flyaway attachment, how do you achieve that sleek, smoothing effect without compromising volume?
The beauty of the Flyaway attachment is that it takes the smaller, shorter hairs and lays them underneath the rest of your longer hairs. With just a single stroke you’ll notice that it attracts the longer hairs and blows away (or down) at the shorter hairs so you get a smooth top layer. Then when I use this at the root and play with different angles, it helps lift and guide your hair in the direction that you want it to go.
Is the Flyaway attachment compatible with people with curly hair?
To dry, style and smooth hair first, I would suggest starting with the Air Wrap and its smoothing brushes and attachments to get your hair straight. Or you could also use the Supersonic to blow dry your hair before using the Flyaway attachment as a last finishing step to achieve smooth, straight hair.
What are your favourite hair products at the moment?
My favourite right now it our Ouai x Byredo Leave-in Conditioner, which has been flying off the shelves here and i’m not sure when it’s coming out there! But overall, I really love our Treatment Mask—it’s important to take time to mask your hair the same way we do a face mask as part of our skincare rituals. It’s just nice to make those moments for yourself and all you need is 20-30 minutes to really treat your hair.
How would you create a quick and simple Zoom-ready hairstyle?
I’d gently comb through wet hair with some Ouai Curl Cream and Wave Spray and then I’d use the diffuser to do a very natural blow-dry to create loose, effortless waves. If I have a bit more time I’d reach for the Corrale to neaten and define a few areas. I like when hairstyles are dimensional and not too done, a little messy even.
