- L’Oréal Light Straight + Multi-styler revealed at CES 2026
- The plates are made of glass and use patented infrared technology
- Can smooth effectively at lower temperatures
L’Oréal has just revealed its next-generation straightener, and it could be a game-changer – not just for anyone with weakened hair, but for the hair care market in general. The Light Straight + Multi-styler uses patented infrared light technology designed to work at lower temperatures, helping to keep hair healthy.
L’Oréal claims that Light Straight works 3 times faster than “leading high-end stylers” and leaves hair twice as smooth. Although I can’t verify it, it was certainly effective in the demo room at CES 2026. Unfortunately, for hygiene reasons, they didn’t allow me to use it on my own curly hair, but I was very impressed with how smooth it made the demo human hair, in just one swipe.
The Light Straight + Multi-styler never exceeds 320F/160C (for comparison, GHD straighteners operate at 365F/185C). Higher temperatures damage hair over time by weakening the cuticles, leading to more breakage and less shine. I spoke with Guive Balooch, global vice president of technology and open innovation at L’Oréal Groupe, to get an update on the new technology.
Guive explained to me that the Light Straight + Multi-styler – and the L’Oréal AirLight Pro hairdryer launched at CES 2024 – both use a specific, high-powered type of infrared light that, until a few years ago, was very expensive.
About the hairdryer, he explained that the heat from the airflow “synergiizes” with the heat from the infrared light, allowing the hairdryer to dry hair faster and at a lower temperature.
The same concept is used in the Light Straight, but here it is used slightly differently. “The light not only generates heat but also helps penetrate the hair and temporarily change the bonds between the hair. It is synergistic with the heat it generates,” Guive told me. It’s this synergy that means straighteners can operate at temperatures up to 80F/40-50C cooler than traditional options.
The infrared light used here is invisible, but LEDs are added to create that space age ambiance. The light on the working prototype is red, but the final version will glow blue, to match the AirLight Pro.
Although the Light Straight+ is called a “multi-styler”, I would classify it as a hair straightener, albeit a rather unusual one. Like most flat irons, it can be used for both curling and straightening. However, I have also seen an early concept of a L’Oréal multi-styler using the same technology.
Guive pointed out that the form factor is still in development, but the current model looks more like a square, infrared-emitting lightsaber that various style hats could fit onto. He also explained that now that infrared technology was being developed in dryer and hot plate form, the real challenge was determining the exact design and its capabilities – wet-to-dry straightening and curling were both mentioned.
A technology that changes category
Guive is particularly excited about the broader possibilities of the new technology. “It’s a total reinvention of a category that has been using the same technology for a long time. But for a real purpose, as if it gives less damaging results for the hair,” he told me.
L’Oréal has more than 170 patents on the specific light used in its hair gadgets (as well as a new LED mask that I also got a sneak peek of at CES), but it predicts that light in general will become more important in beauty. “This particular wavelength and the one we patented perform very well – and we’ve tested many different types of wavelengths, both for skin and hair. Will people look at other types of light and see if they could make it work for hair and skin? Probably. And that I’m happy to see.”
The bad news is that you’ll have to wait a while before getting your hands on the straightener – the Light Straight + Multi-styler is expected to launch globally in 2027. Pricing is also TBC, but Guive predicts the straightener will fall in the middle of the premium bracket.
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