Knowing how to choose good curling irons will help you to refine your search in the multitude of hair curling tools available.
Because different curling irons or curling tongs as they are referred to in some countries. Will create different curl types
Depending upon the shape and size of the barrel.
Also into the equation of course comes the length and texture of your hair. As well as and the sort of curl type you are wanting to create.
Which To Choose A Curling Iron Or A Curling Wand.
Whether you choose a good curling iron or a good curling wand does come down to your own personal choice.
I would definitely suggest that you test them both before you make your purchase.
That way you can see which one you find easier to use.
A Curling Iron.
The curling iron comes with a clamp. Which helps to keep your hair in place whilst you curl.
Tending to produce a firmer curl due to the clamps tension.
A Curling Wand.
Does not have a clamp. And works by you wrapping your hair around the barrel and holding it in place as the curl forms.
Great for loose curls or beachy waves as the hair is curled around with less tension.
Whether you decide upon a curling iron or a curling wand. There are other parts that you need to look at to be able to get the best value for your money.
Here are some tips on getting good results with your hot irons.
5 Important Parts To Check On Good Curling Irons.
The Barrel.
This happens to be the most important part of your curling iron or wand.
Making up roughly two thirds of the iron’s overall length.
The barrel of the curling iron is the area that heats up and produces the curl effect. Once you wrap your hair around it.
Temperature Control.
All good hot irons should have a temperature control switch.
This enables you to adjust the temperature according to your hairs texture and thickness.
The Tip.
This part is the front of the barrel which should not get hot. Because this prevents your fingers from getting burnt by the heat.
The Handle.
Look for a good, shaped handle that feels comfortable in your hands. Because this will make it easier for you to curl your hair.
The handle will generally also contain the on/off switch and the temperature control switch.
The Different Types Of Material Used In Good Curling Irons.
The barrel of the curling iron or wand is the area that heats up and produces the curl effect when you wrap your hair around it.
There are several different types of material used for this area of good curling irons. This of course leads to different costs.
Here we will cover the three most popular materials.
Ceramic, Tourmaline and Titanium. Which Should You Choose.
Ceramic Barrel Curling Irons
The best choice for fine hair
Ceramic irons tend to be the most popular as a lot of hairstylists recommend these curling irons to their customers.
This is because the use of ceramic helps in an even distribution of heat. So making them gentle on your hair.
But do take longer to reach the required temperature.
Due to their popularity they also tend to be more affordable.
What And Why Ceramic.
Ceramic is made of a composite which is made up of clay.
This composite is built into the heating element of the hot irons. Or used as a coating on the internal parts.
The ceramic curling iron creates an infrared heat which is designed to protect your hair as you expose it to the high temperatures.
Whilst at the same time produce negative irons which help to smoothen your hairs cuticle.
If you are looking at buying good ceramic curling irons look for the ones with ceramic plates.
Not ones with just a ceramic coating. Because these will have metal underneath.
The good quality ceramic curling irons will have several ceramic layers. Yes they will be more expensive but well worth the extra cost.
Tourmaline Barrel Curling Irons.
A good pick for frizzy, dry, and damaged hair.
Tourmaline barrels are made up of crystal minerals that are produced organically. These are baked onto the components of the iron.
A lot more negative irons are emitted out from these irons compared to the ceramic ones.
Which is great if you happen to have dry or damaged hair.
Because all those negative irons will counteract the positive irons. That are found in dry, damaged, and frizzy hair.
A popular tool used by hairstylists the tourmaline curling irons help to seal moisture in your hair follicle. As well as create a shiny finished look.
Unfortunately. These curling irons do happen to be on the more expensive side.
Titanium Barrel Irons.
Best choice for thick and course hair.
Titanium is renouned fot its durability and heat conductivity . Which makes these curling irons exceptionally durable and less prone to cracks if they happen to be dropped often.
Titanium hot irons will heat up to the highest temperatures extremely fast. For course or thick hair these curlers will transfer heat to your hair quicker and longer.
Resulting in longer lasting curls.
If you happen to purchase the titanium hot irons and are not experienced in curling your hair do be careful. Because they do get extremely hot and can cause unwanted accidents or hair damage.
You may also come across curling irons that are made up of a combination of these materials such as ceramic and tourmaline.
Choosing The Correct Barrel Size.
There are various barrel sizes when it comes to chosing curling irons and the size relates to the barrel’s circumference.
Here are the four most popular sizes.
Which size you decide to choose will depend a lot on the length of your hair. As well as the sort of curl or wave that you desire.
Two Inch.
Suitable for longer hair. This size will create a subtle bend towards the ends of your hair.
One And A Half Inch.
On longer hair will create loose large curls and beachy waves.
One Inch.
This is certainly the most popular size purchased. Because they are versatile enough to work with all lengths of hair producing tight or loose waves.
Three Quarter Inch.
A good size barrel for short and fine hair. As well as being great for touching up curls on naturally curly hair.
Whilst also able to produce great corkscrew curls or textured waves on long hair.
An important point to remember.
Is that the larger the barrel the more wave you are going to create.
The smaller the barrel the tighter your curl.
Why Good Curling Irons Have A Temperature Control.
When shopping for good curling irons always choose one with an adjustable temperature control button.
That way you will be able to adjust the temperature according to your hairs type and texture.
Unsure about which setting to choose?
Always start on a low setting first and check the result as you can always increase the temperature if needed.
Because this will save you from burning or damaging your hair.
With fine or chemically treated you will need a lower setting than if you have head of thick hair.
For fine or colored hair a temperature setting of around 200 degrees should be fine for you.
With a head of thick or course hair you can set the temperature from 200 to 300 degrees.
Which Type Of Curling Iron Do You Need.
Regular Barrel Curling Iron.
The most popular type of hot irons where the barrel size is the same from the base.
You can create varied looks depending on how tight you wrap your hair around the barrel.
And the direction which you choose to hold the curling irons.
Tapered Barrel Wand.
The barrel on tapered curling irons or wand has a wider base. That slowly gets narrower towards the tip.
Making it suitable if you like creating different types of wave.
Because if you only wrap your hair around the base of the curler. You will produce large curls.
Small tight curls can be achieved by wrapping your hair only around the ends of the barrel.
Double Barrel Curling Irons.
Having two barrels this iron is great if you are after loose beachy waves in your hair.
To achieve this is you have to wrap each section of your hair in a figure eight around each of the heated barrels.
Triple Barreled Hot Irons.
As the name suggests these curling irons have three barrels. Used in a similar way as the double barrel curler.
They will create a loose crimped wave look. That is like the effect of taking your hair down from a braid.
Spiral Barrel Curling Irons.
The curling iron you need if you love creating Hollywood curls. The sort worn by past and present glam girls.
By staring at the roots and gradually wrapping each section of your hair around the spiral. You will create a strong S shape curl.
Interchangeable Curling Irons.
Generally a bit more expensive but they do offer you a choice of different barrel types.
So that you can change the type of barrel attached to the handle. Whenever you want a different curl or wave size.
If you happen to love to glam your hair up in different looks these irons maybe for you.
My Final Thoughts.
When looking to buy a good curling iron or curling wand don’t be over whelmed when you see so many to choose from.
Firstly consider the length of your hair and the types of curl or wave you would wish to create.
Then test out both a curling iron and a wand so as to decide which you feel more comfortable working with.
Upon deciding these two points you are well on the way to making your best choice.
Finaly run through your preferences on barrel shape, size, and the comfort feeling of the handle in your hand.
One final piece of advice. Do remember to use a heat protectant each time you use your hair curling irons or wand.
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