In one look
Expert rating
Benefits
- Powerful
- Good for travel (lightweight, foldable)
- Choice of heat and speed settings
The inconvenients
- May tangle hair if used on highest setting
Our Verdict
The Enigma Revelation is light, small and portable, but as powerful as any rival. If you are looking for a high-quality hair dryer that you can easily take and take with you, we recommend it.
We’ve been testing some amazing hair care technology recently and Revamp’s new hair dryer, the Enigma Revelation, is one such product. It’s lightweight, compact and extremely powerful – and it’s very different from the old, dusty hairdryer you might have at home.
Design and build
- LCD display
- Foldable
- Lightweight
Although the product’s name is more than a little exaggerated (what could be enigmatic about a hair dryer?), its design is relevant — and even a little revealing. Everything there seems high quality. This is truly a luxury item, without the luxury price tag.
The Revelation is a compact hair dryer with a tactile matte finish and a glossy strip that houses the LCD screen, elegantly displaying its heat and power settings as concentric circle segments.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
Below the screen are two buttons that allow you to cycle through the three speed settings and three heat settings. The button placement is well thought out – but only if you’re right-handed. Use it in your left hand and the buttons will be on the wrong side. The on/off switch is located lower on the hair dryer handle and is accessible to everyone.
On the front of the grip, where your index finger falls, is the Cool Shot button. Tap it and the red ring on the screen is replaced by a blue ring.
At around 360g (excluding cord), it’s a lightweight hairdryer – about the same as its rival MD London Blow (see our review). But the Enigma has an advantage in the form of its swivel handle which allows it to fold into a more compact form for travel.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
You will still have to take into account the 3 meter cable which, although it gives you enough room to maneuver during styling, bulks it up for travel and almost doubles its weight.
At the back of the hairdryer are its air vents, covered with a chevron-patterned grille. If your current hair dryer smells like burnt dust every time you turn it on, you’ll be happy to know that the end of it unscrews so you can easily clean its filter.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
The Revelation comes with three styling nozzles that clip on magnetically: one is a diffuser and the other two provide varying degrees of concentrated airflow.
Performance and Features
- Ionic jet
- 4 heat settings (including cold jet)
- 3 speed settings
Take this hair dryer and it is light and comfortable to use.
The Enigma Revelation is an ionic hair dryer. It emits a vapor of negatively charged ions, which should help break down water droplets on the hair strands so you don’t need to use the hair dryer as long or at as high a heat. This will help protect the condition of your hair.
In practice, it is difficult for us to determine the effectiveness of ionic technology. And it’s equally difficult to evaluate Revamp’s claim that the vent on the front of the hair dryer is infused with keratin, coconut, and argan oils to smooth your hair. Even if the oils are effective, will they wear out over time?
What we can say is that it is very powerful and can dry hair extremely quickly. Its air outlet is much smaller than that of a traditional hair dryer, so it’s easier to be precise when drying and styling your hair. I found that it gave great results when the hair was carefully dried, segment by segment, using a concentrator nozzle.
The problem is that it’s so powerful that it’s tempting to push it to its maximum speed and dry your hair quickly and messily. You can easily run the dryer through your hair in a chaotic manner and get it done in just a few minutes.
I’m lazy when it comes to hair styling and it’s a habit I fell into, leaving me with witchy, bird’s nest hair that could only be salvaged by wearing it in a bun. And never leave the house. The problem is that the powerful, concentrated airflow comes from a small vent and can easily entangle and damage hair.
However, if you have thick or curly hair, this will be much less of a problem. You will enjoy its range and the diffuser will help lift hair and protect your curls.
Pricing and availability
Keep in mind that Revamp has produced two Enigma hair dryers. The other is the Precision, which is a bit larger and more expensive. You can see it on the Revamp website.
The Enigma Revelation has an RRP of £149.99, but is widely available for £129.99. You can buy it in the UK for this price from Boots, Sephora or directly from Revamp. While it’s still an expensive styling tool, it’s, by far, the most budget-friendly luxury hair dryer we’ve tested.
It’s not yet available in the US, although you can purchase a selection of styling tools from Revamp US.
Should I buy the Revamp Enigma Revelation Hair Dryer?
Overall, this is one of the best hair dryers we’ve tested. It’s perfectly portable without compromising on power, and its build and features rival luxury models, while costing considerably less.
To see how it compares to other models and see our top recommendations at every price point, take a look at our roundup of the best hair dryers we’ve tested. If you want to upgrade your entire hair styling kit, also take a look at our selection of the best straighteners.
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