Last night I opened and tried out the Dyson Airwrap for the first time. To be honest, I was skeptical about its performance; at $550, I wondered if the high price of the Dyson AirWrap was worth it; at $550, I wondered if the Dyson AirWrap was worth it; at $550, I wondered if the Dyson AirWrap was worth it; at $550, I wondered if the Dyson AirWrap was worth it.

That's why I was surprised when I realized that the Dyson Airwrap actually lacked what was expected of it. Something that comes with most straight and curl perms, and alternatives to the Dyson Airwrap. If you were lucky enough to receive a Dyson Airwrap as a gift this holiday season, please note that you may need to purchase this separately.

If you are considering purchasing a Dyson Airwrap, here are five things we have learned from using the Dyson Airwrap.

While trying to be as fair as possible, I couldn't help but be excited when I opened the case of the Dyson Airwrap. There is an abundance of attachments to choose from. Two sets of barrels, a pre-styling dryer, two smoothing brushes, and a round volumizing brush.

I immediately tried one of the barrels and was amazed at how it sucked in my hair and self-styled curls. In just a few seconds, the result was impressive. It takes practice to perfect, but it's definitely faster and easier than any other method I've used.

Next, I took out one of the smoothing brushes and compared it to the heated brush I tested. The hair almost blew away, especially when I got close to the brush. Once I got the hang of it, however, I was able to dry my hair quickly and with much less frizz than usual.

I continued rummaging through the cases, admiring the quality and thought behind each accessory. My heart sank a little when I realized I was right, though I had to double-check myself. There were no pouches or travel cases.

Indeed, the Dyson Airwrap comes in an attractive brown case with a magnetic clasp. But at 6.5 x 15 x 7 inches, it is by no means compact. In addition, it weighs 1.5 pounds all-inclusive, not to mention that the case has no handle. You don't want it taking up valuable space and weight in your suitcase.

Also, for short trips, you don't need to carry all the attachments; once you get used to using the Dyson Airwrap, most people find their favorite attachments and use one or two on a regular basis. So if you need a small bag for a weekend getaway, what do you use?

Dyson sells travel pouches separately (i.e., Dyson is not unaware of the lack of travel pouches), but these cost $50. Interestingly, the special gift edition of the Dyson Airwrap comes with a copper-edged storage bag and adds a paddle brush and comb. Sephora sells this bundle and travel bag for $599.

If you don't want to pay $50 for a travel case, you can find one online that does the same job. I recommend the BUBM travel case ($18, Amazon). In any case (pun intended), when using the Dyson Airwrap on the road, use a pouch of some sort and do not pack it loosely.