From springy ringlets to soft waves, there’s never been a greater choice of tools to help you get the curls of your dreams or just change your look for a night out. No more frizzy ends either, the latest wands and devices are kinder to hair as well as easy to use. We tested a range on chin length, layered bobs and long, straight styles to find the best.
1. Babyliss Limited Edition Perfect Curl: SallyExpress.com. £139.99
This clever curler is now in a limited edition deep red colour, if that looks better in your boudoir. Clamp a small section of hair and it’s automatically wound up inside the device and around a heated barrel. Curl direction can be set or alternated and though it may take a bit of practise, it’s perfect if you like looser waves.
2. InStyler Tulip Auto Curler: £73, QVC
Another looser-wave system that automatically winds hair around the barrel for you, the Tulip works well on finer hair as the recommended section size for each curl is on the smaller side. We liked the way fingers and foreheads didn’t come into contact with the heated barrel thanks to a curver guard, and unlike the Babyliss model, we could also see the hair inside the device.
3. ghd Curve Creative Curl Wand: £120, shopsupercuts.com
The go-to brand for luxury haircare wows again, though is the higher price purely for classy presentation and packaging? Happily, our testers report the ghd is also a quality piece of kit for committed curlies. It’s nicely weighted, gives glossy curls, comes in a super-stylish, heat-resistant bag that folds out into a surface-saving mat. A great all-rounder.
4. Lee Stafford Chopstick Styler: £19.99, Argos
The cheapest and certainly the most cheerful of the curlers we tried, this is a lightweight, slim wand that doesn’t come with extras such as a heat mat or protective glove. Wind tresses around the barrel manually, holding by the cool end stopper. The results are great if you take a smaller section of hair to create skinny, springy curls that loosen out over time.
5. T3 Whirl Trio: £199, t3haircare.co.uk
With three interchangeable tourmaline and ceramic barrels for smoother styling, the Whirl Trio is fantastic for those who like to vary their look. Try the 19mm straight barrel for defined curls, a 25mm tapered for looser, beachy waves and the wide, straight 38mm barrel for adding body to both long and short styles. A small heatproof mat is included.
6. H2D Magicurl Grand Wand: £59.67, Amazon
Magicurl’s model can heat in stages up to 220 degrees very quickly so it’s essential you use the heat-proof glove included to wrap sections of hair around the wand. The barrel is coated with polished tourmaline and along with shaft-penetrating infrared heat, this makes for a silky smooth finish usually found in far pricier curlers.
7. Toni & Guy Jumbo Tong: £24.99, Boots
Best for flipping the ends of shorter styles or creating larger waves on long hair, these wide 38mm tongs have the traditional flip-open clamp most of us are familiar with. The dial setting makes it easy to find the right temperature – all the way up to 210c for thicker hair. Toni & Guy products also have a generous 5-year guarantee.
8. Cloud Nine Waving Wand: £99.95, John Lewis
This curling tool on this isn’t tapered, so creates bouncy, larger waves on long hair. The wand heats in seconds and has three settings to choose from, Cloud Nine advise that we shouldn’t believe "more heat is better". We particularly liked the flip-out stand and the quality heat-proof pouch that could also be used as a mat. Bonus points, too, for the protective glove to use when winding hair.
9. Easilocks 3 in 1 Hair Hero: £129.99, easilocks.com
The genius thing about this hair curling tong is that it can switch to a straightener with the press of a button. The barrel simply splits, so there’s no need for it to cool down first. There’s a chunky rubber end stopper which keeps fingers well away from the heat and we like the digital readout for temperature control.
10. Nicky Clarke Diamond Shine Pro Salon Styling Wand: £36.99, argos.co.uk
At 25mm, this is a standard-sized curling wand that’s good for more traditional spiral curls as well as adding body to layered styles. If you’d like looser waves, simply wind a larger section of hair. There are five heat settings, so even the most frazzled peroxide blondes can risk the heat. Looks good on the dressing table and at under £40, is good value.
11. Braun Sensocare Hair Styler: £85.59, johnlewis.com
At first glance, this could be confusing as it looks like a straightener. Well, it is, but does much more besides. Pass hair over its ‘curling edges’ for the creation of waves (or of course, coil sections before clamping flat between the plates, a la the Duchess of Cambridge). It has a variable digital temperature setting you can customise and store so damaged hair doesn’t have to be fried.
Verdict
There’s a huge range of prices here – some bargainous, some to make your hair curl. But the one we liked best was the Cloud Nine waving wand, which fell between the two price points. It’s good quality and comes with useful safety accessories. Next on the list was the classic ghds but if you want a quick change of look for a party, Lee Stafford’s Chopstick Styler is great fun for not much dosh.
