Hair trends come and go but a dry bird’s nest is never in fashion.
Many of us have come to see split ends and dry, straw-like strands as the casualty of overprocessing with hair dyes, overexposure to heated hair tools and the general wear and tear of life. But while some heated hair tools can strip your hair of moisture, on the other end of the scale are tools that are designed to actively restore moisture.
Harnessing nanoe technology is one way to achieve this. Created and developed by Panasonic, nanoe is a hydra-charged version of a typical ion, with around 1000 times more moisture in it. Invisible to the naked eye, these tiny nanoes smooth and hydrate hair, even as you’re drying and styling it.
Rather than stressing strands, nanoe technology penetrates the shaft and keeps the entire strand quenched. The result? So much bounce and shine in your hair that you’ll be flipping it around like an Afghan hound.
Naturally, Panasonic employs this science in all its new hairdryers, a major USP for the brand. However, the Panasonic MOISTURE+ and Mineral EH-NA0J Hair Dryer goes one step further, caring for the scalp and skin too.
Is it full of hot air? I tried it to find out.
Key specs
- Power: 1600W
- Speed settings: 3, fast, medium and gentle
- Air temp: 2 Temperature (Hot/Cold), 4 Modes (Hot Cold Alternating/Hair Tip Care/ Scalp/Skin)
- Dimensions: H221 x W148 x D74mm
- Weight: 460g
- Power source: mains
- Corded: yes
- Attachments: Concentrator Nozzle, Diffuser, Built-in Quick Dry Nozzle
Design
The very first thing that struck me about Panasonic’s matte-black hairdryer was its mouth. The shape is much wider than its peers, which - barring Dyson’s Supersonic and Shark’s Flexstyle - generally taper inwards and force hot air through a narrow channel. A wide mouth is great for speeding up general hair drying, covering a larger area without scorching fragile wet strands.
The second thing I noticed? The streamlined buttons. There’s a simple on/off slide button on the handle and just two buttons on the body. One is for a cool shot, the other flips through modes: the Hot & Cold Alternating Mode increases shine while Scalp Care uses a gentler airflow to moisturise and dry roots with care. Skin Care Mode raises hydration, and Hair Tip Care Mode uses a special airflow for manageable ends, avoiding split ends where possible.
The machine comes with a diffuser for curly hair and a styling nozzle for those who dream of mirror-shine flippable sections.
Performance
From towel dry, it took 10 minutes to fully dry and style my hair using Panasonic’s EH-NA0J - no mean feat considering my hair is fairly thick and finishes well past my shoulders. Mid-lengths and ends didn’t feel crunchy but my scalp is where I saw the most difference. Even when I was using my usual styling mousse, the roots looked healthy and slippery with shine. I noticed there wasn’t as much volume (surprising given my styling products): had nanoe technology poured water on my bouncy hair goals?
Noise-wise, this hairdryer is mid-level: neither the deafening roar of a fighter jet but loud enough to pause the conversation and drown out the radio.
Special features
Despite drying hair quickly, Intelligent Sensing means that hair is always shielded from excessive heat. Integrated sensors turn down the temperature or raise it when needed, so you’re not spending hours trying to dry your hair with lukewarm air - especially useful for thick or curly-haired people. Aside from protecting hair, it encourages healthier growth in the long run too.
Any downsides?
Though I enjoyed the shiny results, my hair had less volume than usual - and that’s even with styling mousse applied to the roots.
My other bugbear? The price point is also rather high - it typically RRPs at £289.99 - especially given that Panasonic offers other dryers like the snappily-named EH-NA65CN895 and EH-NA9J, both featuring nanoe technology, at more pocket-friendly price points.
Verdict
Panasonic MOISTURE+ and Mineral EH-NA0J Hair Dryer
Best for: caring for scalp, skin and hair
- No. of temperature settings: Three
- Power: 1600W
- Cable length: 2.7 metres
- Weight: 460g
- Cool shot: Yes
- Accessories included: Yes
Panasonic’s EH-NA0J is the latest addition to the company’s nanoe hair-drying stable. It features a wide mouth and intelligent sensing technology to protect hair from excessive heat, while simultaneously flooding hair with moisture to leave it shiny, healthy and swishy soft. The tool comes with four modes to protect not just your hair but the scalp and skin too.
Sold with a diffuser and directing nozzle, it’s lightweight and compact enough to take on trips but offers 1600W in power, much more than most travel hair dryers.
It is on the spenny side though, especially when Panasonic offers slightly older models with nanoe tech for a lot less.
Buy now £229.99, Amazon
