Supersonic Nural: Aussies stunned by ‘game-changing’ Dyson
A new iteration of one of Dyson’s cult products has excited Aussies, with some losing it over a detail in the “game-changing” new device.
Australians have been left stunned by Dyson’s “game-changing” new hair dryer, which hits shelves next month with a retail price of $749.
The British tech-giant recently unveiled the Supersonic Nural, a new iteration of its cult hair dryer, at a global event in Seoul, South Korea on Monday.
It features a new sensor technology that protects scalp health by reducing heat and airflow as the smart device comes near your head as well as “pause detect” which eliminates the need for you to constantly switch the hair dryer on and off during use.
While experts have labelled the clever device “mind-blowing”, there have been some who claimed its price tag is “too much” for a hair tool, but there’s reason the “intelligent” device won’t come cheap.
Dyson has never shied away from its expensive price point on its range of luxury products, which include cordless vacuums, air purifiers, hair styling tools and of course, the infamous Dyson Zone, a pair of wireless headphones that clean the air while you’re breathing.
The brand’s inventor, Sir James Dyson, has been candid about the expense of making products that “solve problems using revolutionary technology”, stating he can’t see Dyson lowering its prices because each product is “expensive to develop”.
But the inventor’s explanation hasn’t stopped social media critics, who among the sea of praise for the “incredible” Dyson Supersonic Nural argued online that the price is “jaw-dropping”.
“No way would I pay that much for a hair dryer,” one scoffed on Facebook.
“Could never justify that price,” another agreed.
The original Supersonic, which launched in June 2016 in Australia, retails for $549 – meaning the star “scalp protect” feature on the new Supersonic Nural will set shoppers back an additional $200.
Why scalp health is essential for good hair
But do we even need to care about the health of our scalp? Jaye Edwards, the creator of Australian salon chain Edwards And Co, said it’s a part of our head that is often ignored but is the “key to having great hair”.
“If you aren’t using the right products to care for your scalp, the growth and health of your hair will slowly deteriorate which can lead to irritation, redness, oily hair and of course dandruff.
“But the biggest issue that can arise from not taking care of your scalp is hair loss.”
Extreme heat, such as that applied to hair using drying and styling tools, can rob your hair and scalp of moisture, which makes using these common household items risky.
It’s because of this, Dyson decided to develop a new technology to help combat the potential risks associated with drying your hair.
“We were worried about the heat hair dryers are capable of generating and the damage it does, so it was really a way to stop people accidentally overheating their hair and overheating their scalp,” Mr Dyson told news.com.au at the global launch.
“So we were looking for a way to still dry quickly, while overcoming this problem of damaging hair.”
How ‘scalp protect mode’ works
When in its impressive new scalp-saving mode, the Nural will automatically reduce its temperature to 55 degrees Celsius – the optimum temperature for scalp comfort and drying speed according to Dyson – as the dryer gets closer to the head.
This is done through a “time of flight” sensor, which projects an invisible infra-red beam to measure the distance between the machine and your hair, meaning no matter how far away the tool is from your head, you will feel the same temperature.
An LED light will also automatically change colour as the temperature changes, with yellow reflecting a low heat is being used. It turns orange when medium heat is being applied and red when heat is high. This is determined depending on the distance the machine is from the head.
“What we’ve done is ensure it never gets too hot, using intelligent heat control, which measures the heat 30 times a second,” the inventor, 76, added.
“We want to keep the moisture in both the hair and the scalp. An unhealthy scalp is not only unsightly and itchy, but it means the hair is going to be unhealthy as well.”
Interest in scalp care is ‘exploding’ in Australia
Dyson isn’t alone in its interest of protecting our noggins, with Google searches related to the topic up over 250 per cent in the past 12 months, according to a new report.
Mr Edwards, whose salons have been crowned the best in the country at the Australian Hair Fashion Awards previously, said he’s also witnessed interest in scalp care increase dramatically with clients in recent months.
“People are becoming more aware with scalp care for healthier and fuller hair,” he explained.
“It’s just as important to take care of your scalp as it is to take care of your skin.
“It’s quite common that clients come in with concerns about their scalp, suffering from dandruff, asking for help to help maintain healthy hair from home.”
Other new features on the Dyson Supersonic Nural include “attachment learning technology” which goes hand-in-hand with its upgraded attachment nozzles.
Depending on the nozzle type being used – gentle air, smoothing, styling concentrator – the device adjusts the air and temperature, enhancing user convenience.
“If I change the attachments, switching from the styling concentrator to the new diffuser attachment, it will become much quieter because it’s using less air speed,” Mr Dyson said.
Another new feature is the “pause detect” mode, which senses when the device is put down and automatically turns off the heat and motor to save energy. When the user picks up the device again, it turns back on to full operation.
The Supersonic Nural is one of 20 new beauty products being launched by Dyson as part of its $885 million commitment to developing new hair care technology.
It follows the Supersonic R, a “unique” hair drying tool for experts, which was debuted backstage at New York Fashion Week last month.
The brand also announced a “game-changing” new hair straightener, the Dyson AirStrait, that uses airflow to smooth and dry hair in one go last year – which is still to launch in Australia.
Talking to news.com.au about the 4 year plan to revolutionise the beauty industry last year, Mr Dyson said: “These machines will look and perform very differently to anything that is currently available, solving problems in entirely new ways.
“They will be more efficient too. Developing technology for all hair types remains a crucial focus for our development teams.”
The journalist travelled to South Korea as a guest of Dyson