The Best Curling Wands

A curling wand is a must in any beauty kit. They heat up quickly, produce curls of different sizes and give your hair a natural, beach-y look. A good quality curling wand quickly creates a loose curl that you can dress up or down to suit your style. Many of the most innovative curling wands come with interchangeable barrels made of durable ceramic so you have a choice in the look you have that day. A wand adds a touch of glamour to long or short hair and makes a celebrity style easy. Take a look at these excellent wands and get styling.

ATMOKO by Homitt Curling Wand Set

Five Portable Barrels

The Atmoko by Homitt is a curling wand that has five differently sized ceramic barrels and runs on 110 or 240 volts. Its size and versatility make it perfect for achieving any style while traveling.
Best Overall

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Pros:
The Atmoko has five barrel sizes, which give you curls from ringlets right through to body curls. All the barrels are ceramic and heat up quickly. The temperature is adjustable, which makes it suitable for use on the whole family. The PTC and tourmaline ceramic coating lock moisture into the curl to give it longevity. Homitt has designed this model with a 360-degree swivel cord and a tangle-free power cord for ease of use. The barrels have a smooth finish that the curls roll off easily. It is simple to use and quick to adjust to make the perfect curl every time.

Cons:
The curling wand is very easy to use but is also very hot. If you are a new user, it is a good idea to use a protective styling glove until you are comfortable with it.

KIPOZI Thin Curling Iron

For Perfect Shiny Ringlets Every Time

If you want enchanting, smooth ringlets anytime, the Kipozi Thin Styling Wand is the one for you. Known as a “chopstick curling iron,” the variable heat and auto shutoff make this the #1 choice.
Best for Tight Curls

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Pros:
The Kipozi Thin Styling Wand creates perfectly tight curls with little effort. The barrel size is 3/10 of an inch. The repeated effect on the hair is uniform with a natural look. Each strand is left smooth and bouncy. The curler is suitable for 110-240 volts and thus travels well. This model has an LCD display, so you know what temperature it is currently at to avoid burning the hair. The auto shutoff feature gives you sixty minutes of power, so it is impossible to leave on. The curler takes thirty seconds to heat. You can set the temperature and lock it, so you do not inadvertently decrease the heat. The wand comes with a protective glove. There is a handy comprehensive styling guide included that is excellent for beginners.

Cons:
The curler only comes in one barrel size that creates skinny ringlets. The advertising does say that it is a curling iron, but it does not have the integral hair clip that is characteristic of an iron. It is a curling wand.

L’Ange Hair Lustre Curling Wand

Frizz-Free, Glossy Barrel Curls

L’Ange means “Angel” in French, and this wand creates heavenly hair. With a tourmaline-infused ceramic barrel and infrared technology that protects the hair cuticle, this wand locks in a silky shine.
Best for Hard-to-Tame Hair

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Pros:
The Lustre Curling Wand emits negative ions that help the hair become more flexible and mold to the shape of the barrel. The cuticle is sealed by the ion action, which aids the hair in keeping the style. These ions also keep the hair silky and shiny after being curled. The tourmaline-infused ceramic increases the moisture within the strands to keep the hair healthy. The negative ion and infrared technology keep the outside structure of the hair frizz-free and glossy after use. An advanced heating core in the barrel creates an even temperature all through the wand. A digital display keeps an accurate indication of the temperature. The wand has a cool tip and rubber handle for ease of use. The power cord is six feet long. A heat-resistant glove is included in the package.

Cons:
The Lustre Curling Wand comes with one barrel that is 1.25 inches in diameter. The manufacturer recommends using a hair heat protectant product with this model.

Kiss Products Instawave Automatic Ceramic Curling Iron

The Only Wand You’ll Ever Need

Anyone can have curls with the Kiss Ceramic Instawave Automatic Curler. If you’ve tried curling irons or wands and failed, you need this wand. It creates bouncy, natural curls at the touch of a button
Best for Long Locks

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Pros:
The Instawave Automatic curler is extremely easy to use. You do not have to touch the barrel, so there is no risk of burning your fingers. The wand creates curls that stay in as long as a traditional wand. It has a safety shut off feature that switches the curler off after ninety-minutes. After styling, the hair is smooth and shiny. There are two heat settings: high and low. The wand beeps when the curl is set. The barrel rotates either way so you can have the direction of the curl in either direction. The heating surface is an ionic ceramic that reduces damage to your hair. The curler heats up very quickly. It produces a great curl that lasts all day. This wand works well on thin, flyaway hair.

Cons:
It comes with only one barrel size. The barrel is one-inch in diameter and gives small- to medium-sized curls.

Bed Head Rock N’ Roller Curling Wand for Tousled Waves

Variable Heat Wand with Choices

If you can’t decide whether you want your hair to be pertly curled or tousled until the wand hits your hair, choose the Bed Head Rock N’ Roller Curling Wand.
Best Versatility

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Pros:
The Rock ‘N Roller Curling Wand has an excellent range of heat control. The ball-shaped barrel allows you to achieve ringlets or a loose, tousled look with little effort. You can use the wand to create texture in the hair if you want something less structured. With a tourmaline ceramic barrel, the wand control frizz and leaves the hair shiny. This package includes a heat-resistant glove. The swivel power cord is six-feet long for tangle-free styling. The curler works well on short and long hair. The variable heat makes it easier to use on thin hair without it burning. This model is dual-voltage making it great for travel. The design includes a cool-touch top that makes it easy to rotate the wand.

Cons:
The Rock N’ Roller curler gets very hot on higher settings. You must be vigilant when using it near the scalp.

What Really Matters

The Learning Curve

A curling wand is not a curling iron. They may look the same, but they are used differently. A curling wand does not have the clamp on the barrel as an iron does. The clamp on an iron is used to hold the hair firmly next to heat to achieve the curl. Curling irons produce a great curl, but also produce a kink at the end of the hair where the hair was clamped to the barrel. A wand uses the tension of the hair as it is wound to hold it in place. It still produces an excellent curl without the kink. When you first use a heated wand, it can be a fiddly and frustrating experience. There is a knack to winding the hair over itself and keeping it firmly on the ceramic roller that only comes with practice. It is wise to buy a heat-resistant glove when you start off to avoid being burned. It won’t be long until you master beautiful, natural-looking curls–without the kink.

Adjustability

Although it may seem that your hair is nothing special, it is. And it needs to be treated as such. We buy shampoos, conditioners, and other hair products that everyone uses to the same effect, but your hair type, structure, and makeup is individual. It may not be a problem for hair-care products, but it makes a whole lot of difference in curling irons and wands. If your hair is thin or dry, additional heat treatment will damage your hair. If you have thick, bouncy hair, only a heat setting akin to that of a volcano will make it curl. The ability to adjust the heat of your curling iron matters to the health of your hair. Even curling it at too high a temperature when it is damp can cause unsightly problems. It’s far easier to buy a curling wand with a variable heat than it is to wear a hat for six months until the burn grows it. It’ll be cheaper too.

Versatility

Your hairstyle is an expression of your personality. If you want to change your curls to suit your mood you have two choices: 1) buy eight different wands in complimentary sizes and shapes of barrel or 2) buy one wand with eight interchangeable barrels. Guess which option is less of a hassle? There is nothing more empowering than styling your hair to suit how you feel; having a versatile wand allows you to do that. Buy a wand that is multi-functional or allows for different types of curls to keep your look fresh without needing to buy new tools. It is also a great idea to experiment with your curler to see what you can create to mix it up a little. That’s one of the best things about a wand–you can just wash it out if you don’t like it with no harm done.

What’s in Right Now?

Variable heat wands are becoming a go-to solution for new design. Most design houses use hairdressers to test their products. They can use it like a boss, quickly dialing in on how to use it to best effect. This causes a problem with novice users who are not used to the technique of using a clamp-less wand. Variable heat allows all users to be safe as they can use the heat that they are comfortable with. They can also customize the experience for their hair to achieve an optimum curl.

Along with variable heat options, hair heat protective products are changing. Styling your hair is no longer just for special occasions, so the damage that the hair can experience with daily heat tools can be huge. Innovation is moving to antioxidant and vitamin coatings that protect and nourish the hair even when exposed to high temperatures.

FAQs

Is a curling wand different from a curling iron?

Most definitely. It may seem like a little difference, but the effect is huge. A curling wand does not include a clamp to hold the hair next to the heating element. This means that you do not get the kink at the bottom of the strand when the hair is released. You must practice curling with a wand before you can master keeping the hair tightly wrapped around the barrel, but it’s worth it. It takes a little getting used to, but the effect is a more natural-looking curl.

Do I need to use a heat protectant product?

Absolutely. It’s a must. A hair protectant product is particularly important for stubborn hair that needs a high-heat and long setting time to achieve the curl you want. Any direct heat hair tool causes damage, so you should always use a protectant when curling your hair.

Which type of wand is best for short hair?

Choose a wand with a barrel no larger than one inch for short hair. If the barrel is too large for the length of hair, you will not get curls but slight waves.

Which size barrel is best for long hair?

This is a tricky one. The rule of thumb is a 1 1/4-inch width barrel. It gives you a pleasing, even curl all along the strands. If you have particularly long, thick hair, you may need a larger barrel so that the heat penetrates the strands more effectively to set the curl. You can use a smaller barrel, but the trade-off is the increased time it takes to complete your whole head. A smaller size requires less hair to be curled in each pass making it take much longer to do all the sections.