How to choose a hair curling iron

A hair curling iron is an indispensable tool for creating a beautiful hairstyle with ringlets and curls. With its help, you can do any hairstyle yourself, saving on the services of a hairdresser. Modern curling irons curl hair into rings, spirals, snakes, and zigzags.

How to choose a hair curling iron

The market offers a huge selection of curling irons depending on their capabilities, manufacturer's brand, and price.

Attention! Before purchasing a curling iron, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the main characteristics that will help you make the right choice.

What you should pay attention to when choosing

Significant characteristics for curling irons. It is these qualities that determine which curling iron to buy.

Covering material. It depends on how safe frequent use of a curling iron will be for your hair.
Main types of coverage:

• metal - traditional for hundreds of years, these are the tongs our grandmothers and mothers used. It is attractive due to its low cost, but it dries out the hair greatly, leading to degreasing and breakage. A variety is anodized metal coating with a specific treatment that improves its strength;
• Teflon - applied over metal, making it anti-slip and considered more gentle on hair;
• ceramic – does not harm the hair, does not dry out, does not degrease, and evenly heats the hair along the entire length;
• titanium – the most resistant to shocks, scratches and chemical styling products, absolutely safe for any hair;
• tourmaline - the safest, abrasion-resistant, with a long service life, but with a high cost. Due to the property of tourmaline to produce infrared radiation when heated, the hair does not become electrified.

Along with the main types, manufacturers use a combination of them, so you can find coatings made of glass ceramics, titanium tourmaline, and titanium ceramics.

Reference! The safest is the innovative Sol-Gel coating made of titanium ceramic with a silky structure that provides hair moisture. It is also the most expensive to date.

Diameter of the curling iron. It directly affects the diameter of the curls, which can be:

• small - created with curling irons with a diameter of 10, 16, 19 mm;
• medium – 25, 32 mm;
• large – 38, 45, 50 mm. With a diameter of 45 and 50, not curls are created, but large waves that fit perfectly into a long bob.

Important! The diameter of the curl will always be larger than the diameter of the curling iron used due to the natural heaviness of the hair, under the influence of which the curl unwinds.

Form. The type of curls obtained depends on it. The form could be:

• round – curls and waves;
• spiral – spirals for long hair;
• spherical - consists of diametrically different balls, alternating with each other, to create curls of different types;
• triangular - elastic curls;
• square – broken elastic curls;
• conical without a clamp - ideally shaped curls;
• two (three) barrel - zigzag;
• irons - for straightening hair;
• corrugation – small pressed waves;
• texturizers - create curls with patterns.

Reference! Many models have several different attachments, allowing you to diversify the look of the curls you create.

Difference between professional and household appliances

The difference lies in the technical capabilities and characteristics of the curling iron. Professional models usually use more expensive coatings.

Advantages of professional models compared to household ones:

• warm-up time – 20-30 seconds (versus 2-3 minutes for conventional curling irons);
• maximum operating time without overheating - up to 70 minutes with a shutdown function when overheating (for households - 15-20 minutes);
• number of temperature modes - up to 30 modes with a temperature controller (up to 8 modes, controller in selected models);
• number of nozzles - up to 5-6 (without nozzles or with 1 - for household ones);
• coating – high quality (titanium, tourmaline, titanium-ceramic). For household ones - metal or ceramic;
• wire length - 2-4 m with the possibility of rotation (1.8-2 m - for household);
• the price is significantly higher for professional ones.

Most curling irons have a clip that allows you to use the device with one hand.

Important! If there is no clamp, a heat-protective cap must be installed on the curling iron for safety of use.

The best hair curlers

Having analyzed many ratings compiled by various women's magazines and websites, it can be noted that the best manufacturers of professional and household curling iron models are considered to be:

• BaByliss;
• Remington;
• Brown;
• Rowenta;
• Bosch;
• Philips.

Curling irons from these manufacturers are traditionally leaders in various categories of this equipment.

Category "Curling irons"

Philips HP8699 – ceramic coating that protects hair from drying out, 5 attachments, automatic shut-off (60 minutes after use), fast heating (up to 3 minutes), styling temperature up to 190 degrees. Disadvantages: lack of heating regulator, short cord 1.8 m, strong heating of the nozzles.

BaByliss C1300E – ceramic coating, rotating nozzles, two heating chambers, timing for curling, ionization, sound indicator of curl readiness, 3 types of curling, curls of different diameters. Disadvantages: requires some skill, not suitable for hair above the shoulders, significant price.

Rowenta CF 3345 – ceramic coating, instant heating, no clamp, protective gloves, heating regulator, button lock. Disadvantages: only curls small curls.

Braun EC1 – metal coating, 5 heating options, indication, display, ionization, light weight, overheating blocker. Disadvantages: slow heating, high power (35 W), high cost.

Rowenta CF 3345FO – tourmaline coating, double hair protection, instant heating, selectable heating mode, readiness indicator. Disadvantages: lack of clamp.

BaByliss Pro TitaniumTourmaline – titanium-tourmaline coating, electronic heating system, automatic shut-off (70 minutes after finishing work), protective tip, removes electrostatic stress from the hair. Disadvantages: high cost.

Category “Curling irons for spiral styling”

BaByliss Pro Curl 2335TTE – tourmaline coating of ceramic base, convenient clamping mechanism, fast heating, temperature regulator, operating mode indication, insulated tips. Cons: Limited release.

Rowenta CF 4132 – ceramic coating, attachments for spiral curling, curls of different diameters, corrugation, hair straightening, fast heating. Disadvantages: no temperature controller.

Philips HP8699 - described in the previous category, has a nozzle for spiral styling.

Category “Curling irons for laying corrugations”

BaByliss Pro BAB-2310 EPCE - special coating of zinc-based plates that protects against chemical styling agents, thermostat, instant heating, auto shut-off after 72 minutes, 2.7 m rotating cord. Disadvantages: high cost.

Remington S8670 – tourmaline-ceramic coating, continuously adjustable temperature, removable plates for crimping and straightening, curling attachments, on and ready indicator, clip-clip. Disadvantages: high price.

Important! When choosing a curling iron, remember that hair is easy to damage, but difficult to restore. Before curling your curls, they must be prepared.