How to choose the diameter of a curling iron

A curling iron is one of the main attributes of every girl and woman, because in our fast-paced age, with a constant lack of time, bustle and haste, you still want to look beautiful and have a neat hairstyle. And here hair styling curling irons come to our aid; with their help, you can quickly and beautifully form any hairstyle and be irresistible every day. Modern industry offers us a huge selection of curling irons made from different materials, with different attachments, diameters and coatings. How to make sense of such abundance and how to choose a curling ironso that it meets all requirements and is safe for hair?

Curling iron surface material

The type of surface of the working part of the curling iron is one of the most important characteristics, because the quality of the curls and the safety of the hair directly depends on it.

Metal surface

There is only one advantage - such curling irons are the cheapest , but they are destructive to the hair , as they literally burn it. All moisture from the hairs, upon contact with the heated surface of the curling iron, completely evaporates, and the hairs simply stick to the metal. Thus, the hair dries out greatly , becomes brittle and dull. In addition, such curling irons heat up very unevenly , and this affects the quality of the curl. There is only one conclusion: it is better to avoid such curling irons or use them very rarely.

Teflon coating

In this case, the same principle works as with Teflon-coated frying pans: nothing sticks, the hair literally glides over the surface, thereby minimizing the risk of drying it out . This curling iron heats up more evenly , which allows you to create a beautiful and stable curl. The main disadvantage of such curling irons is the fragility of the coating ; literally after a year of active use it simply wears off, which is not always noticeable to the eye. There is metal under the Teflon coating, so using such a curling iron for a long time is again unsafe for your hair.

Ceramic coating and ceramics

Such curling irons heat up evenly and distribute heat , thereby allowing you to perfectly form a curl. They are very gentle on the hair without drying it out, thanks to the very smooth surface. Note that most professional devices are made of ceramics. But here it is worth paying special attention: whether the curling iron is made entirely of ceramics or has only a ceramic coating . If only the coating, then the same scenario occurs as with the Teflon coating: after a while it wears out and the curling iron is no longer safe for hair. But if it is made entirely of ceramics, then feel free to buy it - such a curling iron is durable and will serve you for a very long time.

Tourmaline coating

Tourmaline coating is one of the best today; such curling irons are much more expensive than similar curling irons with ceramic coating, but they are the safest for hair and do not dry out or damage it. All this happens because tourmaline tends to release a large number of negatively charged ions when heated, due to which static electricity is removed from the hair, the scales close, and moisture is retained inside.

Titanium coating

The titanium coating acts on the hair in the same way as tourmaline, and has the same properties when heated to produce a large number of negatively charged ions, due to which such a curling iron evenly heats the curls without drying them out or electrifying them . These curling irons can be used for any hair, even for thin and very weakened hair, they are very gentle on the hair, heat up quickly, are strong, durable and resistant to various mechanical and chemical damage . They occupy a leading position in the market, as they are one of the best.

Other types of coatings

• Glass ceramics are professional models of curling irons that combine the quality of glass and ceramics, which makes their surface perfectly smooth, the hair literally glides over it, forming chic curls, but they are quite rare on the market.
• Titanium-ceramics (Sol-Gel) combines the wonderful properties of titanium and ceramics, which makes such curling irons very strong, durable, safe for hair and simply indestructible, thanks to the titanium alloy. Such devices have a high cost, and they rarely appear on sale.
• With silver nanoparticles . And such curling irons exist! The silver ions present here perfectly heal the hair due to its antibacterial properties.
• Anodized coating . Such curling irons are even better than ceramics, since thanks to a special aluminum processing process, they are very reliable in use, resistant to various external influences, durable and gently curl hair without damaging it.

Hair curling iron: the main characteristics of a good curling iron

To choose good spikes, you need to know and take into account their main characteristics. Curling irons differ in the type of coating, the power generated, the presence of a thermostat, the diameter of the curling iron, the presence of attachments, and the cord.

In order to decide which hair curling iron is best suited for you, you need to carefully study their characteristics and scope of application.

Types of coating for tongs

Note!

When purchasing a hair curling iron, it is important to know what type of finish will work best on your strands.

1. Metal coating.
   Curling irons with this surface are the most affordable. However, they are considered the most unsuitable for hair, because they make it split and brittle.
2. Teflon coating.
   It helps protect curls from drying out. But such a coating wears off over time, and the strands are again at risk of harmful contact with the metal surface.
3. Ceramic coating.
   Ceramics practically does not harm the hair. It has an ionizing effect, which gives a healthy look and shine to the curls. It is recommended to purchase tongs made entirely of ceramics.
4. Tourmaline coating.
   Makes hair healthy, silky and shiny. A curling iron with such a coating is expensive.

Curling iron with tourmaline coating
Tourmaline coating has a number of advantages:

• the tourmaline layer does not wear off;
• it is safe for hair;
• will last more than one year.

What should be the power of the tongs?

The standard power of a curling iron is considered to be 20-50 W, with a heating temperature of 100-230 degrees. The higher the temperature of the curling iron, the better the shape of the curls. And the size of the curls depends on the power of the device (the more powerful the curling iron, the more massive the curls).

• for weakened and thin curls, a temperature of no higher than 150 degrees is suitable;
• for healthy and normal strands, 150-180 degrees is enough;
• if the hair is difficult to style, you need a temperature of 180-220 degrees.

You should not use a curling iron every day. Frequent heating of hair can lead to rapid hair loss.

Does a curling iron need a thermostat?

Which curling iron is best to buy, with or without a temperature regulator - experts say: of course, in order not to harm your hair when doing your hair and not to dry it out, it is recommended to use a curling iron with a temperature regulator.

Such a device on the curling iron is necessary to control the temperature. According to standards, it should cover from 60 to 200 degrees. The temperature control is usually equipped with buttons or a wheel.

Experts advise choosing a curling iron with a push-button thermostat, because... it fine-tunes the mode. With it, you can heat the curling iron to a temperature suitable for your hair type.

What should the diameter of the pliers be?

When choosing the diameter of a curling iron, it is important to consider the length and type of hair. The size of the resulting curls will also depend on it. The diameter of the curling iron can be from 10 to 45 mm.

Selection by hair type:

• For short hair,
  shoulder length, curling irons with a diameter of less than 19 mm are suitable.
• For coarse hair of different lengths
  , it is recommended to give preference to a curling iron with a diameter of 20 to 25 mm.
• For long hair,
  in order to create large curls, you should choose a curling iron with a diameter of more than 25 mm.

What kind of curls are obtained from a certain diameter:

• 10 mm – very small curls;
• 15 mm – small curls;
• 20 mm – retro style curls;
• 25 mm – curls, like Marilyn Monroe’s hairstyle;
• 32 mm –
  medium waves;
• 40 mm – large waves;
• 45 mm – you won’t get curls for the entire length of your hair; you can curl the ends of long hair.

Curling iron cord, its characteristics

The quality of the cord is also an important indicator when choosing pliers. Experts recommend choosing a device with a rotating cord, which will not get tangled or twisted when creating curls.

The cord should be thick, not thin, so it will last longer

. When choosing a curling iron, you should definitely pay attention to the length of the cord (2-3 m according to the norm and no less) so that it is convenient to do your hair.

Are additional attachments needed?

Today on sale you can often find tongs equipped with various attachments. There are many of them and they are all different: round, spiral, iron-on, etc. Using the attachments you can create small or large curls, or simply straighten your strands.

If you really want to buy such a curling iron, you should know what attachments are and what they are for:

• round
  – creates waves and curls on long and short hair;
• spherical
  - for curls of various sizes;
• spiral
  - makes curls in the shape of a spiral, only for long hair;
• square, triangular
  - form elastic curls;
• brush
  – used for styling hair and replaces a hair dryer;
• conical
  - makes smooth curls;
• double-barrel, triple-barrel
  - creates zigzag curls.

Curling irons for hair, which one is better to choose with or without attachments: at first glance, curling irons with attachments seem easy to use, but experts say the opposite: devices with removable attachments will not last long, because... they break quickly.

Types of curling irons

1. Curling iron with clamp – this is a classic version of a curling iron, it consists of a long metal rod with a clip for fixing the curl, it is very convenient and easy to use, you just have to hold the tip of your hair and twist the strand, rotating it around an axis, and you get a long-lasting and beautiful curl. Everything is very convenient and fast, but the result is curls of the same thickness along the entire length, which is beautiful, but a little unnatural, so not everyone likes it.

2. Cone curling iron – has the shape of a cone and does not have a clip, the curls are more natural, since they are larger from the roots and gradually narrow towards the ends, which is quite impressive and looks quite natural. The strands here are simply fixed by hand. Don’t be afraid - the tip of such a curling iron does not heat up, so you won’t get burned, especially since the set of such curling irons necessarily includes thermal seals, and they are not difficult to use.

3. Curling iron for root volume. Here the name itself speaks about its function: beautiful volume from the roots and no curls naturally. The result is simply amazing!

4. Double and triple curling irons or simply double-barreled guns got their name because of their very original shape; they consist of two parallel rods and are designed to create zigzag curls. When working with such a curling iron, you must wear thermal gloves, otherwise you can get burned.
   Read also:  Rating of the best hair dryers of 2021
5. Corrugated curling iron creates small waves on the hair, and depending on the plates, the amplitude of the waves varies. This curling iron is suitable for creating waves on individual strands, which is very impressive, and also for those who are tired of curls and want something unusual.

6. Curling iron with rotating pressure surface. The upper bar rotates along its axis and thus simultaneously irons and curls the hair without tangling it at all, which, with some skill, is very fast and convenient.

7. Spiral styler. This type of curling iron is for those who want to create spiral and bouncy curls. Very simple and easy to use.

Philips HPS940

the Philips HPS940/00 Professional Automatic Hair Curler . The unique feature of this device is the brushless motor , which picks up and twists the strand onto the heating element, forming the perfect curl. This curling iron is ready for use within 30 seconds after switching on, and you can achieve the desired degree of elasticity of your curls by adjusting the heating temperature (170, 190 or 210°C) and the curling time (8, 10 or 12 seconds). It is also possible to choose the direction of curling the curls. It is easy to use thanks to the long cord and ergonomic body, and the titanium-ceramic coating of the heating element guarantees gentle treatment of the hair . The heat-insulating chamber will protect against possible burns during installation.

Pros:

• No burns, very easy to use.
• Adjustment for any hair type
• 3 curling direction modes.
• 3 curling times.
• A rotating cord around its axis 2 meters long.
• Ceramic coating.
• Timer.
• Design.
• Not a lot of weight.

Minuses:

• Doesn't create curls, just a light wave.
• Low temperature.
• Not a convenient design.
• Expensive.
• No hanging loop.
• No case included.

For an overview of this styler, watch the video below:

An example of using this styler is in the video below:

Some useful tips

1. Pay attention to the stand: it should be available to allow you to place the hot device on any surface.
2. Before purchasing, be sure to take the device in your hand and hold it, see if it fits comfortably in your hand, is it not too heavy for you, or does it slip, because you will have to work with it.
3. For ease of use of the device, choose a cord that is at least 2-3 meters long; the cord should rotate and not tangle.
4. Choose curling irons with an “auto-shut-off” function; thanks to this function, the curling iron does not overheat, which will protect you from unnecessary burns, as well as from fire.
5. At the end of some curling irons they use a heat-insulating tip; with its help you can safely hold the curling iron on the other side, which is very convenient; pay attention to its presence when purchasing.
6. Pay attention to the presence of a digital indicator; it will allow you to monitor the heating level of the curling iron.
7. And be sure to choose devices with a thermostat to keep your hair as beautiful and healthy as possible.

We hope our tips helped you understand which curling iron is best for you.