GHD Duet Review: Does the wet-to-dry styler really work?
THE GHD Duet is a revolutionary hair tool that seemingly does the impossible...
The wet-to-dry styler completely dries and straightens your hair with no damage.
ghd Duet hair straightener
The Duet tool launched back in 2023, and when it was first released I put it through its paces.
My first thought about a tool that claimed to dry and straighten hair simultaneously, my millennial memory went back to dry-to-wet stylers that aimed to create achingly uncool ruler-straight hair.
But, thankfully, times have changed and the GHD Duet is a thing of beauty that really changed my mind.
The GHD Duet uses "ground-breaking AIRFUSION technology" that combines airflow and heated plates for "state-of-the-art internal airflow aerodynamics with four smart low-temperature plates".
The Duet allegedly uses 45% less energy than the Helios hairdryer to dry hair, but once dry, you use the Shine Shot button to turn the Duet from a dryer to a styler.
It uses the optimum styling temperature of 185°C, to double the shine and give you smooth, frizz-free hair.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Combines two tools in one
- Heats up fast
- Hair doesn't feel damaged
- Gives shiny, smooth results
Cons:
- Expensive
- Larger than alternative straightener tools
- Harder to curl hair
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How I tested
I tried out the ghd Duet over several weeks on my thin long hair, evaluating how well it dried my locks, how easy it was to style my hair and how fast the Duet tool heated up.
I also considered the price and the results of using the styling tool and how long-lasting it was.
GHD Duet full review
ghd Duet hair straightener
Despite working and writing about beauty for years now, I am pretty unskilled when it comes to styling my hair.
A couple of tongs around the front and an Airwrap to blow dry and straighten is the extent of my skill level.
So you can imagine my joy when I discovered a tool that would combine the two, and the Duet does just that.
My hair is thin, but there's a lot of it, so I wondered if a wet-to-dry styler would have enough horsepower.
The first thing to note is that the Duet is big, noticeably bigger than the ghd Platinum+, Gold and Max stylers.
Because it's a 2-in-1, it needs to be larger than a usual styler, but it isn't heavy and it's easy to use; there's a nice weight to it that makes it feel sturdy but not cumbersome.
With this in mind, it's probably better suited for those with longer hair; short and pixie styles may struggle to get the best use out of the Duet.
You section your hair into the same size sections that you would straighten it with, and then pull the Duet down.
Whilst the initial wet hair dryer function made my hair straight, I wouldn't say my hair was instantly smoothened out, but this is where the style shot comes in (we'll get to that later).
Because the hair dryer function is on the sides of the plates, there is a little bit of disconcerting steam and it took me two goes to get a satisfying dry.
I think with thinner hair than mine, you'd be okay with one pass.
I did find that the large size of the plates made it hard to fully dry the top of my hair, as you really need to lift the hair upwards to get to the root.
I divided my hair in two and then sectioned it and the whole process took ten minutes, with only a few top-ups required on slightly damp bits at the back.
ghd Duet hair straightener
The Shine Shot is the function that really sold me on the Duet.
You simply press when done "drying" and it'll turn off the dryers and heat up the straighteners to GHD's optimum 185C (the temperature all ghd straighteners work at).
These two steps help to minimise damage to your hair and it showed.
After sectioning my hair and repeating the Duet on the Shine shot function, my hair was noticeably smoother than the first dry and had a lovely feel to it.
My hair is heavy and I wondered if the results would last, but hours later my hair still had a glossy, sleek finish that was frizz-free.
Overall it gives a lovely sleek effect, and you can definitely see the shine.
My verdict: Is the ghd duet worth it?
The Duet is ridiculously easy to use and is the ultimate lazy girl hair tool, but most importantly, it works with decent results.
At £379, it's more expensive than ghd's existing styling tools, but as an industry first, I'd expect this to be the case.
I was worried that the Shine Shot wouldn't live up to its name, but this added step was the finishing touch that sealed the deal.
Whilst it doesn't instantly smooth or style like the Airwrap and you have to dry and straighten it in two steps, I actually don't mind this.
It's a different kind of tool, and without the two-step process, you'd singe or damage your hair.
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GHD Duet FAQs
Is the ghd Duet really damage-free?
No heat styler is completely damage-free, although the Duet comes with plenty of incredible claims including no heat damage.
Through testing, ghd claims the 2-in-1 hot air styler provides frizz-free results and two times more shine than naturally dried hair and, impressively no thermal hair damage after 100 cycles of four passes in wet-to-style mode compared to naturally dried hair.
Generally, the best way to limit hair damage is to reduce the use of heat tools and when you do use heat styling stick to lower heat settings.
The bonus of using the Duet is the innovative Air-fusion™ technology which provides concentrated airflow and low-temperature styling plates.
Does ghd Duet work on dry hair?
Yes, you can use the ghd Duet on dry hair using the Shine Shot button after blow drying your hair first.
However, if you're looking for a straightener to use on dry hair rather than a duel tool, it might be worth looking at our round-up of the best ghd straighteners to find an alternative.
Can you curl your hair with a ghd Duet?
Yes, you'll need to curl your hair when using the Shine Shot function.
It's harder than it would be with a traditional hair straightener but you do end up with a nice, relaxed wave.
However, it's worth noting that the size of the plates will affect the size of the curl, so if you're looking for tighter curls then a different tool may be a better choice.
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