I watched enviously as our US counterparts got to test and trial the Dyson Airstrait straightener last year when it launched exclusively in the area.
As it is the brand’s first wet-to-dry product and Australia has a completely different voltage system to the US, Dyson’s senior communications manager ANZ Simone Cunico confirmed the team needed time to perfect the plug for its Down Under audience before it could launch here.
And perfect the product they did.
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today 
I’m a long-term Dyson Beauty afficionado having owned the iconic Airwrap and the weightless and travel-safe Supersonic hairdryer, so it would be remiss not to put the technologically savvy Airstrait to the test.
Described by the brand as a “new way to stretch and straighten multiple hair types from wet, with no hot plates or heat damage”, the claims are almost otherworldly in their ambition, but because it’s Dyson, I immediately knew it would live up to the hype.
For reference, I already have fairly straight hair that doesn’t fluctuate whether it’s wet, dry or anywhere in between.
The main problem I face is getting out of the shower on a cold winter’s night and not being bothered to blow dry it for 40 minutes, but knowing if I don’t, I’ll just be shivering on the couch as the icy tendrils drip down my back.
So could this one device cut down drying time by 25 per cent, all while boosting shine and being easy to use? That’s what I set out to discover.
Firstly, I was surprised to learn — again, from Simone — there are actually no hot plates on this straightener at all.
In true Dyson fashion, it’s air that heats up your hair follicles with up to a 140C blast, and you have the ability to control the temperature and power of that air.
Once you turn it on with the click of a button, start by actually drying the roots with the air that emits when the prongs of the device are open.
This is sort of an unmissable step because the contraption won’t “dry” your roots so easily if you just clamp down on the hair, because it can only get so close to your scalp.
Interestingly it’s actually a lot lighter than it looks, even though the machine itself is quite long.
I could comfortably hold it in one hand and use my other hand to feed in wet tendrils.
Then you simply pull down the hair shaft generally — you’ll see your hair sort of splays out from the air itself — and with two passes-a-piece your hair should be bone dry, just as mine was.
I was initially baffled that the device would turn itself off when I set it down in between collecting more hair but you grow used to this really quickly — it’s more of an energy efficiency add on than anything else.
I still separated my hair into two sections — top and bottom — to give it the best chance of drying entirely but I was definitely finished about 10-15 minutes quicker than I would be if I’d just blow-dried it.
And all of this achieved without heat damage if you don’t select the “boost” option? Marvellous.
“When hair is wet, water naturally weakens these bonds. In this state, the bonds are more elastic and can be reset as hair dries, without using extreme temperatures,” a spokesperson from Dyson said.
“By using the optimum level of heat and controlled airflow, we’ve found a way to style hair with less damage. Styling with air allows for the creation of straight styles while maintaining volume and movement. Once hair is dry and aligned, the bonds are reset in different ways, locking the new style in place.”
The Dyson Airstrait straightener has both wet and dry styling modes but it’s important to remember that this is a straightener to its core, so when styling “dry” don’t expect it to work as a curler or waver.
At best you’ll be able to create a flick at the base of your hair — which is only becoming more and more popular as a style — but you’ll need your Airwrap for that bouncy blowout look.
Overall it was worth the wait, Australia. And for $749 from Dyson’s website or MECCA, you can test it out too.