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I’m not going to lie. I hate doing my hair. I hate it. It takes too much time, too much work, it’s always too hot, and usually anything I do to it ends up looking a bit like a bedraggled dog after a few hours of being out in the world.

No matter what kind of product or how much hairspray I use, I end up looking a bit of a mess. That’s why it’s taken me three full years of futzing around, reading reviews, wataching YouTube videos, and basically stalking the Dyson Airwrap Styler before I finally broke down and purchased one from Amazon this past week.

First, like everyone else, I had to get over the $500-plus price tag. Luckily, Google knows my search habits and showed me a blog post that noted that Amazon was running a $50 off sale on the styler (a deal that NEVER happens with Dyson), and I decided to pull the trigger. I figured that even if I hated it, I could at least have a Dyson hairdryer since the set comes with a dryer attachment. I’d tried the Dyson Dryer on a press drive that took me to the Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills which provides the dryers in rooms. To say I was astounded, is an understatement.

Last week I finally broke down and bought the Dyson Airwrap Complete Styler and I haven’t looked back.

First things first, the Complete Styler comes with all the tools and attachments you need, plus a fancy leather style box that you’ll need to clear ample space on your counter for. This particular set up isn’t great if you have a small bathroom or if you’re working with limited counter space. It’s also not ideal if you want to travel with the thing.

The box itself is big–and takes up a good square foot of space on a table or counter top. The inside is lined with fake velvet giving the styler a real luxury feel, and the cord tucks away nicely, underneath a removable platform, like you see in the photo below.

This kit comes with eight different attachments that offer everything from straightening for curly hair, to curling for straight hair. I currently have short hair that has been color- and heat-treated, so it’s a bit delicate and I wanted something that would do less damage than my Chi Flat Iron (even though it’s great, I still find I fry my hair).

First things first; While this tool looks like a curling iron you have to think of it as an utterly different tool. The Airwrap uses the Coanda effect, a “physical phenomenon that occurs when a high-speed jet of air flows across a surface and, due to differences in pressure, the air flow attaches itself to the surface,” according to this great explainer over at Bustle. Essentially, the tool sucks your hair to the barrel or the brush to help it contact the material that heats up and then curls or straightens your strands. For those who are used to getting precise curls, I’ll say this tool isn’t for you. If you’re like me and like a messier and softer look, then this thing is magic.

While every review talks about the fact that the Dyson Airwrap takes some getting used to, I love the fact that all you have to do is ensure that your hair is damp, touch the wand with the right attachment to your hair and the thing sucks the strands right up. There’s no twisting yourself into a pretzel to get the right angle or twist the curls the right way. The only trick is to pay attention to the arrows on the barrels to figure out which way the curls turn.

Attaching the barrels or the brushes to the handle is really easy. Line up the small bumps on the base and the attachment magically locks in. To unlock, you need to rotate the handle and find the lock/unlock button and draw it down. The attachment then easily releases.

If you poke around the internet, you’ll find lots of videos and posts about how to use the Airwrap styler properly, and some pretty spectacular fails, too. Even the official video recommends that you use the styler on damp hair (which is why they include a dryer attachment to get to that magic, not-quite-wet-not-quite-dry stage).

I’ll be honest, though. I totally have used it on dry hair, and it’s worked great for me. Again, I really like some loose body and more messy effect so it just works for my hair. I’ve even used it when my hair hasn’t been freshly washed (since I only wash my hair every other day or so), with no product in it, and the curls have held.

This is what my hair looks like after a wash and curl with the Airwrap.

I used the tool on a local work trip here in L.A. and had a ton of compliments from the women on the event about just how soft and bouncy the curls looked on my freshly washed hair.

This is what it looked like when I used it on dry, unwashed hair.

I even slept on it! It’s like being able to wake up with Hollywood perfect hair, nearly every single day!

I’ve recently taken on some work that is going to require a lot more “styling” than I’m used to, so for me the Dyson Airwrap Styler was the right investment for me.

As I like to say, I don’t have time for cheap things that don’t work and the Airwrap is my go-to tool for creating touchable body and curls.

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