Dyson commits half a billion GBP to fuel new beauty innovations

The four-year investment will facilitate the opening of new beauty research labs and the development of 20 new beauty products across the next four years

NEW DELHI, Nov. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dyson committed half a billion GBP to expand and accelerate its research and technology development across its beauty portfolio, announcing plans to launch 20 new beauty products in the next four years. Alongside this investment, Dyson also releases the results of its most comprehensive hair research study, deepening its understanding of hair types, styling behaviours and perceptions of hair types and hair health around the world.

Dyson has consistently invested in pioneering technology. Six years ago, it revolutionised hair care with the launch of the Dyson Supersonic™ hairdryer – a machine which uses fast, controlled airflow and intelligent heat control to dry hair quickly, whilst keeping hair strong and healthy. Since then, Dyson has developed a range of styling tools engineered to provide superior styles for all hair types, limiting exposure to extreme heat damage. The performance of Dyson styling tools stems from a decade of research – from the hair's structure to airflow dynamics – while understanding the effect of thermal, mechanical and chemical damage.    

Research sits at Dyson's core:

Across Dyson's four Technology Campuses, 6,000 engineers and scientists have access to hundreds of laboratories. These spaces allow for rigorous testing of new ideas and technologies 24 hours a day. For Dyson to truly understand how all hair types behave, and continue to identify better, healthier ways to style, the team develops test rigs and employs state of the art equipment. Machinery such as scanning electron microscopes, thermal cameras and airflow laser smoke machines help engineers better understand the impact of hair damage, global hair types and the effects of high-speed airflow.

Developing technology for all hair types remains a crucial focus for the research and development teams. For too long, there has been both a misunderstanding and misrepresentation across styling tools to truly cater for different hair types, while preserving hair from heat damage. This investment will create new lab spaces to both sharpen Dyson's understanding of global hair types and damage, while also supporting the continued diversification of Dyson's beauty technology.

From cortex to cuticle, root to tip – Dyson's 2022 Global Hair Study:

Understanding owners remains a central part of the Dyson design process, underpinned by hair science and research. This research and understanding informs Dyson's engineering decisions and empowers engineers to build machines that offer better styles backed by science, delivering healthy, stylish hair every day, no matter the hair type. Dyson's obsession with hair has led to the creation of one of the largest global hair studies. This research investigates hair health, hair perceptions, habits, and attitudes towards hair styling across 23 markets and 23,000 people – enabling Dyson engineers to gain a deeper understanding of real-world styling frustrations.

Key Study Findings:

Hair perceptions and hair health misconceptions:

     -  7 in 10 respondents say their hair is damaged, with dandruff, hair loss and greying hair as top concerns. However, these are not damage concerns. 67% of all respondents also agree their hair is healthy, despite it being damaged.
     -  However, respondents seem to understand what 'healthy' hair looks and feels like, describing it as shiny (36%), smooth (29%) linking it to a healthy scalp (26%).

"Dandruff, hair loss and greying hair are not forms of damage, but scalp and hair growth concerns. Hair damage refers to the breakdown of the hair cuticle and cortex, which can lead to your hair looking frizzy, dull, or snapping off. The best way to achieve healthy hair is through prevention and minimising exposure to causes of damage. This includes extreme heat which makes hair weaker and more susceptible to breakage and split ends," said Rob Smith, Dyson Senior Principal Hair Scientist

Habits and attitudes towards styling:

     -  Be cautious of over-washing: Dyson global hair study reveals that 8 in 10 people wash their hair every day or once every 2 days.
     -  Consumers brush off post-pandemic styling blues: Dyson reveals while 6 in 10 consumers shifted to at-home styling habits, at least 20% have returned to their pre-pandemic routines and this continues to grow.
     -  6 in 10 globally changed their hair habits due to the pandemic, styling hair less (17%) and using less hair products (9%).
     -  However, there's continued diligence in basic hair maintenance and styling. Hair holding spray, moisturising products, shine enhancers and standard conditioners are used 3-4 times a week.

"How often you wash your hair depends on your hair type, level of activity and environment. Over-washing can be very damaging, stripping the scalp of natural oils while leaving hair dry. Generally, the greasier your hair or scalp is, the more often you can consider washing your hair. Straight hair may feel limp more easily due to oil build-up, while waves, curls and coils absorb oil and require less washing. Be gentle to your scalp, and use shampoos suited for your hair type.  Be mindful to consider the pollution levels in your environment and wash off pollution from hair too, as a combination of pollution and ultraviolet elements can cause increased levels of hair damage," said Rob Smith, Dyson Senior Principal Hair Scientist

Dyson's Latest Hair Care Technology:

Dyson Corrale™ straightener

Suitable for all hair types, the Dyson Corrale™ straightener features pioneering flexing plate technology, engineered to apply heat and tension evenly across hair strands in each pass, reducing the reliance on heat.

Combined with Dyson's 4-cell lithium-ion battery technology, the Dyson Corrale™ straightener delivers cord-free performance, making it the perfect tool for those who want to care for their hair by reducing heat damage without compromising on style. Cord-free freedom allows for styling from desk to dance floor, ideal for the office party or touch-ups en route to festive family gatherings.

The Dyson Corrale™ straightener delivers three precise temperatures, using a platinum sensor that measures temperature 100 times a second. This technology communicates with a microprocessor which in turn controls the heating system to deliver precise, accurate heat.

The Dyson Corrale™ hair straightener is priced at INR 32,900, available from Dyson Demo Stores and Dyson.in.

Dyson Supersonic^™ hair dryer

Engineered for different hair types, the Dyson Supersonic™ hair dryer is powerful and fast. The tool uses a fast but focused airflow, is engineered for balance in the hand, is quieter than others and intelligently controls the temperature to help protect hair from extreme heat damage.

Unlike traditional hair dryers, the Dyson Supersonic™ hair dryer measures air temperature over 40 times a second to regulate temperature output. Featuring Dyson's intelligent heat control technology, the Dyson Supersonic™ hair dryer prevents extreme heat damage, to help protect hair's shine.

The Dyson Supersonic^™ hair dryer Vinca Blue & Rosé gift edition is priced at INR 34,900, available from Dyson Demo Stores and Dyson.in.

Dyson Airwrap^™ multi-styler

Dyson recently unveiled its best-performing and most-efficient Airwrap yet – the Dyson Airwrap™ multi-styler. Dyson engineers challenged their own design to miniaturise and multiply the Coanda effect, pioneering a fully customisable styling tool to deliver a range of styles for different hair types, without extreme heat.

Next generation styling barrels featuring a rotating cool tip, make achieving curls and waves faster and easier – without heat damage, to help maintain hair strength. Blending the results formerly achieved with two barrels into one attachment, now users can style the full head, creating clockwise and anti-clockwise curls and waves, without the need to switch attachment mid-style. Re-engineered brush attachments deliver precision shaping with enhanced Coanda performance, alongside an all-new dual-purpose Coanda smoothing dryer. Combining two attachments in one, the Coanda smoothing dryer hides flyaways in a single pass, with no extreme heat and transforms into a powerful dryer with the flick of a switch. A Wide-tooth comb attachment, engineered for curly and coily hair, helps to add shape, volume, and length as it dries. Dyson's comb teeth are designed with soft curved tips to glide through the hair, with no sharp edges to catch, pull or cause damage.

The Dyson Airwrap^TM multi-styler Vinca Blue & Rosé gift edition is priced at INR 45,900, available from Dyson Demo Stores and Dyson.in.

Hair Science Statistics:

     -  Each hair strand has its own nerve, blood supply and muscle.
     -  A strand of hair can also support up to 2kg of weight.     
     -  Hair is dead when it leaves the scalp; it cannot heal once damaged.  
     -  Extreme heat changes the shape of keratin strands within hair - At over 150°C, the α-keratin slowly converts to β-keratin which over time, makes hair weaker and less elastic.
     -  You grow around 11km of hair on the head each year. The average human head has 80,000 – 150,000 strands of hair. Hair is the second fastest growing tissue in the body, behind bone marrow.
     -  Shiny hair is healthy hair. Healthy strands reflect more light, while the pores within damaged hair scatter light everywhere decreasing shine.
     -  Asian hair is coarser than Western hair. Coarse hair holds styles better because each strand of hair is thicker. However, it may prone to frizz, and hence is harder to style.

About Dyson:

Dyson is a global research and technology company with engineering, research, development, manufacturing and testing operations in Singapore, the UK, Malaysia, Mexico, China and the Philippines. Having started in a coach house in the UK, Dyson has consistently grown since it was established in 1993. Today, it has a global headquarters in Singapore and two technology campuses in the UK spanning over 800 acres in Malmesbury and Hullavington. Since 1993, Dyson has invested more than £1bn in its Wiltshire offices and laboratories that house the early-stage research, design and development of future Dyson technology. Dyson remains family-owned and employs 14,000 people globally including a 6,000 strong engineering team. It sells products in 84 markets in over 260 Dyson Demo stores, 40 of which will have opened around the world by the end of 2022, including a new Dyson Virtual Reality Demo Store.

In 2020, Dyson committed an additional £2.75bn in the business to conceive revolutionary products and technologies, and has global teams of engineers, scientists and software developers focused on the development of solid-state battery cells, high-speed electric digital motors, sensing and vision systems, robotics, machine learning technologies and A.I. investment. Since inventing the first cyclonic bagless vacuum cleaner - DC01- in 1993, Dyson has created problem solving technologies for haircare, air purification, robotics, lighting and hand drying.