It’s about time Dyson gave its corrale hair straightener some TLC, and now, in the same week that the brand has launched its new CameraJet electric toothbrush, an updated iteration has been announced.
Set to drop on 15 September, the updated hair tool rapidly cools the hair once it’s straightened. The result, according to the brand, is a style that lasts longer, looks up to 154 per cent shinier and is left up to 29 per cent less damaged.
In Dyson’s Parisian salon earlier this week, I got my hands-on with the new tool to see whether it delivered on its hefty claims. Of course, 20 minutes in situ with the product is nowhere near enough time to thoroughly review a hair straightener (full review is in the works). But it is better than nothing if you’re a Dyson devotee hoping to shop the device on launch day itself.
After testing the device with Dyson hair stylist Chris Long, here are my first impressions of the all-new corrale coolshine’s performance, price and more.
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Dyson corrale coolshine hair straightener
Why we love it
- Hair is left looking shinier and more lustrous
- Less prominent hinge than corrale original (which notoriously caught strands)
- Cheaper than competitor Ghd's latest model
Take note
- Can take more than one pass for shine to emerge
- Harder to curl hair with cooling attachment in place
The first thing I noticed about the Dyson corrale coolshine is that it’s less clunky than the original model. The hinge sits further down the tongs, meaning those with longer hair will have more space to curl hair around the barrel. It’s also much lighter than the original straightener (361g lighter, to be precise). Admittedly, it looks a little heftier once you slide on the optional cooling attachment – even so, it only weighs 85g.
Another design change is that the brand has decided to ditch the cordless functionality with this update, and I'm not disappointed. I can count on one hand the number of times I've needed a hair straightener without access to a plug.
One of the most interesting things about the tool, though, is its cooling attachment: two pairs of heat-extracting pipes filled with distilled water cool the hair as it exits the heated plates. Not only does this ensure that the straightened (or curled) style is set into place – much like the cool shot on the airwrap – but it also prevents residual heat from damaging the hair.
While I wasn’t able to test these damage-prevention measures long-term, I watched my dull 3pm hair exit the barrel looking noticeably shinier, particularly so after two passes.
Another development of the corrale coolshine is the unique shape of the plates. The two plates are slightly curved to cocoon hair within the straightener and prevent strands from slipping out the sides. I’m guilty of trying to straighten large clumps of hair at once, so I’m particularly excited about this design change.
Curling with the cooling attachment is a little hit-and-miss. While Long assured me it’s possible, I watched as a few testers tried and (mostly) failed to curl their hair with the pipes in place. As with many Dyson devices – namely the airwrap – I’m sure there’s a knack to the process, but for those curling in a hurry, I’d stick to the straighteners sans attachment.
One of the key draws of the corrale coolshine is its £249.99 price, making it more than £100 cheaper than the new ghd sculpt, an equally impressive tool in its own way. It’s great to see Dyson finally producing products below its usual £350 benchmark. Admittedly, £250 is still a lot of money, but I can’t deny the instant shine I saw – none of which I’ve seen after using all manner of ghd and Cloud Nine-brand (to name but a few) straighteners.
Another minor gripe is that I’m not a huge fan of the four heat settings. As Dyson has demonstrated with the nural hair dryer, the brand is capable of intuitively detecting the amount of heat your hair and scalp can manage, so I’d have liked to have seen something similar with the temperature control within the coolshine.
Key specifications
Buy now £249.99, Dyson.co.uk
Is the Dyson corrale coolshine worth it?
For now, I’d say the Dyson corrale coolshine is worth considering if shine is your main hair-styling goal, but I’m not ready to call it a must-buy after one brief styling session.
I was impressed by the instant gloss I saw, and the lighter, less cumbersome design is a welcome improvement on the original. At £249.99, it’s also notably cheaper than some of its competitors. That said, I need to put it through its paces over several weeks to see how the supposed longer-lasting results and damage claims perform consistently. Watch this space for my extended review.
How we tested
I had a brief styling session with the Dyson corrale coolshine at the brand’s Paris salon, working alongside hair stylist Chris Long. While this wasn’t long enough to assess its longer-term performance, I used the session to compare the new design with the original corrale and assess how it handled my hair.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
As IndyBest’s senior shopping writer, Lucy Smith is a real Dyson aficionado and has tested everything from the Dyson airstrait to the Dyson co-anda 2x – and even the Dyson V16 piston animal vacuum. She knows the brand in and out and, elsewhere, is on top of all the latest in haircare, including the best hair dryers, the best hair curlers and more.
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