Beauty news and review: the Dyson Corrale arrives in New Zealand
SO WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL?
Seven years in the making, it has so many careful considerations behind its development that I don’t know where to start! First and foremost, it’s the only hair straightener available with flexing plate technology. What does this mean for you? Well the patented Dyson flexing plates shape to gather hair, delivering enhanced styling with less hair damage, which is what we all want from our irons. The pioneering microhinged plate technology means that even heat and tension is applied to all the hair strands in every pass, keeping them perfectly aligned and reducing the reliance on heat. “Since we first started developing the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer, we have continued to explore the science of style, seeking to understand what makes hair smooth, shiny and glossy, and what makes it dull, damaged and lifeless,” says the legendary James Dyson. “We have been worried about the style results and heat damage from flat plate straighteners. Flat hair irons apply tension and heat only on the thickest part of the hair tress, the strands at the edges are not clamped, leaving them slack, unheated and leaving flyaways. It requires multiple passes on the same section of hair tress to give an even look, by which time excess heat may have caused reduced strength and less gloss.” Makes sense, and made my hair feel really rather happy, even when I first used them and it was long overdue a cut and not in the greatest condition.
Seven years in the making, it has so many careful considerations behind its development that I don’t know where to start! First and foremost, it’s the only hair straightener available with flexing plate technology. What does this mean for you? Well the patented Dyson flexing plates shape to gather hair, delivering enhanced styling with less hair damage, which is what we all want from our irons. The pioneering microhinged plate technology means that even heat and tension is applied to all the hair strands in every pass, keeping them perfectly aligned and reducing the reliance on heat. “Since we first started developing the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer, we have continued to explore the science of style, seeking to understand what makes hair smooth, shiny and glossy, and what makes it dull, damaged and lifeless,” says the legendary James Dyson. “We have been worried about the style results and heat damage from flat plate straighteners. Flat hair irons apply tension and heat only on the thickest part of the hair tress, the strands at the edges are not clamped, leaving them slack, unheated and leaving flyaways. It requires multiple passes on the same section of hair tress to give an even look, by which time excess heat may have caused reduced strength and less gloss.” Makes sense, and made my hair feel really rather happy, even when I first used them and it was long overdue a cut and not in the greatest condition.
INTELLIGENT HEAT CONTROL
Suitable for all hair types, the unique styling tool also features Dyson’s Intelligent Heat Control for precise temperatures, which gets another tick from me. It has three precise heat settings – 165°C, 185°C and 210°C, which allows the user to tailor the settings to suit their hair type and desired style. Combined with the increased control provided by the flexing plates and you’ll be styling at lower temperatures without compromising on results.
For nerds like me, the Corrale's controls and display are a cool touch, too. A small digital screen shows the battery level and temperature—taking the guessing game on how hot the iron is out of the process. Its three buttons (two for temperature and one power button) are also very well placed so you won’t accidentally press them when doing your hair, and it has a sliding lock to keep it closed.
Suitable for all hair types, the unique styling tool also features Dyson’s Intelligent Heat Control for precise temperatures, which gets another tick from me. It has three precise heat settings – 165°C, 185°C and 210°C, which allows the user to tailor the settings to suit their hair type and desired style. Combined with the increased control provided by the flexing plates and you’ll be styling at lower temperatures without compromising on results.
For nerds like me, the Corrale's controls and display are a cool touch, too. A small digital screen shows the battery level and temperature—taking the guessing game on how hot the iron is out of the process. Its three buttons (two for temperature and one power button) are also very well placed so you won’t accidentally press them when doing your hair, and it has a sliding lock to keep it closed.
HOW "CORD-FREE" IS CORD-FREE?
Lastly there’s the cord-free aspect, which has gifted the release with the most publicity. Powered by a four-cell lithium-ion battery, the Corrale delivers the same thermal performance of a corded product, with tcord-free versatility and universal voltage allowing users to style anywhere, anytime. A flight mode feature also ensures the device meets air travel standards and can be packed in cabin luggage for travel – not that we’re doing much of that right now! – and it fully recharges in 70 minutes and provides up to 30 minutes, cord-free styling wherever you are. Placing the straightener into the ergonomic charging dock at regular intervals whilst styling is recommended if you have long hair or more to style, and there is also magnetic 360° charging cable provides a hybrid charge mode for longer styling sessions. The aforementioned lithium-ion battery definitely gives the tool more heft, which I found quite hard to get used to at first. I spoke to an editorial stylist who said despite this, the tool was a godsend when he recently had to shoot at the beach, and he definitely made it all look very easy. In terms of styling performance, the only issue I had was that the Corrale was too bulky to get in close and lift my roots, which being someone with a lot of ‘heavy’ hair, could be a bit of an issue. It could be my technique however, and I just need a little extra practice to get that mega volume!
Lastly there’s the cord-free aspect, which has gifted the release with the most publicity. Powered by a four-cell lithium-ion battery, the Corrale delivers the same thermal performance of a corded product, with tcord-free versatility and universal voltage allowing users to style anywhere, anytime. A flight mode feature also ensures the device meets air travel standards and can be packed in cabin luggage for travel – not that we’re doing much of that right now! – and it fully recharges in 70 minutes and provides up to 30 minutes, cord-free styling wherever you are. Placing the straightener into the ergonomic charging dock at regular intervals whilst styling is recommended if you have long hair or more to style, and there is also magnetic 360° charging cable provides a hybrid charge mode for longer styling sessions. The aforementioned lithium-ion battery definitely gives the tool more heft, which I found quite hard to get used to at first. I spoke to an editorial stylist who said despite this, the tool was a godsend when he recently had to shoot at the beach, and he definitely made it all look very easy. In terms of styling performance, the only issue I had was that the Corrale was too bulky to get in close and lift my roots, which being someone with a lot of ‘heavy’ hair, could be a bit of an issue. It could be my technique however, and I just need a little extra practice to get that mega volume!
THE BOTTOM LINE
In terms of price, the Corrale clocks in at $749, which isn’t cheap. But considering almost every company that makes a hair straightener claims theirs causes less damage than other models and the Corrale actually proves it, makes it attractive if that’s your concern. If you straighten your hair several times a week and have coarser hair with more obvious signs of damage, then the Corrale is definitely worth the steeper price for the sake of maintaining condition.
I’m still saving my pennies to get a Dyson Airwrap, which my stylist says is the perfect answer for my hair type and style, and a Supersonic, which was on my Christmas wish list last year but Santa didn’t bring! I really like the Corrale though, and appreciate the effort that went into creating something so very different.
To check one out yourself, visit www.dyson.co.nz or your nearest Dyson Demo Store.
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