Two For Good Luck?

I have had a lot of curling and flat irons in my life. I have always been better with a flat iron, but I do like how my hair looks when it’s curled. All the curling irons I’ve had in my life have been made of metal, and they’ve seemed to be really unkind to my hair. I can remember the frying sound that became part of my childhood as I tried to tame those rampant curls by you know, putting in other curls!

Anyway, I’m really interested to find out more about new materials that have made their way into the curling iron game lately. It’s really refreshing to see things made out of something other than metal because cheap metals can be so damaging to your hair. For instance, I have always had a good experience with ceramic straight irons. Based on this, I wanted to find the best ceramic flat iron on the market to see if I could get the best curls possible without destroying my luscious locks.

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It Takes Two Baby

The Conair Double Ceramic Curling Iron not only features the ceramic barrel I love, but it’s called a double ceramic iron for a reason. At first, I wasn’t sure what “double” meant, but deductive reasoning led me to believe it means there are two kinds of ceramic (or at least two layers of ceramic).

The double ceramic barrel ensures heat is evenly distributed through the barrel that is made extra smooth by the ceramic coating. Hot spots on an iron of any kind can burn hair, and the technology used with this one stops that.

Don’t Get Burned

What I like about this iron is it’s great for clumsy people because it has a heat shield that protects hands from getting burned. To help further with the issue of being burned, it has a base you can rest it on when you’re trying to arrange your hair between curls. The small base makes a big difference and stops the likelihood of me ending up with a burn on my counter.

Time For Recess

One of the most annoying things about irons and wands is the controls are often located in what can only be described as the worst places ever. They’re generally right where you have to put your hand, and that means you’ll constantly hit them when you’re using the iron. The Double Ceramic has recessed buttons so it’s harder to hit them when the iron is actively in use, so you skip the frustration that comes from trying to work with an iron that accidentally gets turned off.

Flexible Temperatures

My mother and I use irons at totally different settings. I have to turn my irons all the way down when I do her hair. With an iron like this, this is no problem because there are more than 30 temperature settings. I like the flexibility, and I also like that I can even get different styles for myself by adjusting the temperature based on the amount of volume or curl I want in my hair.

Not The Highest In The Heat Game

The heat on this iron only goes up to 375F. While that should be hot enough for most hair types, newer irons are going up to 450 or 460F. Coarse and hard to manage hair types need extra heat so you get the texture you want, and I’m not sure this iron will get hot enough to support that. Advisable or not, I will use my iron at well over 400F because of my thick hair, and this one won’t get close.

Priced To Try

At under $12 this iron would have to be pretty terrible to make it not worth trying. You can’t even buy dinner out for $12! I’m amazed at the high quality ceramic that can be achieved for so little money. I also think it’s great for people who have never used a curling iron before because you’re not shelling out a ton of cash.

Sizes Galore

The price of this iron makes it a steal, and it also comes in several different sizes so you get exactly what you’re looking for. From 3/4 inches to 1.5 inches users can get tight or big curls depending on what they’re going for.

Might Stay On, But It Still Gets Knocked Around

I talked earlier about how the buttons on an iron can be annoying because they sometimes turn off while you’re using the device, but that isn’t the case here. Unfortunately, it still isn’t all perfect. While the iron may stay on, the temperature control is right in a place where it’s easy to hit, so you may end up with an iron that’s way too hot or much too cool to do the trick.

Not Hot Enough For Hold Enough

As I suspected, this iron gets hot quickly but it just doesn’t get hot enough. The top level of heat just isn’t sufficient to positively impact the outcome on your hair (well, not mine anyway). A lot of people end up with curls that just fall out unless the mix includes a whole lot of hair spray, and I hate that feeling on my hair. Some people may do just find at 375 degrees, but personally I think this model is better suited to hair types that can damage easily.

Double Ceramic for Mama. Double Not For Me.

While I love the ceramic coating on this iron and I think it will work for a lot of people, this one isn’t for me simply because of its inability to reach high temperatures which is something my crazy mane really needs. It would probably work “fine” for my mother, so I guess she will probably benefit from the great price and excellent reviews this curling iron has.

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Backward Isn’t Necessarily A Bad Thing- Sometimes It’s Just Backward

I’m not complaining, but I think it’s worth telling you I work very hard. In fact, my schedule is such that I would be lost if I didn’t know where I needed to be practically every minute of the day.

Why am I telling you this? Well, the lack of time I have means I need those “girly” tools that work quickly and efficiently so I look like a human being. My makeup routine takes no time, and I know how to straighten my hair and keep it that way in just 10 minutes (even though it’s super long). Oh, and the super long hair? That’s the result of not having time to get to the salon so I can get this mane taken care of!

When I look for a product so I can spice up my image, it has to work right away and without a lot of issues. I would like to have a curling wand that does just that, and I know there are some on the market that do a really good job. But can they do it quickly without a whole lot of redo?

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Going Backward

The Bed Head Blue Raspberry Conical Styler (BH311) is a different kind of curling wand to the point where I’m really intrigued. Instead of being tapered so it is thicker at the base and thinner at the top, it’s the exact opposite. It’s pretty weird looking if you ask me. It looks more like a baseball bat then a styling tool, but the appearance doesn’t matter as much as how well it works.

The upside down barrel gives you a style that is slightly different from other irons because the curls are looser at the bottom. Most irons do it the other way around and they get looser throughout the day as they fall out. The style of this iron is definitely a reversal, but it still gives you sharp curls with a lot of character.

Curls That Last and Last

This wand has staying power in fact I would go so far as to say it creates the “Energizer Bunny” of curls! They will last for days if used correctly on certain hair types. They also kind of evolve throughout the day, and the tightness of the curls yields to looser waves after some movement or exposure to the elements.

No Pain, No Curls

The rounded or “baseball bat” like end of the wand means there is really no safe place to hold on to it other than the base. That becomes a problem when you’re trying to roll the hair correctly, and it can result in a lot of burns even when you’re wearing the protective glove. The end of the wand being larger than the base makes it a little harder to control and more likely to end up on an ear or part of the neck than others, but people who are careful should not have a problem.

Trouble Resting

The awkward shape causes other problems when people try to rest the wand while they get ready to curl the next piece. It doesn’t have a rest on it, and since the entire wand is hot it’s very easy to burn a countertop in just a few minutes. The only thing I can think of that will make it more manageable would be to rest the base on the side of the sink with the hot wand lying over it. If you’re not happy with this, you can get a holster (like they use in salons).

Pricing Is Primo

Really? Under $25 for this? Really? It’s almost worth trying because the price is so good! I don’t like that it’s missing an auto shutoff and a few other features, but I can hardly expect a whole ton of “bells and whistles” for the price. There are a few design flaws that might not be avoidable considering the shape, but I don’t know that they are enough to make me think twice. I am so interested in the different things I can do with it that it is going to stay on my shortlist without a doubt.

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Maybe Speed Isn’t What We Want

I’m trying to wrap my brain around wavers. I’m not sure why, but I have never considered using one before. Maybe it’s because I’m so used to my straightening iron, and wavers kind of look like someone bent one of my most favorite possessions.

I have naturally curly hair that turns wavy as it gets longer. They aren’t good waves though. In fact, they’re all frizz and they’re why I straighten my hair so often. So, using a tool to create deliberate waves that keeps them that way and helps me avoid frizz might be very nice.

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Enticed by the Price

I have never had a device from Pro Beauty Tools, but the price of the Pro Beauty Tools Professional Speed Waver has me considering the option of picking one up. Less than $15 for an iron of any kind is alright by me!
Let’s face it there aren’t many places you can get lunch for that amount of money let alone a brand new hair tool that will help you add some snazzy waves.

Looks Weird – Works Differently

Wavers look like something that is very hard to explain. Basically, they’re like flat irons with a ripple. They deliberately put a line onto your head that looks kind of like a stretched out “W” (if you only do it in one spot). Obviously doing that would be really weird. When you’re done with the first section of hair, it often looks really stiff and kind of strange, but after a few minutes in that style, the sections loosen some and they really start to look like relaxed waves.

Perks as Good as Flat Irons

Since flat irons are what I know, one of the things I like most about this one is the plates and perks are very similar. It heats up to 430F which is one of the highest options for temperature in straightening tools. You don’t need to use it at that level, but it’s available.

The waver also has ceramic plates that I just LOVE on my flat iron. I’m a major fan of these beasts. They keep my hair the way I left it that morning which means a lot when you’re trying to keep a certain ‘do for a while.

Confusing Contradictions

While this has all the bells and whistles a lot of people want, it’s not all straightforward. It does a really good job of putting waves in hair, but it can also burn the hair and sap it of its moisture at the same time. I’ve never heard of dry, damaged hair that looks good, but somehow this iron manages to beat hair up while still offering a really good style.

Not for All Places

This is not a dual voltage machine, so if you travel around the world you won’t be able to use it everywhere. For the price however, I think it’s a bit much to expect a perk that doesn’t always appear on more expensive models.

I’m Melting-Melting!

Irons get hot. They are supposed to get hot. It’s literally what they’re made for. Since there have been complaints about this waver not being very good in terms of “non-transferable” heat, I doubt it’s the one for me. For those of you who already know, apologies for mentioning it again and for those of you who don’t I am THE clumsiest person in the world. For that reason I don’t think I could be trusted with this particular hair tool.

That being said the price is still right, so if you’re looking for a waver you only intend to use on the odd occasion, this might still work.

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Cellular Technology Of A Different Variety

I have a long commute to work every morning. Like, a long one! Luckily I don’t do the driving, I just get to the carpool, sit in the back seat and read or listen to music. I spend a lot of time wondering what I could get away with if I could do my hair in the car on the way though.

It would be so nice to get the extra time in bed rather than having to do my hair, and I would be more than willing to freak out my fellow carpoolers to get that little extra pocket of time. What can I say? I like to sleep!

Anyway, I went on the hunt for an iron that would let me curl my hair without having to plug into a power outlet, and I think I found it in the form of the ThermaCell Conair Compact Curling Iron. It’s a tiny iron that runs on replaceable batteries, so it can be used anywhere. I’m sure it’s not designed to be used in the car and it might even be a bad idea to do so, so let’s assume I wouldn’t actually do it. That being said, batteries can go anywhere, and if I was in a pinch…

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Heats Up Without Plugging In

I’m a little baffled that this iron can heat up quickly without a power cord, but it totally can. In fact, it gets to its optimum heat in less than a minute! Some of the irons I have right now that plug into the wall take longer than that.

No Batteries

Ok I told a little white lie just now, the ThermaCell does not run on batteries. It actually runs on a tiny butane cartridge that plugs into the bottom of the iron. Now I know this, it’s not anything I would ever use in the car, and you shouldn’t either. That’s a hazard, and not anything you (or I) want to mess with.

Travel With It – Store It

The pink iron comes with a matching case, and I love things that coordinate. I also really like pink, so clearly I’m smitten with this beast. That being said, I do like the case because it’s a place to put a hot iron when you’re on the go.

Full Sized And Months On One Charge

This is a full-sized iron without a power cord which I haven’t seen before. You aren’t sacrificing any access because you can use it just about everywhere. Beyond that, it actually heats up REALLY quickly. Like, super quickly. And it gets as hot as most regular sized irons. What is this magic??

Oh, and to add something else, the butane power source lasts for months. Not days. Not weeks. MONTHS! And it will last longer if you don’t use it all that often.

Don’t Leave It On Or Be Ready To Replace

One of the realities of an iron powered this way is the battery will eventually die. Portable power has to be changed or charged. While it’s easy to change the battery, you’ll have to do it a lot more often if you forget to turn it off before storing it. I know how hard it can be to remember to turn off my wall-powered irons, so I imagine that portable irons are similar.

Not Quite Full

While the information on the iron says it’s full sized it’s actually slightly smaller than a standard 3/4 inch iron, and that means you’re more likely to get smaller curls. I don’t mind little curls except that I have SO MUCH hair it takes forever to curl it all. If you’re looking for a more subtle style or larger curls, this probably isn’t the tool for you.

Thick And Coarse? Not So Much

Unless you have fine hair, you probably won’t like the ThermaCell. I’m not sure if it’s because it doesn’t get hot enough or because it just can’t get the power it needs from the battery, but the general feeling is it will take forever to work with thick locks. My hair is like that, but my mom’s hair isn’t. I imagine she’d probably get the look she wants with it, but I might not be able to make it work for me.

Stops In Its Tracks

One of the recurrent issues with these irons is they appear to “die” fairly quickly, but this could be because of the power source. If this happens try replacing the battery before doing anything else. If a known battery brand doesn’t help, it’s probably a bad iron. That being said, out of all the comments I’ve read this problem isn’t widespread. However, I felt it prudent to mention just in case it’s a major deal breaker for you.

Can’t Complain For The Price

Even with some of the drawbacks this iron is still only $15. How can you complain about something that probably won’t catch fire and costs less than lunch out for two people? The problem with it not working extends to a lot of different irons, so I can’t really hold it against this one. That being said, I still think it would work much better for my mom than it probably will for me simply because of the difference in hair type. You never know mom, one of these could be under the Christmas tree this year!

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Maybe Some Things Are Good Enough To Be True

I come from a world of flat irons, so I’m not entirely used to all the quirks of curling irons or wands. I have curled my hair before, but it requires way more thinking than straightening does. I’ve always been able to curl with my straightening iron, but there are looks I would like to try that can only be achieved with the circular barrel of a wand or curling iron.

I guess the biggest difference since I’ve been on my hunt is that curling irons seem to work a little bit backward to flat irons. In the straightener world, you can expect to pay a lot for an iron that will last, and you’re not likely to get a good one at a drug store or in a budget price range that has the staying power you need.

Curling wands and irons on the other hand, have TONS of really good options in the less expensive price ranges, and that has been a weird thing to adjust to. I LOVE the idea of spending less money on my next hair toy, but I’m not used to finding quality at entry level prices.

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Save Some Pennies on Your Hair Tools

A really well priced option that has a lot of support behind it is the Conair YOU CURL Curling Wand. The price comes in at just under $25 which is a steal in the world of decent hair tools. It’s small and sleek looking, but still big enough to do the job.

Entry Level Prices with High End Perks

While the price is incredibly low this “curler” has a tourmaline covering that is often reserved for expensive irons. Tourmaline is smooth and makes sure there are no hot spots on the wand. It also helps trap in the moisture your hair needs to stop it from frizzing so the curl will hold all day. Curls have a tendency to get frizzier than straight hair, so anything that can keep the frizz away is a good perk to have.

From Zero to Hot in No Time Flat

You Curl gets hot in just 30 seconds. You can turn it on while you’re brushing your teeth in the morning and it will heat up well before your pearly whites are clean. I don’t know about you, but saving time (especially in the morning) is a huge deal to me!

Warranty Realness

I’ve almost never sent an electronic device in for a warranty repair. MP3 players, hair products, whatever, I just don’t do it. I do however buy products with good warranties. I know that doesn’t make sense when you consider I never use it, but hear me out. I see warranties as an indication that it’s a good product. Products that don’t break have good warranties because the company is willing to stand behind them.

The You Curl has a 5 year warranty from Conair. That gives me confidence about the product. I feel like it’s definitely possible this one will last for a long time because it has a warranty that proves it will.

Pick Your Heat

As with most heated tools, you want to tread lightly when you’re picking a heat setting. This iron has four different settings to pick from. That being said, you don’t want to go right to the highest one even if it works for you on other devices. Every machine works differently, and your hair could be the worse for wear if you assume they’re all the same. Start on the lower setting and try it out. If it doesn’t work, move it up a notch. Be kind to your hair so it can be kind to you.

Hitting the Switch on Accident

One of the more irritating drawbacks of this iron is the button that turns it off is in a place your hand is likely to hit when you’re using it. An iron without heat isn’t going to do much for your style, and it’s annoying to have to keep flipping it back on. It’s not a deal breaker by any means, but it is frustrating.

”Endless” Trouble

A problem that seems to be frequent with curling wands in general, but specifically this one is it can be hard to get the ends of your hair appropriately curled. If you’re a beginner in the world of curling irons, I wouldn’t tell you not to buy one of these just be prepared to put in some practice. Once you’ve mastered the art, I’m pretty confident you’ll be putting some fancy curls in your hair.

Because it doesn’t have clamps like some of the older styles, your fingers will get close to the barrel especially when you’re dealing with the ends of your hair which can mean you end up with a burn (or two). However, the manufacturer does supply heat resistant gloves.

Earliest and Still Probably the Best

Although this is one of the earliest curling wands on the market, it’s still holding its place on the market. The price is right, the heat is good, and the staying power is excellent, so I’m totally on board. This one is definitely getting moved to my list of “must-buys”.

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Guiding Your Curls One Ringlet At A Time

I like to have control over my look as much as I like to be able to mix things up, so something reliable that stays mostly the same every time has some unquestionable value. As far as flat and straight irons go, the stranger they look the more rigid they tend to be. Just about every iron or tool I’ve seen that looks “out there” doesn’t have a lot of flexibility in the way it styles. Again, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing but it is a rule of thumb I’ve picked up.

That being said, the Curlz by Xtava iron looks pretty strange, but not as much as other “bubble” irons I’ve looked into. At least this one looks like it should make curls even if it doesn’t look like a traditional iron.

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Guiding Your Style

This iron doesn’t have a long clamp that holds your hair on the iron, and it isn’t a wand where you can start your curl anywhere. Instead it has a guide that you wrap the curls through. You start at the base of the iron and wrap your hair through the guide until it gets as far down the iron as possible for the length of your hair. I think this is a great idea because it means your curls are the same every time.

Small Grip

Unlike a lot of wands that require the user to carefully wrap the hair around without anything to hold it in place, this one has a small clip at the bottom which makes it easier to steady the hair before wrapping it around the barrel. You just clip your hair into the small holder at the bottom and wrap upward through the guide.

Grip It Good

The handle of the wand which is very close to the actual hot iron is insulated so it doesn’t burn you when you’re holding on to it. It’s designed to be comfortable so you can hold on tight without losing any skin!

Colorful Curlz

One of the less important but fun elements of this iron is it comes in three different colors. You can get it in blue, pink or orange. All the colors are the same size barrel and the same power, they just offer a little bit of different flare depending on what you’re looking for.

Inexpensive Curlz

Whether you want flexibility or not, this iron runs at about $20. I can afford to have more than one iron at that price. In fact, I can afford to have a bunch of irons at that price!

Guiding Through Different Styles

Even though this wand doesn’t really have a lot in the way of flexibility, what you lack with freedom on the barrel you can make up for with the amount of time you use it. The longer you leave hair curled around the barrel, the tighter the curls you’ll get. Obviously you need to be careful how long you leave it in your hair so it doesn’t burn, but you can get the curls you want by giving it a few extra seconds wrapped around the mechanism.

Loves Your Hair So Much It Keeps It!

Ouch! While the idea on this model is great, the execution is not so much. It’s constructed primarily of plastic, and the plastic can grab your hair instead of letting go when it’s time to make the curl. I can only stand so much pain while I’m styling before I give up and move on to the next product. I have a lot of hair, but that doesn’t mean I want some of it ripped out. No siree, Bob!

Great Idea – Execution Could Be Better

I think the idea of a curler with guides that show you where to put your hair when you’re trying to get in the swing of curling is a really good especially if you’re new to using a hair tool like this. There are people who have “niggles” with it, and based on this I don’t think it would work well for people (like me) who have very long hair unless you don’t mind having curls half way up your head.

If you have mid-length hair, are looking for your first curling wand or don’t need an awful lot of heat to get the curls you want, curl over here and make the iron yours.

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Can You Get The Perfect Curls In No Time Flat! Let’s See

One of the biggest issues I’ve had with curling products in the past is I’ve never been able to figure out the right amount of time to keep the iron on my hair. Sometimes I do the right thing and end up with a fantastic curl, but the rest are either under done, over done or they just don’t look right.

In general, wands can curl in just a few seconds while irons have traditionally taken much longer than that. I have always wondered if an iron with a clamp would curl better without the weird line you can get from the clamp if it just took less time. So, I decided it was time to try and find a curling iron that would curl quickly and efficiently without having to go over it a bunch of times.

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The T3 Singlepass Twirl Professional Curling Styling Iron comes with a 1.25 inch barrel, and it works quickly. The barrel is made of ceramic and tourmaline, so it locks in moisture without frying your hair. Plus, it helps you avoid the “frizzies”.

The Speed of The Matter

This iron moves quickly which I like. I want to be able to get bouncy curls or waves without a whole lot of time commitment. I just don’t have time in the morning to get my hair the way I really want it with the tools I currently have. Aside from the fact that I don’t really know how to use them, I also have to wait forever to find out if the curls are even going to look right. That won’t work when I’m already limited on time. An iron that curls quickly could solve this for me. I’m interested in this one because there are people who make this thing work in less than 10 minutes (the perfect answer to all my “out of time” troubles)!

This iron actually works by applying instant heat to your hair (well, pretty much instant anyway). Using technology like this means you can not only get to work on your curls far quicker, it also means you’re not “heating” your hair for as long which can only be a good thing.

Skip The Product

Another great thing about instant heat is you don’t need to put product in your hair. One reason I’ve always hated curling mine is because I can’t get the style I’m looking for without using a whole ton of product which just makes it downright crunchy! The idea of being able to skip this step is really appealing to me (as I’m sure it is for a lot of other people).

Clamp Marks Don’t Stick

This iron may start with clamp marks, but they soften as the hair becomes curled and adapts to the heat more. This means that when you take the iron off your hair after the near instant heat up, the clamp mark is already gone. You don’t have to worry about lines around the end of your hair or weird crunchy marks throughout. Just wrap, curl, let go, and you end up with the prettiest curls.

Won’t Weigh Anything Down

Aside from giving you light and bouncy curls, this iron is also pretty lightweight. This actually worries me some even though it sounds good. I am clumsy, and things that are too light tend to fly out of my hand. Of course, by fly out of my hand I mean “get accidentally dropped”. Considering the fact that the iron is hot and gets hot enough to burn just about anything, I worry about it being too light. That being said, a lot of people are pleased with it because it takes stress off your hand. Regardless, I think it’s probably a good thing.

Higher End

This isn’t a cheap iron. Most curling irons run at around $30, even for some professional models. Some come even cheaper than that. This one rings in at about $80 which is definitely a jump. That being said, my time is worth the extra $50 if this one has the staying power a lot of people say it does. I mean, $50 to get an entire head of hair curled in no time? C’mon! That’s a steal at the price.

Curling, But Not Spinning

One of the more irritating things this iron does is the cord doesn’t spin with you while you’re curling. This means it gets tangled around the iron and creates a mess you then have to spin out of. I guess that’s a manageable issue, but it is a little annoying.

Impressed With The Impressions

There aren’t a lot of curling irons with rave reviews, but this one gets a lot of votes of confidence. I like the speed on it, I like the fact you don’t have to hold the hair on it for long, and I like that it doesn’t give you clamp lines. It’s got a lot going for it, even if the cord isn’t perfect. Overall, this one gets my seal of approval. Better yet, it gets my curl of approval.

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That’s why a hair device with a lot of flexibility is so important. The Remington CI5338 Keratin Therapy Curling Wand has 30 different settings so you can try each one and figure out which is best for your hair.

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Designed To Reduce Frizz

The CI5338 goes farther than just using a flexible amount of heat. The barrel has a keratin treatment on it that helps to strengthen your hair the way a Brazilian Blowout would at the salon. It may not be quite as effective as the salon treatment, but at least you get some benefit in the comfort of your own home.

High Quality Materials Underneath

Below the Keratin treatment on the barrel, a traditional ceramic material provides the kind of consistent heat necessary to avoid hotspots. The barrel has a textured finish to make it easier to hold the hair around the clamp-less barrel. The true ceramic barrel won’t chip off over time, and it will make your hair smoother as you curl.

Options For Size

The size of the iron matters, especially if you’re going with a straight barrel design like this one. A straight barrel basically means you can only get one kind of curl out of the device, so make sure you get the right size for your look. This one comes in 1 and 1.5 inches which means the difference between actual curls (from the smaller iron) and waves (from the larger iron). Larger wands don’t do a lot for people with short hair, but people with really long locks might need the extra girth in order to save time.

Priced At The Best Place

I cannot get over the prices on some of these curling wands. I look at the features and expect them to be HUNDREDS of dollars, but in actuality they’re barely $25. This one comes in at just over $20. I’ve said this before, but I’ll try any styling tool that doesn’t fry my hair for $20. The price is such that it’s good enough to use as a training tool if nothing else.

Get Heated Fast

You know those 30 heat settings I mentioned earlier? This iron can get up to any of them in just 30 seconds! I’m noticing a trend here. Pick your heat, turn it on, blink a few times and you’re good to go. The barrel gets up to 400F which should be more than enough heat to deal with even the thickest and coarsest of hair.

Check My Temperature

One of the less positive things about this iron is the heat settings are not marked. It’s just a blank turn wheel that you can adjust to indicate approximately how hot you want it to get. That’s not good for sensitive hair. My mom’s hair can’t have much more than 300 degrees of heat, so we have to be super careful about the tools and temperature we use on it. Without any idea how much stress is being put on her hair, we wouldn’t be able to use this at all. I can get away with it because my hair can handle the highest temperature this wand can reach.

Even More Features

Auto shutoff is a huge necessity on any hair tool I buy, so the fact this one has it is major for me. I have (almost) burned down my house on many occasions by forgetting to turn off my iron. While my house still stands, my countertops have taken quite a beating from my scatterbrained smarts!

Nice Try

All in all, this curling wand is well liked by consumers but it just doesn’t tick all the boxes for me. Maybe I’m too fussy (who knows), but it won’t be going on my shortlist just yet.
If you think differently and are willing to give it a shot, head right over here and drop it in your cart!

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You Spin My Hair Right Round Baby, Right Round

Sometimes, professional performance matters. It’s good to know you’re getting what you pay for, and things work as well as they’re supposed to. Even though it’s amazing to find a low cost steal, the trial and error can be exhausting and it can even end up costing more than just investing in the best to begin with. I’ve gotten lucky before in finding a low priced tool that works, but I’ve also literally gotten burned.

I wanted to focus on a tool that would give me the results I need (and want), so I started looking on the professional side of things. I know with my straightening irons the professional ones always outperform the low cost ones, but I didn’t know if that’s the same case with curlers.

The BabylissPro Miracurl Steamtech comes with a titanium curling chamber and provides professional style in a super cool, new-fangled way. Instead of wrapping hair around the barrel, the barrel carefully draws the hair into a chamber and pulls it around to curl. That’s a huge difference from previous methods, and it’s much less likely to burn you.

Check Price
>> Amazon <<

Rolling For A Reason

My first concern when looking at this model was the idea of a device that pulls your hair through it because it might get stuck. The chamber on this one though, is designed to keep that from happening. It’s possible for hair to get caught (in a way), but the device will stop turning and even reverse so it doesn’t get tangled. You can then easily release it, change the position or reduce the amount of hair, and try again. Pretty simple huh?

Heated From All Angles

This thing curls, and does it super quickly. I’m amazed at the small amount of time it takes. The way it gets away with this is by doing what a flat iron does. A good straightener is able to straighten hair quickly because it squeezes the hair together and the heat gets it from all sides. The enclosed chamber on this curler does the same thing. It doesn’t quite squeeze as much as a flat iron does, but it does a pretty good job of making sure the appropriate amount of heat gets on every strand.

The Touch of Steam

The water reservoir

The good thing about steam is that it’s much gentler to your hair, and your curls will hold longer as well. The downside is that it takes longer to curl your hair, especially if you have thick and long hair like me. This is because the reservoir can’t hold much water (and it shouldn’t – or the unit would weigh too much) which means you’ll have to refill quite often.

I totally like the idea of steam and I love to give it a try, but given the extra time it would take me I’m not entirely sure if I’d use it. It’s still a nice option to have though, even if I would only use it on occasion.

Curl Direction? There’s More Than One?

If you’re like me, you didn’t know you can curl in more than one direction. And if you did know this, perhaps you didn’t know that it makes a difference which direction you curl in. On the MiraCurl, you can set the direction before you curl to make sure you’re getting the same look all around. Or instead, use the alternate setting for a more natural look, with right and left twisted curls mixed up.

You Can’t See What’s Inside

The enclosed chamber makes it much harder to see, but the internals of this baby are a solid titanium that so many good irons have nowadays, and it has the nano technology that keeps your hair smooth and frizz free. It’s a little hard to believe that all of this is wrapped around the circular chamber in so many different ways, but it totally is.

Pick All The Settings!

There are several time/temperature selections that can be made on this device so you have all the control. Aside from the fact this device does all the pulling, you get to decide how long you want it to run for and how much heat you want. You can also choose what direction the curls go in. The temperature setting goes up to 450F which should be enough to get anyone’s hair curling. Meanwhile, the longer you curl for, the tighter the curls are. You can set it for 8, 10 or 12 seconds, but you can run it for longer than that if your hair needs more attention.

At 12 seconds you should get the tight, bouncy curls you want, but if your hair is a little more difficult under heat you may need slightly longer than that. Remember (and I know I say this a lot), but you should always use the lowest heat and time setting first to make sure you’re not putting too much pressure on your locks.

Keeps Your Safe From Yourself

Several different things about this device make it really good for clumsy people like me. The hot part of the wand is encased in the outer chamber which means there is less to burn yourself on. Then, the edge of the circular barrel that is exposed is covered with a protective exterior so the hot part is guarded.

Turns Off When The Times Off

The auto-off on this thing is so important, and I really like that it has one. I don’t buy these things if they don’t have an auto off, and so many professional options don’t have it. I’m not sure what it is about professional styling tools, but so many of them are missing the important extra perks that make these more usable.

Miracurl doesn’t skimp on this though and even goes a step further. Besides auto-shutoff you also have sleep mode and a motion sensor, allowing it to heat up quickly again to the right temperature, without the risk of burning yourself in between usage.

Willing To Attempt Miracurl

An iron that protects me from burning myself while still giving me the curls I want is totally ok by me. I like the perks it has, and while I’m still not entirely sure how to get it to work properly, I’m pretty sure it’s possible to make it work without substantial trauma (IF you read the instructions and take your time).

I like that it isn’t an exposed curling wand because it grips the hair for me, and I also like that it isn’t an old-fashioned curling iron. No matter how you look at it this thing has a lot to offer.

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Different Wands For Different Days – I’m Basically A Princess!

The more wands I look at, the more I wonder if one is going to be enough. I don’t want the same kind of curls every day now that I know more about the products, but unless I go with a tapered barrel I’m basically going to be married to whatever size curl the one iron I buy can do.

This is one of the reasons why I have always been averse to curling irons (aside from the fact that I’m terrible with them). If I want to change my style it means getting a whole different iron rather than being able to adapt the one I have.

I went out on the hunt for something that could fix my little conundrum. I found a few options that vary in features, but some make it possible to actually switch out the size of the barrel on your unit and get whatever size curl you’re thinking about that day. THAT sounds good to me!

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Size Up Your Curls

The HSI Professional Curling Iron Set with 4 Barrels gives you, (you guessed it) four different tips to change out that make the wand a different size. You can choose from super skinny for really tight curls or majorly large for waves. I like the different sizes that are available all within one kit because they give me plenty of options to choose from. The barrels come in 3/4″,1″,1.5″ & 3/4-1″. Basically, there isn’t a curl you can’t create with all of these choices at your “fingertips”.

Removable But Still High Quality

Even though you can change out the wand, it still has all the perks you would expect from a high quality iron. The barrels are real ceramic not ceramic plated, and they have a tourmaline coating that keeps hair frizz free and styled all day long. The ceramic iron makes it so the barrels don’t get hot spots on different places throughout the tube, so you get a consistent curl no matter where you place your hair on the iron.

Cool Where You Need It

All of the wands you can use with this iron come with a cool tip that protects you from burning yourself while turning or holding the other end of it. As the world’s clumsiest person, I think that’s pretty important. It also comes with a heat resistant glove (further insurance against those annoying burns).

Take It Anywhere

This baby is dual voltage which means you can take it with you if you travel overseas. I don’t recommend traveling with expensive equipment just because it can get lost but if you want to take your favorite wand with you, you still can without damaging it because you’ll be using the correct amount of power.

Priced Right, for Four Irons

This is nowhere close to the most expensive piece on the market. That being said, it is still a little higher in price than most of the ones that can be found at the drugstore. If you want to give this one a shot, you will have to spring about $100 for it. Personally, I think it’s worth it when you consider that you’re getting four irons in one.

HSI Snaps In Place, Doesn’t Start Without It

The thing I like most about this set so far is that you cannot turn it on unless one of the tips is firmly locked in place. That makes me feel better about the implications of what a heated unit like this could do if left out where a child might get to it. It should be fine as long as the heated part is removed when not in use. That would be simple enough for me because I probably wouldn’t use the same one two times in a row unless I found a style that was better than all others.

Not For Short Locks

The bigger iron in the set is not likely to work for short hair, and some of the smaller ones also miss the mark. People with shorter hair will do best with the smallest barrel but that kind of defeats the versatility this unit offers. If you have very short hair, you will likely do better with just a single iron, so you can probably save some money.

Pondering, Pondering

Yet again, I’m left wondering if this is where I should spend my hard earned cash. If you’ve read more than one of my reviews here or you’ve done plenty of research already, you’ll understand why it can be a tough decision to make. That said, for those of you with long hair looking for different curls for different days, I think this curling tool with interchangeable wands is definitely worth further investigation.

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