Shark Glam Hot Tool Air Styling & Drying System Review: Is It Worth the Hype?

Key Takeaways

• The Shark Glam Multi Styler combines ceramic hot plates with powerful airflow for wet-to-dry styling without traditional heat damage
• Priced at £370, it’s significantly cheaper than the Dyson Airwrap (£580) while offering similar functionality with added ceramic technology
• Heat Sense Technology monitors temperature 1,000 times per second, never exceeding 150°C in wet mode
• Two versions available: Straight/Wavy and Curly/Coily, each with specialised attachments
• The Silki straightener and Glossi blow-dry brush are standout attachments that genuinely deliver salon-quality results at home

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I’m so excited to talk about the Shark Multi Styler on the blog today! Because if you’re anything like me, you’ve probably seen this thing all over your Instagram feed and thought, “Do I really need another hair tool cluttering up my bathroom?” Spoiler alert: you might actually want this one! 

When I was sent the new Shark Glam Hot Tool Air Styling & Drying System to try, I was a little nervous to test it and potentially do it justice. I absolutely love doing my hair, but I will hold my hands up and say that I am not the most natural or confident hair styler, so getting to grips with new hair tools can be a little daunting. So I actually thought that this would be a good test of a more novice user’s ability to use the Shark Multi Styler effectively. BUT I also thought I would get my 13 year old daughter to help me road test it too (as she is AMAZING at ‘hair’), so you can get the perspective of a rookie, as well as that of a pro! Plus, I can then say whether or not I think this might be a great prezzie idea for the teen in your life this Christmas.

What Actually Is the Shark Glam?

Before I share my thoughts on the actual product, let’s talk about what this thing actually does. The Shark Glam is essentially a multi-styler that combines the best bits of a hairdryer, straighteners, and a styling brush all in one device. Think of it as the Swiss Army knife of hair tools!

What makes it different from Shark’s previous FlexStyle (which I’ve also owned and liked) is the addition of ceramic hot plates. So you’re getting both air styling AND ceramic heat styling in one tool. It’s like Shark looked at everyone’s bathroom drawers and said, “Right, we’re going to replace all of that.”

The tool comes in two versions: one for straight to wavy hair (which I tested), and one for curly hair. Each version has five attachments designed specifically for those hair types, which is actually quite clever when you think about it.

First Impressions: Unboxing and Build Quality

When the Shark Glam arrived, the first thing that struck me was how premium it looks. We’re talking a lovely pearlescent pink and gold metallic finish that actually feels expensive in your hand. 

The attachments feel solid and well-made. They click into place with a satisfying twist, and I haven’t had any issues with them falling off mid-style (which has happened with other tools, and let me tell you, nothing ruins your morning like a hot attachment dropping onto your bedroom floor).

The Tech Stuff: What Makes It Different?

I’m not going to bore you with pages of technical specifications (you can read those on Shark’s website if you’re into that sort of thing), but there are a few key features worth mentioning:

Heat Sense Technology is the big one. This clever bit of kit monitors the temperature 1,000 times per second to make sure it never exceeds 150°C when you’re using it on wet hair. For context, traditional straighteners can get up to 230°C, which is basically cooking your hair. This is supposed to prevent that dreaded heat damage we all worry about.

Scalp Shield is another feature I’ve found genuinely useful. You hold down the heat button for a couple of seconds when drying near your roots, and it automatically reduces the temperature to protect your scalp and new hair growth. As someone with a sensitive scalp, this has been a game-changer. No more wincing when drying my roots.

Gloss Lock Technology is Shark’s claim that this tool seals in shine for 24 hours. I’ll get to whether that actually works in a bit.

The Attachments: What You Actually Get

The set comes with five attachments:

• Shark Silki Hot Tool & Air Straightener – This is the wet-to-dry straightener with ceramic plates

• Shark Glossi Hot Tool & Air Glosser 

• Two 1.25″ Auto-Wrap Curlers – One for each direction

• FrizzFighter Finishing Tool – Uses Coanda airflow to smooth flyaways

• Styling Concentrator – For precise airflow when rough drying

The Curly/Coily set swaps the FrizzFighter and Concentrator for a Curl-Defining Diffuser and Wide-Tooth Comb instead.

My Real-Life Testing: The Good, The Bad, and The Frizzy

Using the Glossi Blow-Dry Brush

I’m going to start with my favourite attachment because, honestly, this thing has changed my morning routine. The Glossi brush is this wonder that combines heated ceramic with airflow to give you a proper bouncy blow-dry.

I’ve got quite fine (but lots of it), wavy hair that tends to go puffy and frizzy if I just let it air dry. On a typical morning, I’d wash my hair the night before, go to bed with it damp (I know, I know, terrible habit), and wake up looking like I’d been electrocuted. A quick run through with the Glossi attachment took about five minutes and made my hair look like I’d actually made an effort.

My daughter, who has thicker, straighter hair than me, used it after her post-football showering and was genuinely impressed with how quickly it dried her hair. She timed it at 11 minutes for her whole head, which is pretty remarkable considering she usually spends ages with a normal hairdryer and round brush. You can see her using it here, below.

The key here is the boar bristles combined with the heated ceramic section. They grip your hair without snagging, and the 360-degree rotation means you can easily style different sections without contorting your arm into weird positions.

My tip is to use the heated ceramic side first for ultimate shine, then rotate to smooth everything out. The results are noticeably glossier than just using a regular blow-dry brush.

The Silki Straightener: Wet-to-Straight Magic

Now, this is where things get interesting. The Silki straightener looks a bit like traditional straighteners, but it combines ceramic plates with high-speed airflow. And yes, you can use it on wet hair.

I’ll admit, the first time I clamped wet hair between what looked like straighteners, every fibre of my being screamed “THIS IS WRONG!” Years of being told never to straighten wet hair will do that to you. But the clever bit is that the plates aren’t actually hot in the traditional sense. They use heat-controlled ceramic plus that powerful airflow to straighten without frying your hair.

It took me a few goes to get the hang of it. The attachment is quite bulky, so getting close to your roots can be a bit tricky. I found it works best on mid-lengths and ends. But once I figured out the right angle (plates angled toward roots, airflow directed down), I was getting properly straight, glossy results in just a few passes.

My teen mastered it faster than me and now uses it almost daily to touch up her hair before school. She found it brilliant for smoothing her ends and those annoying face-framing pieces that never want to behave.

The best bit? My hair genuinely feels healthier than when I was using my old straighteners. It’s shinier, less frizzy, and doesn’t have that slightly crispy texture that screams “heat damage.”

Below, you can see photos of my hair when wet, after rough drying, when I used the Silki straightener in ‘wet mode’, and after using it in ‘dry mode’. The difference is incredible!

The Auto-Wrap Curlers: Hit or Miss

Right, I’m going to be honest here. The curling attachments are fine, but they’re not going to give you those tight, Instagram-worthy curls you might be hoping for. What they do give you is soft, loose waves that look natural and beachy. Which IMO is what most people want anyway! 

For me, this is actually perfect. I’m 41, not 18, and I’m not after that super-curled look anyway. But if you want proper ringlets, these might not be for you. The curls last well though (and even better if you blast them with the cold shot for 10 seconds and use hairspray). As I mentioned before, I’m not the best at ‘hair’, but even I could manage to knock out a few curls with this!

My daughter loves them for adding a bit of texture to her usually straight hair. She grabs small sections, lets the Coanda technology do its thing (the hair literally wraps itself around the barrel, which is quite satisfying to watch), holds for about 15 seconds, hits the cold shot, and voila – soft, natural-looking waves.

One thing to note though is that you need to switch between the left and right barrels depending on which side of your head you’re working on. 

The below is my daughter showing curling on one side, vs au natural on the other:

The FrizzFighter: Does What It Says on the Tin

This little attachment has become my secret weapon for those days when my hair decides it wants to impersonate a tumbleweed. You use it on completely dry hair in dryer mode, and it uses Coanda airflow to attract hair and smooth down those annoying flyaways.

It’s not going to completely transform frizzy hair into sleek perfection, but it does make a noticeable difference. I run it over my hair after styling, and it gives that final polish that makes the difference between “I tried” and “I actually succeeded.”

The Scalp Shield Feature: A Sensitive Scalp’s Best Friend

Can we talk about how brilliant the Scalp Shield feature is? If you’ve got a sensitive scalp like me, you’ll understand the struggle of drying your roots. That intense heat right on your head is genuinely uncomfortable.

The Scalp Shield automatically adjusts the temperature when you hold down the heat button, protecting your scalp and new hair growth from extreme heat. I use it every single time I dry my roots, and it’s made such a difference. No more discomfort, no more avoiding drying my roots properly because it’s too hot.

Does It Actually Prevent Heat Damage?

The big question, right? Shark claims this tool delivers styling “without heat damage” compared to traditional hot tools, and I’m inclined to believe them.

Here’s what I’ve noticed after a month of regular use:

My hair genuinely looks and feels healthier. It’s shinier (the Gloss Lock technology does seem to work), less frizzy, and doesn’t have that brittle feeling I used to get with my old straighteners. The ends aren’t as dry, and I haven’t noticed any increase in breakage. My teen’s hair, which is already quite healthy, has stayed that way despite daily use. Of course, I’m still using heat protectant products (always, always do this, regardless of what tool you’re using), but the combination of lower temperatures and that continuous monitoring does seem to make a real difference.

Shark Glam vs Dyson Airwrap: The Comparison Everyone Wants

Look, I’ve now used both, so let me give you the honest comparison.

Price: The Shark Glam comes in at £370, while the Dyson Airwrap will set you back £580. That’s a £210 difference, which is nothing to sniff at.

What You Get: The Dyson gives you six attachments with fancy RFID technology that automatically adjusts settings. The Shark gives you five attachments without the automatic adjustments, but it includes those ceramic hot plates for straightening, which the Dyson doesn’t have.

Performance: For curling, the Dyson has the edge. Its barrels are longer and the Coanda effect seems stronger. For straightening and blow-drying, though? I actually prefer the Shark. The ceramic technology makes a real difference, and the Glossi brush is, in my opinion, better than the Dyson’s round brush.

Weight: The Dyson is lighter (0.72kg vs 1.95kg), which matters if you’re doing a full styling session.

Versatility: The Shark wins here. Being able to straighten wet hair properly is a game-changer, and something the Dyson can’t do.

The Verdict: If you mainly want amazing curls and have the budget, get the Dyson. If you want a true all-in-one tool that can straighten, blow-dry, and curl, with brilliant wet-to-dry capabilities, the Shark Glam is the better value.

Who Is This Actually For?

Based on my month of testing with different hair types and ages, I’d say the Shark Glam is brilliant for:

• Busy parents who want salon-quality results without spending hours on their hair (hello, that’s me)
• Teenagers who are learning to style their hair and want something versatile and relatively foolproof (teen-approved)
• Anyone transitioning away from traditional hot tools and worried about heat damage
• People with multiple hair types in the household who need one tool that does everything
• Those who want the Dyson Airwrap experience but can’t justify £580

It might not be ideal if you:

• Only want tight, defined curls (the attachments don’t quite deliver this IMO)
• Have very short hair (the attachments are designed for medium to long hair)
• Prefer very lightweight tools (this feels heavier than competitors, but isn’t a biggie)

The Practical Stuff: Storage and Daily Use

The Shark Glam comes with a soft carry case that’s actually quite nice. All the attachments have their own spots, and it keeps everything organised (as a Type A organisational freak, this is ideal!). The case itself is bulky, though, so if you’ve got limited bathroom storage, you’ll need to find somewhere to keep it.

The plug is massive. Like, comically large. It has test and reset buttons that you need to press before each use (it’s a safety feature), which does get a bit annoying when you’re trying to style your hair in a rush. But it’s not a dealbreaker at all.

The 2.5-meter cord is brilliant and gives you loads of flexibility for styling. No more contorting yourself to reach the mirror because the cord’s too short.

One thing I’ve noticed: the auto shut-off safety feature kicked in a few times when I was using the highest heat setting on wet hair. The tool shut itself down and needed 10-15 minutes to cool before I could use it again. It’s a sensible safety measure, so I didn’t mind. Also, one of my only negatives about the ‘kit’ is that there is no protective heat mat included, or a heat glove, which I think would be useful since you’re changing the hot attachments frequently.

Tips for Getting the Best Results

After a month of trial and error, here are my top tips:

1. Always rough-dry to about 70% first. Use the concentrator attachment and get most of the water out before you start styling. Your results will be so much better.
2. Section your hair properly. I know it’s tempting to just grab random chunks and go for it, but taking the time to section makes a huge difference.
3. Use the Scalp Shield religiously. Your scalp will thank you, and it speeds up drying time near the roots.
4. For the Glossi brush, grip the tip for control. Rotate 360 degrees and use the heated ceramic side first for ultimate shine.
5. When straightening, angle the plates toward your roots and direct airflow down. This is the key to getting that sleek finish.
6. For curls that last, use the cold shot for 10 seconds before releasing. Then immediately spritz with hairspray.
7. Don’t skip the FrizzFighter as a finishing step. It makes a real difference to the final look.
8. Clean the filter regularly. The manual says every month, and it makes a difference to performance.

Common Questions 

Does it work on all hair types?

Shark designed this for hair types 1A to 4C, and from what I’ve seen, it genuinely seems to work across the board. 

Can it replace all your other tools?

Pretty much, yes. I’ve packed away my old straighteners, my blow-dry brush, and my curling wand. The only thing I still use occasionally is my regular hairdryer for days when I just want to rough dry quickly without any styling.

Is it really worth £370?

If you’re currently using multiple tools and want to simplify your routine while protecting your hair health, then yes. When you consider you’re replacing a hairdryer (£30-50), straighteners (£50-150), a blow-dry brush (£30-60), and curling tools (£30-80), it actually makes financial sense. Plus, the quality is genuinely excellent.

Does it damage colour-treated hair?

I have highlighted hair, which Shark says is safe to use on because of the lower temperatures. The Heat Sense Technology keeps everything under control, so you’re not blasting your colour with excessive heat. Just make sure you’re using colour-safe products alongside it.

How long does styling take?

For me, a full blow-dry takes about 10-12 minutes. Touch-ups with the straightener are about 5 minutes. Curls take longer, maybe 20-25 minutes for my whole head, but that’s par for the course with any curling tool (I take forever to style my hair, my daughter is much quicker!)

What’s the learning curve like for a beginner hair styler?!

Honestly? Pretty gentle. The Glossi brush is intuitive from the first use. The Silki straightener took me a couple of tries to get the angle right, but Evie figured it out immediately. The curlers are the trickiest bit, but once you understand which barrel goes on which side, it’s straightforward.

Would I Recommend The Shark Multi Glam Multi-Styler?

After a month of daily use, multiple different hair types testing it, and comparing it to the other tools in my collection, yes. I would absolutely recommend the Shark Glam.

Is it perfect? No. The curlers could give tighter results, it’s heavier than I’d like, and that massive plug really is HUGE. But the combination of wet-to-dry straightening, brilliant blow-drying capabilities, and genuine hair health protection makes it a winner in my book.

The fact that my daughter has claimed it as her own and gets annoyed when I use it first in the morning tells you everything you need to know! Teenagers are brutal critics, and if she’s choosing to use this over any other styling method, it’s genuinely good.

For £370, you’re getting professional-level results at home, protecting your hair health, and cutting your styling time significantly. In my forties, mum-of-three life, where time is precious and I still want to look decent, that’s worth every penny!

This review is based on my genuine experience using the Shark Glam Hot Tool Air Styling & Drying System. 

 

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