Topic
Curling irons and wands
A spring clamp curling iron holds the hair end for you. A clipless wand has no clamp, so you wrap the hair by hand while wearing a heat glove. Barrel size decides the size of the curl.
- Classic curl
- 1 in (25 mm) barrel
- Beach waves
- 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 in (32 to 38 mm) barrel
A clamp iron is easiest to learn: clamp the end, roll up and release. A clipless wand gives a curl that is a little looser at the end and is popular for waves. A tapered wand is wider at the base and narrower at the tip, which makes curls that are bigger near the root and tighter at the ends.
Long barrels, such as those on some T3 and Bio Ionic models, fit more hair per wrap, which helps on long hair. The barrel size picker matches a barrel to your length and the look you want.
Wands get hot along the whole barrel, so use the heat glove that comes with most of them and keep the cool tip for holding.
Common mistakes
- Wrapping too thick a section, so the inside never reaches the barrel temperature.
- Brushing curls out while they are still hot.
- Using a large barrel on short hair and expecting tight curls.
Pages on this topic
- Rotating and automatic curling irons explainedHow rotating and automatic curling irons work, rotating barrels like the T3 CurlWrap vs auto-curl chambers, who finds them easier, and tips to avoid tangles.Explainer
- Tapered vs straight barrel curling wandTapered vs straight barrel curling wands: how a cone barrel changes the curl from root to end, how to use one, and ghd wands compared from the listings.Comparison
- How to use a ghd Curve wand or tongHow to use a ghd Curve wand or tong: wrap technique for each Curve and Chronos Curve model, the fixed 365 F heat, hold times and the glove and stand.How-to
Gear for this topic
- Best curling wands, clipless and tapered, comparedSeven curling wands and wand sets compared by barrel size, barrel shape, temperature, included glove and stated voltage from each listing.Gear guide
- Best curling irons for every curl and lengthCurling irons from T3, ghd, Bio Ionic and Drybar compared by barrel size, barrel build, top temperature, heat settings and voltage, from Amazon listings.Gear guide
- Best curling irons for thick hairSeven curling irons for thick or coarse hair compared by barrel size, maximum temperature, heat settings, barrel length and auto shut-off.Gear guide
- Best curling irons for short hair: small barrels comparedSeven curling irons and wands with 0.5 to 1 inch barrels for short hair, compared by barrel size, clip or wand, heat settings, top heat and voltage.Gear guide
- Best long barrel curling irons for long hairLong-barrel curling irons and wands from Bio Ionic, T3 and ghd compared by barrel size, barrel length, top temperature, heat settings and clamp, from listings.Gear guide
- Best curling irons for fine hair, by lowest heat settingSeven curling irons for fine hair compared by barrel size, number of heat settings, lowest stated temperature, top heat and clip or wand style.Gear guide
- Best curling irons and wands for beach wavesSeven curling irons and wands for beach waves compared by barrel size, barrel style, temperature, clamp and heat-up time, from listing facts only.Gear guide