Lifestyle

CURL POWER

Shark’s New FlexStyle Hair Tool Delivers Salon-Worthy Curls That Actually Last

As someone who’s perpetually late and terrible at styling my own hair, Shark’s newest FlexStyle might be my favorite beauty launch of the year.

Mia MaguireCommerce Managing Editor, Scouted + The Looker

PublishedJul 15, 2026, 6:00 AM EDT

UpdatedJul 15, 2026, 6:00 AM EDT

Updated Jul 15, 2026, 6:00 AM EDTPublished Jul 15, 2026, 6:00 AM EDT

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I’ve been a loyal fan of Shark Beauty’s original FlexStyle ever since it launched a few years ago. Unlike its pricier competitors (and the seemingly endless parade of cheap knockoffs that ensued), it managed to make at-home blowouts feel surprisingly foolproof—even if you’re like me and truly, truly suck at doing your hair. The Flexstyle is intuitive, ergonomic-ish, and miraculously manages to dry and style my fine, bleach-compromised hair in record time without leaving it feeling like absolute straw.

As someone who is equal parts lazy and has crippling time-management issues, I can say this speedy multi-tool has truly changed the game for me—someone who was previously notorious for showing up at events and dinners with wet, unstyled hair (shameful, I know).

Of all the attachments, the automatic curling barrels have always been my favorite to use. In fact, because of the aforementioned laziness, I rarely use the others. They’re the reason I reach for the FlexStyle far more often than a traditional curling iron—especially since they curl while swiftly drying damp hair. The time this device saves you is unreal, and this alone makes it worth every single penny. But when Shark announced an entirely new version of the tool, designed specifically to deliver smoother, longer-lasting curls while fighting frizz, I ordered one almost immediately.

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My Hair Type

Full disclosure: my hair is deceptive. It’s incredibly fine, but I have a lot of it, which means it has an uncanny ability to become both flat and frizzy at the exact same time. While the original FlexStyle gave me gorgeous, bouncy curls, there was one issue I could never fully resolve: my halo of flyaways.

Regardless of what products I layered on beforehand, I usually needed to finish with my decade-old flat iron to smooth everything down, which sort of defeats the purpose of attempting beach waves or ’70s-inspired curls and adds yet another step that I’m usually in too much of a rush to do anyway.

After several weeks of testing the new FlexStyle IonCurl, that final and often-neglected smoothing step is no longer necessary. It’s the first hot tool I’ve tried—including the inaugural FlexStyle—that leaves my curls looking polished enough to skip the cleanup step entirely. But what’s more impressive is that the curls actually stay put without requiring an entire can of strong-hold hairspray.

Shark FlexStyle vs. Shark FlexStyle IonCurl

The new IonCurl isn’t just the OG FlexStyle with a different colorway (though I do love the pretty lilac hue). While both share the same multi-styling and time-saving concept, Shark made several thoughtful upgrades aimed specifically at curl longevity, smoother finishes, and reducing heat damage.

The biggest addition is the built-in ion technology, which helps tame frizz and static while creating a noticeably sleeker finish. During testing, I had far fewer flyaways around my crown, and my curls looked shinier and more polished without needing a second styling tool to smooth everything down. What surprised me most, though, was how quickly it curled my hair. I usually have to work with fairly small sections to get a defined curl, but the IonCurl had no problem creating bouncy, long-lasting ringlets from much larger pieces of hair, which shaved several minutes off my styling routine.

Shark also refined the airflow and curling experience to improve curl formation and longevity. On my fine hair (which usually starts relaxing within an hour or two), the curls held their shape noticeably longer than they do with the original version FlexStyle.

Another notable upgrade is the added focus on heat protection. The IonCurl is designed to help minimize unnecessary heat exposure to both the hair and scalp, making it an especially compelling option for anyone with color-treated, damaged, or fragile hair (hi, it’s me).

Shark Beauty

$350

Shark FlexStyle IonCurl Hair Styler in Lilac

Rather than reinventing the FlexStyle, Shark essentially fixed the handful of things I wished the original did better. If you already love your FlexStyle but find yourself chasing flyaways with a flat iron afterward—or constantly touching up curls throughout the day—the IonCurl is the version you’ve been waiting for.

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How the Shark FlexStyle IonCurl Actually Works

If you’ve never used a Coanda-powered styling tool before (e.g., the Dyson AirWrap, the original Shark FlexStyle, etc., the technology can feel a little like magic the first time. Instead of manually wrapping your hair around a scorching-hot barrel like you would with a traditional curling iron, the IonCurl Styler uses a concentrated stream of air to automatically attract and wrap sections of hair around the barrel for you.

The tool relies on fast-moving airflow instead of direct contact with an ultra-hot metal barrel to create the curl. That means you get the shape and bounce of a curling iron with significantly less heat exposure, making it a gentler option for color-treated, damaged, or otherwise fragile hair (like my heavily bleached strands). The IonCurl Styler is also designed with three heat settings and a heat-free setting that uses air only—though I found it less effective for larger curls.

The updated IonCurl barrels also have a stronger auto-wrap effect than the original FlexStyle. I found they grabbed larger sections of hair more easily and held them in place while styling, so I spent less time repositioning strands and more time actually curling my hair.

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Is the Shark FlexStyle IonCurl Worth It?

The original FlexStyle permanently earned its spot on my vanity years ago, and I genuinely wasn’t convinced I needed another version. Turns out, I did.

Rather than reinventing a product that already worked, Shark concentrated on refining the areas where it had room to improve—and for those of us who primarily use it to curl our hair. The FlexStyle IonCurl Styler delivers noticeably smoother, shinier curls that actually last, all while preserving the speedy, beginner-friendly styling experience that made me fall in love with the first version in the first place. It really does eliminate flyaways and frizz, but also comes with a FrizzFlight Polishing attachment if you do need to quickly touch up any loose tresses or unruly baby hair (or breakage-induced baby hairs, if you’re like me).

If you already own the original FlexStyle and love it, the IonCurl is a worthwhile upgrade if longer-lasting curls, fewer flyaways, and less heat exposure are high on your wish list. And if you’ve been considering buying a multi-styler for the first time, I’d argue this is the best version to get.

My hair still isn’t perfect (and I’ll probably still cut it dangerously close before every dinner reservation), but at least now I can leave the house with polished curls instead of damp hair and a prayer.

MORE FROM SHARK:

DUPE ALERT

Yes, I Like Shark’s FlexStyle More Than the Dyson AirWrap

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Mia MaguireCommerce Managing Editor, Scouted + The Looker

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