To get curly hair then either a curling iron or curling wand will do, right? Yes, they will both add curls and luscious waves to your locks, but how easily you personally can use either tool and what kind of look you want will depend on which is the right tool for you. To help you decide, take this info on board…

Using the Tool:

Model with long hair and curlsA curling wand doesn’t have a clasp to hold your hair in place so to curl your locks you’ll need to manually wind your hair along the length of the wand and then hold your hair in place until it’s set. This can be fiddly and time consuming, especially on your first few styling sessions. Once your hair is set in place though, the curling wand is very fast when it comes to creating your curl because it gets so hot.

A curling iron does feature a clasp. To curl your hair, you place the ends of your hair in the clasp and then wind the curling wand up so that your hair wraps around it. You then manually hold the wand in your hair until the curl is set. It’s easier to set your hair in the curling iron because of the clasp and the way you wind your hair in, but the clasp can snag on your hair and cause tangles and damage.

What’s right for you?

For faster, smoother results choose the curling wand.

For a styling session that’s not too fiddly and won’t put much strain on your arms or hands, choose the curling iron.

The Size of the Curls:

Model with blonde curly hairA curling wand allows you to create different sized curls thanks to the cone shape of the barrel. For thicker curls, use the thick base end. For tighter, smaller curls use the thinner/pointed end.

The curling iron barrel is usually uniform in size and to get different sized curls you’ll need to use different sized barrels/curling irons.

What’s right for you?

If you just want one simple tool which still has curling variety, opt for the curling wand.

If you like having a lot of different options then curling irons in different sizes or brands that offer interchangeable irons (where you can add different irons in different thicknesses and shapes to one base) should be in your bathroom.

If you use each tool properly and master the art of adding curls then there’s no reason why either a curling iron or a curling wand can’t give you the gorgeous curls that you crave. If you’re still not sure after comparing this info, give both a try and see which one you prefer.