Hair curling iron. How to choose the best? How to use and types

Quick navigation

Types of curling irons
Types of coating
Types of nozzles
Temperature
Classic curling irons
Large curls
Spiral curling irons
How to curl your hair with a curling iron

A curling iron is an essential styling tool that allows you to dramatically change your style. Using a curling iron, you can curl small, large curls, make corrugations or spiral curls. There are many types of curling irons on the modern market, each of which has its own characteristics.

Types of curling irons

Curling irons are classified by structure, coating of the curling iron, and additional functions.

The classic version is a heating device with a special clip that allows you to straighten or curl your hair. The curls are of uniform diameter.
The cone curling iron tapers towards the top and is a tool for professional styling. There is no way to straighten the curls, since the design does not provide for clamping. The diameter of the curl depends on the nozzle, the styling is quite strong, and the curls are tight and elastic.
Read also: 15 best hair straighteners (flat irons) – 2021 rating
A curling iron with a triangular attachment is usually included as an additional styler. Curls made with this attachment turn out sharp, unlike the classic version.
With two working surfaces - the strands are wound onto two heating elements in the shape of a figure eight, the output is waves and zigzags, curling with such a device is quite difficult, but the result is a beautiful and unusual hairstyle.
Triple curling iron - creates smooth waves without adding significant volume to the hair. Suitable for romantic styling.
The spiral attachment is in addition to the conical one and is suitable for creating round, strict curls. The process takes a long time and requires significant effort.
The automatic styler independently winds the strand, heating it to the desired temperature. The installation process becomes as easy and fast as possible, but the price for such a product is very high.

We recommend reading: Basic massage: what everyone should know

Types of coating

The coating of the curling iron affects the health of the hair and the strength of the styling.

Ceramic coating is considered safe for curls, does not damage the structure of the strands, but is fragile
The Teflon coating protects the hair from dehydration, but it is short-lived and wears off, after which the hair is burned with the metal of the heating element
Tourmaline coating is a new development and is currently one of the best options, however, curling irons with such a coating are more expensive than ceramic and Teflon ones

Expensive and high-quality curling irons have an ionization function, which protects hair from static electricity and increases styling strength.

Types of nozzles

The diameter of the classic nozzle varies from 1.58 mm to 5 cm, and allows you to create curls from small curls to long flowing curls.

Corrugation is an attachment for creating waves on straight hair without creating curls.

Zigzag - creates curls with sharp angles, suitable for creating a non-standard image.

Texture attachments allow you to create curly elements that give your hair a unique shade and allow you to let your imagination fly.

Temperature

The temperature of the curling iron varies from 120 to 200 degrees to create styles of varying strength. Temperature regulation allows you to style your hair without drying it out.

For thin and weak hair, you need to choose curling irons with the ability to regulate temperature and prevent overheating. For thin and brittle hair, the temperature should not exceed 150 degrees, for thick hair - from 150 to 170 degrees, the coarsest and longest hair is styled at a temperature from 170 to 200.

It should be remembered that even the thickest and healthiest hair cannot be styled frequently at the maximum temperature - it becomes brittle and thins at the ends.

We recommend reading: Anti-cellulite massage

Reviews

Large curls are popular among a large number of women. Curling irons from popular brands generally receive good reviews, proving their superiority over other methods of creating curls.

Victoria

My hair is medium length, straight, but I really like curls. I bought myself a Rowenta curling iron. I use it a couple of times a week. I really like the result.

Anna

My choice was the BaByliss PRO curling iron. Quite expensive, but high quality and does not damage your hair. With its help, you can create different types of curls, and the styling lasts quite a long time.

Elena

Large curls are very stylish and beautiful, especially on long hair. I have a Braun EC2 curling iron. The 35mm diameter is ideal for these curls. I use it regularly, but my hair does not deteriorate.

Large curls look very romantic and attractive and suit almost everyone. The best way to create them is to use a quality curling iron. Modern manufacturers offer a wide selection of models that differ in functionality and cost, so choosing the best option is not difficult.

about the author
VK profile

Classic curling irons

Bosch PHC9490 - hair curling iron. The curling iron has a pleasant appearance, the curls last a long time, and the shape of the hairstyle has clear and pleasant outlines. The forceps have a diameter of 1.9 cm.

Nine modes for different hair types
There is a display on the case
The handle of the curling iron is light and comfortable, your hand does not get tired when styling
The curling iron heats up quickly, there is a locking function; if the curling iron overheats, it automatically turns off
The cord length is 3 meters, for ease of use
The curling iron comes with a protective case and a stand.

The downside of the curling iron is the inability to hang it, since there is no loop. The cost of tongs is from 2500 to 5000 rubles.

Rowenta CF 3345 - curling iron allows you to create thin curls. They do not have a clip and do not damage the hair, the set includes a glove to protect against burns, the handle is made in such a way that the hand does not get tired.

Has a button lock function
Coating – ceramics
Instant heating of the ceramic element allows for quick installation
A temperature regulator is installed on the body

The downside is the lack of a protective case in the set. The price of a curling iron is from 2200 to 4000.

Philips HP8618 is a curling iron that is highly convenient and comfortable. One of the best curling irons for creating classic curls, styling and lasting for a long time without damaging the hair.

There is thermal insulation of the tip, which will protect against accidental burns when styling
There is no clip - the curls are not damaged or broken
Heats up quickly
The coating of the tongs is ceramic
Fits comfortably in the hand
Notifies you when the strand is ready with a sound, there is no risk of burning your hair

The price ranges from 1900 to 3700. There are no complaints about the quality of the product.

Spiral curling irons

Philips HP8699 is a ceramic-coated curling iron that allows you to change your style without damaging your hair.

The set includes a classic nozzle, a cone nozzle, a comb nozzle, straight and corrugated tongs
Styling temperature - 190 degrees, allows you to achieve long-lasting styling
Heats up to full temperature within 30 minutes, has an automatic shut-off function

The disadvantages of the product include:

Excessive heating of the attachments during operation; if you need to curl long hair, you need to take pauses, otherwise the hair will be overdried
Short, less than 2 meters, cord
One temperature mode without the ability to change it
The attachments are weakly fixed and can fly off during the styling process, which makes working with the curling iron difficult

The price range of the curling iron is from 2700 to 5000.

SUPRA HSS-1133 is a budget option for creating spiral curls, allowing you to create a classic look. Nozzle diameter 19 mm.

Comes with a protective case
Get neat curls
Cord length 180 cm
The coating of the heating element is ceramic, which protects the hair from damage and allows you to gently curl the strands

The disadvantage of a curling iron is its low power and the inability to quickly style hair. The cost starts from 700 to 1000 rubles.

Advantages and disadvantages

Every tool or thing has its own disadvantages and advantages. The advantages and disadvantages of automatic curling irons can be found in the table:

pros	Minuses
1	Convenient use	Premium segment
2	Tool safety	Possibility of running into a fake
3	A large selection of tools and hairstyles that can be done using the device	Hair tangling situations are possible. High-quality models have a special regulation function
4	Temperature adjustment	Overheating can cause damage to hair
5	Compared to outdated devices, causes the least harm to the hair structure	You may feel uncomfortable during first use
6	Practically does not disturb the water balance in the hair
7	Minimum steps when creating curls
8	Save time
9	Frequent use does not harm the hair if the temperature is not exceeded
10	Durability
11	Price-quality ratio

Important! Some people fall for the tricks of scammers and buy low-quality automatic tongs or fake ones

To avoid this, you should pay attention to the price segment of the product and manufacturer. Below in this article we discuss how to distinguish a fake from an original.

How to curl your hair with a curling iron

In order to style your hair in a beautiful hairstyle, you must follow some rules for using the styler:

You need to style your hair after it has been washed and dried with a hairdryer; you should not use a curling iron on wet hair - this can harm its structure by dehydrating the hair cells.
Before styling, you need to apply a heat-protective spray so as not to burn the strands. If the hair is exhausted and damaged, the styling temperature should not exceed 170 degrees
To create a voluminous silhouette, you need to use styling mousse, applying it evenly along the entire length of the hair, starting from the roots and ending with the ends.
In order to curl your hair, you need to divide your hair into zones according to hair growth and pin it with clips; you need to curl one strand at a time
You need to start from the occipital area, gradually moving to the temple, finish with the crown, first on one side, then repeat the procedure on the second side
The strands should be held on the curling iron for 5-15 seconds and removed carefully so that the curl retains its shape. To create volume, the strand is lifted at the roots before the curl is created. You need to hold the root zone for no longer than five seconds.
After styling, you should wait time for the curls to cool without touching them. Do not straighten your hair or touch it with your hands
After the hair has cooled, you should comb your hair a little and fix it with hairspray.

To create different looks, you can experiment with different attachments and combine curls of different sizes and tensions.

Read: Colorless henna for hair. Use in masks to strengthen hair

Rules for using tongs

Styling your hair with a curling iron can cause irreparable damage to your hair. Therefore, before use, you should definitely familiarize yourself with some rules for its use:

Before the procedure, you need to prepare your hair: wash it with shampoo and dry it.
Under no circumstances should the treated strand be exposed to the curling iron for more than 30 seconds.
To keep the shape for a long time, you need to take fairly small strands and distribute the hair evenly among the curling irons.
You should not comb the treated strand that has not yet cooled down, otherwise it will lose its shape.
You can place a comb under the strand to avoid scalp burns.
After curling all the hair, fix the result with hairspray.
Choosing quality curling irons is very important for quality hair curling and prevents hair damage.