What is the difference between a curling wand and a curling tong?
Curling wands and curling tongs look very similar: they each feature a heated barrel, with a handle, for curling the hair. Curling tongs have clamps at the handle end, to hold the hair in place, while a curling wand doesn’t.
What is the best curling wand for everyday use?
The type of curling tool you choose will determine the type of curl you create, so it’s important to know what to look out for when searching for the best curling wand. The width of the barrel (and whether or not it’s tapered) can change the finished effect dramatically.
Wide wands will create bigger, looser curls, so are best for beach waves, whereas slim chopstick stylers are ideal for tighter ringlets. And you can personalise even further by choosing between tools with a variable heat setting (low, medium or high) to cater best to fine or coarse hair.
There are also the non-traditional curling devices that deliver a variety of waves and curls in novel ways. Take Dyson’s Airwrap Multi-Styler, which uses the Coanda Effect (a principle of physics that has to do with air flow) to wrap hair round a barrel and curl with relatively low heat. Elsewhere, there’s the BaByliss Wave Secret Air Hair Waver, which sucks the hair up into a spinning barrel to create easy beach waves in seconds.
What curling wand is best for tight curls?
If you’re after a tighter curl, make sure to check out the ghd Curve Thin Wand, which is one of the best of its kind (not to mention, results in the most long-lasting results). Still not convinced? Seee for yourself, the GLAMOUR team have put it to the 5 people test to see if it works on different hair textures and types (spoiler alert: it absolutely does).
How we tested the best curling wands
Over the years, the GLAMOUR team has collectively reviewed hundreds of curling wands – from coveted GHD tools and Dyson stylers to the more affordable options from the likes of Remington. When testing each curling wand, we always make sure to test on a variety of hair types and pay close attention to factors like longevity of the hairstyle, the tool’s value for money and whether it caused a significant amount of hair damage in the long term.
Meet the experts:
This article originally appeared Glamour US.
After more electrical styling tools and haircare content? Check out our guides for hot tools such as the best hair dryers and best hair straighteners. We can also help you pick the best shampoo, best hair conditioner and best hair serums. Yep, we’ve covered every strand. For more beauty content from Glamour UK Commerce Writer Denise Primbet, follow her on Instagram @deniseprimbet.