Parlux Alyon review: Powerful hair-drying in a stylish package

Italian hair-drying specialist Parlux is very well regarded within the hair and beauty industry, but not yet so well known to home consumers. The powerful, compact and stylish Alyon, with a salon-standard 2,250 watts of blowing power and ionising technology to condition hair as it dries, may be the tool that changes that home recognition.

Launched last autumn, this small but beautifully designed hairdryer is available in no fewer than ten metallic-candy shades to suit any bedroom decor. The powerful motor promises to blow 84 cubic metres of air per hour to dry hair fast, but using airflow rather than heat to reduce frizz and damage. The ceramic heating element distributes heat evenly over the hair to reduce heat damage, and ionising technology dries the hair more quickly and evenly, while distributing moisture through the hair for shiny and hydrated locks.

For fast and healthy hair-drying results, this could just be just the dryer for you.

Parlux Alyon review: What do you get for the money?

The key selling point of the Parlux Alyon (or, to give it its full name, the Parlux Alyon Air Ionizer Hair Dryer) is that powerful 2,250W motor, a beefy wattage typically found in hardworking salon hairdryers. The dryer comes with just two heat settings and two speed settings – fewer than many hairdryers at a comparable price point, but the difference between the higher and lower settings is clear enough to make the four possible combinations flexible enough for most hair types. There’s also a cool shot setting to seal and set your finished style.

The ceramic heating element includes ionic technology to break up the water molecules in the hair, helping to moisturise hair for a glossy finish and reduce heat damage by drying the hair more quickly and evenly.

The Alyon comes with two concentrator nozzle attachments to smooth hair into sleek styles – one with a wider nozzle for faster drying, and one with a slim nozzle for precision styling. The dryer weighs just 425g, much lower than other dryers of comparable power and price. There’s a 1.5m power cord, which isn’t super-long, but is workable for most bedroom power socket arrangements.

Parlux promises a durable lifespan of 3,000 hours, which equates to years of use even for busy professionals, and more than most of us will spend blowdrying in a decade.

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Parlux Alyon review: What’s it like to use?

For its power rating, the Alyon is a fantastically lightweight and compact hair dryer; because of its light and compact design, it feels very comfortable to use, even for long periods of time. The tool feels nicely balanced in the hand, and the handle is pleasant to hold. The two heat and airflow settings are controlled with soft, large buttons on the side of the handle. The switches are easy to find and operate in the middle of drying, so you can easily move between higher speed and heat settings for an initial rough-dry to lower heat for precision styling. The two concentrator nozzles slide on and off easily, making it easy to switch between the two.

The Alyon has a noise-reducing silencer built into its design, so despite the impressive airflow, the dryer isn’t uncomfortably noisy in use. There’s also a handy filter at the back of the dryer that makes it easy to remove trapped hairs, helping to keep your dryer clean and prolong its lifespan.

The Alyon’s ionising technology is good for dry hair that needs a little extra conditioning care, and especially good for curly hair that tends to frizz with heat styling. The dryer made light work of our shoulder-length curly hair; the Alyon dries hair beautifully fast and hair feels soft and silky after drying, especially if you use the lower heat setting.

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We liked the choice of fun metallic colours, with their slightly retro feel – the metallic pink would perfectly suit a 1950s or 60s style decor, if that’s your bedroom’s vibe. There’s also a matte black option for serious professionals or anyone who prefers a more functional look.

Parlux Alyon review: Are there any downsides?

One slight drawback is that the Parlux Alyon doesn’t include a diffuser attachment in the box. Parlux diffusers are available separately, retailing at around £15 to £20, but if you prefer diffused curls to sleek blowouts it’s a slight shame that this needs to be purchased additionally. The 1.5m power cord is a little shorter than we’d like – a 2m or 2.5m cord can be easier to move around the head when drying – but this is a small disadvantage.

The £120 price tag is appropriate for the power and build quality of this salon-ready hairdryer. If you’re looking for a better-value option with a similar power rating and ionic technology, the Babyliss Hydro-Fusion is a very serviceable alternative, although it’s currently only available in a single colour option.

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Parlux Alyon review: Should I buy it?

Professional hairstylists use and recommend Parlux, and so do we. This is a good-quality, lightweight and durable hairdryer with serious blowing power, and it looks great, too.