Dyson Just Launched a New Hair Dryer—And We Tested it Early

Confession: I'm a little jaded after spending nearly a decade covering beauty launches. I've tested the best hair dryers, and very few are as good as they seem. But when I received word about a new blow dryer from Dyson that would protect my scalp from heat damage and make my hair shinier, I knew I had to give it a try. The Dyson Supersonic Nural is finally here, allowing me to show off my newly styled strands.

The original Dyson Supersonic dryer has been lauded as one of Marie Claire’s top hair dryers since it debuted in 2016. The newest addition to the line, the Supersonic Nural, has all the same qualities of the original—the same quick drying time and lightweight feel—plus a host of new features that make it worth your investment.

So whether you're a fan of the original Supersonic, the travel-friendly Dyson Supersonic Origin, the viral Airwrap Multi-Styler, or you're new to the world of Dyson haircare, keep reading. I not only tested the device on my hair but broke down exactly what you can expect to receive.

The New Technology

The ‘Nural’ in the dryer's title comes from its new Nural sensors, which increase shine and activate the rest of the new settings: scalp protect mode, pause detect, and attachment learning.

In scalp protect mode, the dryer’s temperature is lowered to 131 degrees Fahrenheit—for reference, the highest heat setting typically clocks in at 212 degrees on the original Supersonic—as the tool moves closer to your head. According to the brand, 131 degrees is the perfect temperature for quick drying without adding excess damage. This is possible due to a series of invisible infrared beams cast onto your hair that measure how far away the dryer is. LED lights on the back of the device (another fancy new feature) change colors in real time as the heat level changes. Yellow signals the lowest heat, orange signifies medium, and red equals the highest level.

The new pause detect feature decreases airflow and heat when you’re in between passes. This means your hands and strands won't overheat as you re-adjust your positioning during your blowout routine. As someone who has tried and failed to do a salon-quality blowout in my bathroom because my scalp always feels too hot, this was music to my ears.

If you love swapping attachments as you style, the new attachment learning feature will make your routine much easier. The smart attachments remember your previous heat and speed settings and automatically apply the same ones when you use them next.

The New Attachments

Speaking of new attachments, the device comes with one new attachment called the Wave+Curl Diffuser. It helps define curl patterns in two modes: Dome and Diffuse. In the former, the large dome-shaped attachment (hence the name) pulls air away from the scalp for a smoother wavy finish. In the latter, the pronged insert inside the attachment delivers air closer to your hair for voluminous curls and coils.

Aside from the new diffuser, the Nural comes with the classic attachments: the gentle air ring, the styling concentrator, the wide-tooth comb, and the u-shaped flyaway attachment.

The device also comes in two colors: a deep purple hue called Vinca, and a bright teal shade called Patina that are sure to look lovely on any vanity or counter.

My Review

As someone who already owns the Dyson Supersonic and uses it every week, I was eager to review the Nural in the purple colorway. My hair is straight, fine in texture, dull, and always looks a little flat despite my efforts. I also constantly apply heat through curling irons and flat irons, so a dryer that limits damage to my scalp while drying it quickly was a win-win.

What wowed me the most were the new LED lights. They changed color as I moved the dryer around my head in real-time, I noticed the temperature decreased as I styled. I am not someone who gives myself a daily at-home blowout—I prefer a rough-dried approach, especially when I’m in a rush in the mornings, but, this dryer is helpful for someone who dries each section with detail.

To make sure that I got the best results, I followed my most basic in-shower routine. I used my usual shampoo and conditioner combination. I quickly towel-dried my hair so it wasn't sopping wet and didn't apply any extra hair oils or frizz-fighting products that normally add shine.

Surprisingly, I hardly had any frizz. In areas where I did find flyaways, I simply used the Styling Concentrator, and they vanished. Secondly, my hair was shiny in an I-just-went-to-the-salon way. It was like I had applied a fresh coat of my favorite clear hair gloss. It was so shiny that my fiancé asked if I had gotten my hair done despite being in desperate need of a haircut. The ends of my hair, ordinarily scraggly and dry-looking, had a subtle curl to them and looked freshly trimmed. I was sold!

My Final Thoughts

While it's a great addition to the Supersonic lineup, you don't need the new device if you own the original dryer unless you're worried about heat damage. However, thanks to the upgraded features, it's a better first-time buy for Dyson newbies than the original.

While I still recommend applying a heat protectant before styling with any device, the LED lights and changing temperatures made my hair a shinier, healthier finished look than my other dryer. The Nural is definitely an investment at $500, but I think that it's well worth the price tag.