Why Dyson is obsessed with hair

The one company that's perhaps transformed the way people dry or style their hair is Dyson. Since launching the world's first bagless cyclonic vacuum cleaner in 1993, the British company has created a name for itself in the luxury beauty market by producing energy-conscious hair styling tools that use the power of air.

Its first product, Supersonic dryer, for instance, became viral for its gentle, cooler airflow to the scalp without compromising on drying time. Two years later, in 2018, it brought out the cordless flat iron Corrale, followed by the 2023 launch of Airstrait, a dryer-flat iron combo that straightened and dried hair simultaneously using airflow instead of hot plates. Last month, the company, which also makes air purifiers and heaters, besides vacuum cleaners, launched the Airstrait (priced over ₹45,000), in India. Since entering India in 2018, Dyson has opened over 20 demo stores across the country.

In an interview with Lounge, Dyson Beauty's global president Kathleen Pierce talks about new launches and changing consumer demands. Edited excerpts:  

Why are you so focused on hair styling?

The hairdryer category had largely been untouched for over 25 years and it's such a fun space to be in since hair, as a category, has many problems that need solutions. 

The fundamental core being of an engineer is that they look to solve problems that other people ignore. James Dyson (the founder) started the company 30 years ago because he wanted to develop a vacuum cleaner that utilised air so that it would never have a bag and never lose suction. To achieve that, he had to have a fundamental understanding of air, plus source things like motors and heaters to build the product. Now, the problem was that the motors and heaters available in the market weren't small enough to fit the cleaner. So he decided to create them in house. The result were these digital motors that were small but powerful. We use the same motor in our Airstrait; it spins 106,000rpm.

If you look at the design of a conventional hair dryer, the motor is kind of in the middle, making it top-heavy. And so, we decided to put the motor in the handle, making the usability relatively easy. 

The core idea is to protect the hair and to be able to do that an engineer has to understand each and every aspect about hair, from the scalp, hair follicle, hydrogen bonds... Also, let's not forget that haircare is an emotional category in the beauty space, so if you create a product that offers care, it instantly connects with the consumer.

Also read: Why fashion loves influencers

Hair types and textures are different across the world. How do you zero in on one product that claims to cater all needs?

Every hairstyle will change based on environmental conditions. In India, for example, a vast majority of women have type 1 or type 2 hair; basically fairly straight or wavy but incredibly dense. At the same time, India has high humidity periods, so you need to understand every hair type and how they will change depending on different environments.

We have 300-plus labs and technicians all around the world studying every hair type under every condition. There are also humidity boxes, where we keep hair after using our machine on them to check how they are absorbing moisture, how long does it take for a curl to fall out. All that testing, feedback-based tweaking ends up taking a lot of time. It took us six years to come up with the Airstrait.

Have you noticed changes in consumer demand?

Social media is educating consumers at a much younger age and they are becoming highly aware in terms of the hairstyles they want to create. So, it's becoming very important for us to keep pace with that understanding and it is a challenge because if something takes six years to make you've to invent something that people can't imagine right now but would want six years from now. That's actually a good thing for an engineer because they never sit still and are never satisfied.

Also read: The lives of India’s baby influencers

One of the concerns that consumers face with Dyson tools is that the hairstyles don't last as long as when done with other hairstyling tools.

We did hear feedback consumers that styles aren’t lasting longer. Salon styles or those achieved with high-heat products burn the shape into your hair, which is why they last. This raises a fundamental question: do you want your hairstyle to last a few more hours at the cost of core hair damage? While your style might not last as long, you’re actually protecting your hair’s health.

To address the concerns, we have launched the Dyson Airwrap ID that can be connected to an app. The app guides users through a personalised journey, asking about the style they want to create, their skill level, hair length, and type. It then automatically presets the Airwrap to an ID sequence that curls your hair.

Instead of figuring everything out manually, you simply section your hair, and the device takes care of the rest. It wraps the hair, adjusts the heat, initiates the curl, and powers down when the curl is done. 

Secondly, we've just launched our first-ever wet line styling products, the Dyson Chitosan formulations range. It is powered by chitosan, a complex macromolecule derived from oyster mushrooms, and offers style retention all day.

We’re always looking to solve additional problems in the space, but we’ll never compromise by using high heat or by burning style into hair. That approach contradicts everything we stand for.

What does the beauty consumer really want?

When it comes to hair, people have sort of similar demands across the world. Social media has brought awareness globally and women are seeing the same beauty influencers everywhere. They all just want shiny and healthy hair—in different colours, textures and lengths.

Also read: The modern manicure is getting blingy, quirky and personal