A 1-inch curling iron tends to be the most popular size as it’s versatile enough to create tighter curls, but it can also create softer waves when using less heat. Adjustable Temperatures

If you're going to do soft waves or beach waves, you would use a curling wand because you don't need a clamp to set the hair," Francis advises. He adds that you shouldn't hold the wand too close to the head because it creates a roundness that is "not as flattering." We will note that the wand doesn’t show you what temperature you’re using it at. Instead, one of five LED lights will shine depending on what setting you have it at. (These five lights are at the base of the wand, above the On/Off button.) It would be more intuitive for the wand to display the temperature, but regardless, it’s still one of our favorites. A curling wand is a device that lets you curl your hair in various ways. Curling wands feature a ceramic barrel and a heating system that is usually connected to a power outlet. The heating system heats the ceramic barrel, and the user then wraps or curls their hair around the barrel once heated up. After leaving the hair on the barrel for a short amount of time, the hair will stay curled, hence the name. Here’s how it works: Take a small section of hair and drape it over the open chamber, then press one of the arrow buttons (depending on if you want to curl toward or away from your head) and the tulip-looking device pulls your hair in and twirls it around a ceramic barrel to form the curl.Barrel shape: Some wands have a cylindrical barrel that's the same width from base to tip while others are tapered to a smaller point at one end. The difference? Tapered wands create different a curl that changes in size from top to bottom for a messier, more natural look. Some wands even change in shape along the length of the barrel, like GHD's Creative Curl that graduates from a circle to an oval for a less uniform, more undone result. As for which is better — it's all a matter of preference. Erinn Courtney is a Los Angeles-based celebrity hairstylist whose clients include Eva Marcille and Trevor Noah. One of the downsides of this curling wand is that you won’t really be able to curl your hair into tight ringlets or traditional curls—it’s meant to create Hollywood-like waves or subtle bends in your hair. Tech has been tech-ing the past few years, as I’ve seen an influx of cool new options, like hot-air tools, multiple barrel systems, and automatic rotating features that help me get any type of curls or waves you want. Of course, I tested ‘em all for you and compiled my favorites. But to help you figure out which hot tool best suits your needs, I enlisted the help of four hairstylists ( Tamika Gibson, Priscilla Valles, Joseph Maine, and Amy Abramite) for all the details on choosing the best curling iron for you: What to look for in a curling iron, what works best for your hair, and even what size barrel creates the hairstyle you want.

We used each curling wand on a hair extension and, surprisingly, none of the curls fell in the following 24 hours. Depending on how you dry your hair, you can use your wand to achieve different looks. “If you air dry your hair, you can later use a wand to smooth out some pieces and turn them into a casual look,” says Sherry. “If you freshly blow-dried your hair, you can use the wand in large sections, just to add a slight wave and extra shine. You can also freshen up day two or three hair by adding textured waves/curls for a tousled look.”Usability: How comfortable is the wand to hold throughout styling? How easy are the buttons to understand and use? Are they well-placed so you don't accidentally change settings mid-style? Are there any safety features, like an auto shut-off, for peace of mind? Straight - this is the classic barrel shape and will create a classic curl that is even in shape and size from root to tip. Choosing the best curling tong for your hair will depend on many things, so be sure to consider the following to make the decision easier: There are small barrels for tighter curls, large barrels for looser ones, and tapered, clipless, motorized, and interchangeable wands for just about any curl in between. There are even swirled barrels that will show you just what your curls will look like before you even push the on button. The T3 Whirl Trio Interchangeable Styling Wand comes with three interchangeable barrel sizes: a 1-inch, a 1.5-inch, and a 1 ¼-inch that tapers to ¾ inches. I used the “Undone 1” Barrel” because it’s the most similar to the other models on this list.

This wand does not have a built-in safety stand, so be sure to keep an eye on it while you’re using it.

I noticed that the wand heated up almost instantly, and it indicated it was ready for use with a series of reassuring beeps and boops. Twisting each section of hair, the hair-curling wand was easy to use, even for a noob like me. The only difficulty I had was with the slightly longer wand length, which meant I had to be more cautious with my twirling hand. Even when I did accidentally brush my hand against it, however, the cool tip meant that I barely felt a thing — phew. Material: The GH Beauty Lab has found both ceramic and titanium curling irons are good conductors of heat and will work on all hair types, so try not to get persuaded by marketing claims that state one is better than the next. Toye, however, says that stylists tend to opt for titanium irons, since he finds they are lighter-weight than ceramic and can more effectively hold high temperatures, although ceramic irons can be more user-friendly due to their ability to evenly distribute heat. Curling irons consist of a round heated barrel and a clamp that holds the hair in place. A curling wand is essentially a clipless curling iron. Instead of clamping hair with the hot iron, you use your hand to physically wrap sections of hair around the tool. The method creates a more natural-looking wave or curl than the coiffed Shirley Temple-esque ringlets that a traditional curling iron produces.

My hair has a slight natural wave, that when treated right can have defined curls. But, because I've bleached my hair regularly over the last decade, going from copper to blonde to pink, the condition is less than optimal. So, I've become accustomed to deep conditioning treatments, no heat, and generally shoving half of it up in a claw clip. So, I was excited to try this self-dubbed 'curl defining' wand. Clipless Curling Tongs: As there is no clip to this curling tong, it results in a much more natural-looking curl, which tends to be the most preferable style for long-haired women. Using air instead of a ceramic barrel limits the amount of heat on your hair and greatly reduces the risk of burning yourself.When it comes to styling, you can either hold the want horizontally or vertically. "If you wrap horizontally, you get more bounce and body, such as a Hollywood glam look. If you wrap vertically, the hair tends to be looser such as beach and texture waves," says Toye. If you hold the wand vertically, you'll want the tip pointing downward to the floor. It might not seem important, but a good cord can make or break the styling experience. A professional-length cord on a curling iron is nine feet long — anything shorter may make it difficult to maneuver when styling. We also love a swivel mechanism, which prevents the cord from getting tangled or wrapped up as you style. The GHD has a unique design, with a tapered barrel that starts off round and graduates to a flat oval at the top, tapering from 1-inch to 0.9-inch. Both of these traits keep the curls from molding into a strategically tapered curl, which can sometimes look too perfect and unnatural. The slight taper and the gritty finish of the barrel keeps the hair from sliding down as it can do with a barrel that has a super-glossy finish. The T3 Switch Kit Curl Trio is a favorite among hairstylists. It has three attachments that can be used interchangeably when attached to the product’s base — including two straight barrels (½-inch and 1¼-inches) and a 1½-inch clip barrel. Each can be used to achieve different kinds of curls, including undone, tousled, and loose waves. To make things even worse, heat can dry out your hair as well. As such, you’ll want to avoid using curling wands that are too hot for your hair to handle, especially if you have fine hair that’s sensitive to these sorts of things. Styling Accessories