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The Best Curling Wands for Bounce

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Written by Kristie Olivieri
best curling wand

There’s something about curly hair that makes you feel flirty, cute, and confident. Curls are a bouncy, vibrant, and voluminous style. When paired with the right outfit, curly hair work on pretty much anyone. There are a few methods to curl hair, and curling wands are one of the most efficient for tight, bouncy curls.

As the name suggests, curling wands are wand-like devices that curl your hair through heat. They’re very easy to use and require little technique or experience. The best curling wands of 2024 are great to have for events or daily use.

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What Is a Curling Wand?

A curling wand is a device that lets you curl your hair in various ways. Curling wands feature a ceramic barrel and a heating system that is usually connected to a power outlet. The heating system heats the ceramic barrel, and the user then wraps or curls their hair around the barrel once heated up. After leaving the hair on the barrel for a short amount of time, the hair will stay curled, hence the name.

Curling Wand vs. Flat Iron

Something to note in regards to curling wands is that they’re different from another type of curling device known as a flat iron. While the term “flat iron” may allude to the fact that it’s often used to straighten hair, you can use flat irons to curl your hair, too. In terms of effectiveness, however, curling wands are much better at curling.

The reason for this is that flat irons are made for more general use. You can curl, flatten or straighten hair depending on your goals, whereas curling wands are meant specifically for curling your hair. You can’t do much with a curling wand other than, well, curling, and this can be either a good or a bad thing depending on what you’re looking for in a hair styling device.

At the end of the day, it’s best to choose the product that you’ll get the most use out of. If you think that you’ll be straightening your hair just as often as you will be curling it, a flat iron may be the better choice. But if you want better curls and only curls, then a curling wand is the way to go.

Important Considerations

Barrel Width

A curling wand relies on a ceramic barrel to heat your hair. Ceramic barrels transfer the heat from the wand onto your hair without damaging your hair too much in the process. Depending on the manufacturer, barrels can vary in width or shape, with some that are inches thicker than others.

The thickness and shape of the ceramic barrel can heavily affect your results with the wand. A thicker barrel, for example, is perfect for larger curls, whereas a thinner one is more suited for finer and smaller ones. There are also barrels with varied shapes that result in more dynamic curls.

Heat Damage

Did you know that overexposure to heat can damage your hair? Heat can damage your hair by changing the shape of your keratin strands, resulting in overall weaker hair. So, while styling your hair with heat is convenient and effective, your hair may become more brittle due to it.

To make things even worse, heat can dry out your hair as well. As such, you’ll want to avoid using curling wands that are too hot for your hair to handle, especially if you have fine hair that’s sensitive to these sorts of things.

Styling Accessories

Some curling wands come with additional accessories that you can use alongside the curling wand itself. The most common of these is the glove — since there is a real risk of scalding yourself or burning your skin, the glove is there to protect you if your fingers slip by accident.

Aside from gloves, you may also get hair clips, carrying cases, or even additional ceramic barrels for wands with detachable barrel designs. Other than the extra barrels, these accessories don’t change all that much, but they’re nice to have as a bonus.

Comparing the Best Curling Wands of 2024

1

Bed Head Curling Wand

Pros

  • Multiple barrel size options
  • Comes with a glove for safety
  • Clamp-free design

Cons

  • Material quality could be better
The Bed Head Curlipops Curling Wandmay look incredibly simple and barebones at first glance, but it’s quite the device. The curling wand comes with a ½-inch barrel (though you can choose different widths, too, depending on how large you want it), and it’s made out of a durable combination of tourmaline and ceramic. This makes for a heating barrel that results in no frizzing and a clean, visible shine once you’re done. The curling wand can heat up very quickly, with temperatures rising to 430 degrees Fahrenheit. This lets you curl your hair in many different ways, giving you freedom over how you curl your hair. It also comes with a glove so that you don’t end up burning yourself by accident if you’re working with the wand for the first time. We’ve picked this one as the best overall option due to the options you get to work with as well as its affordable price point.
2

L’ANGE Hair Curling Wand

Pros

  • Comes with a warranty
  • Creates long-lasting curls
  • Great for thick hair

Cons

  • Little pricey
The L’ange Hair curling iron for fine hair is the perfect tool for creating beautiful curls and waves. It features a proprietary titanium coating that makes it easy to craft gorgeous waves on thick, coarse, or difficult-to-curl locks. The 25mm barrel allows for versatile styling with perfect tight curls or beachy waves. This wand heats up fast and evenly to an ideal styling temperature of 410 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal results. The heat recovery time is quick for efficient curling and the 6-ft long 360-degree swivel cord offers maximum maneuverability. It’s a great choice for effortlessly creating the look you want! What’s more, the curling wand is designed with convenience in mind. It has all the features to help you style your hair just how you want it without any hassle. It's a fantastic curling iron for fine hair that needs an easy pick-me-up.
3

CONAIR Curling Wand

Pros

  • Clamp-free ceramic design
  • Features frizz control
  • Great material quality

Cons

  • Color of the wand may vary
  • Could be easier to use
This next curling wand is a great choice for those who want something that will last them a good while. The device comes from Conair, a brand that sells great hair styling products such as flat irons. Their curling wands are just as good, with the Infinitipro being exceptionally durable. The casting and material quality on it are worth noting, as this makes the device strong enough to handle frequent travels. In other words, you can bring the device wherever you’d like while being comfortable that it can handle the trip. With the clamp-free design, you can curl your hair without putting unneeded stress on your hair. Aside from this, the device also controls the amount of frizz that results from the curling process, leaving you with shiny and silky hair instead. The only real downside of this product is that it can vary in color, and you have no real say over what the exact color will be. But if you don’t mind that, then it’s a decent product overall.
4

Ohuhu Curling Wand

Pros

  • Includes five different ceramic barrels
  • Adjustable temperature control
  • Three color options

Cons

  • Not always in stock
  • Changing barrels can be difficult
There’s more than one way to curl your hair, and this full set of curling wands is proof of that. Made by Ohuhu, these curling wands give you many different ways to curl your hair. Included in the kit are the wands themselves as well as five different barrels. These barrels range from straight barrels to thin barrels and even wavy barrels. Depending on the barrel you use as well as how you use them, you can end up with some surprising results for your curling wand. There are also a couple of other things worth noting. Firstly, the wand set comes in three different colors, an option that you don’t often see with curling wands, so it’s a nice little bonus to have for those who like to color-code their belongings. Secondly, the wand itself has an adjustable temperature function, giving you even more control and flexibility over how you make your hair look. If you want a kit that will give you different-looking curls each time, this is it.
5

Duomishu Curling Wand

Pros

  • Comes with six barrels
  • Includes hairpins and glove
  • Available in four colors

Cons

  • A bit on the pricey end
What’s better than five ceramic barrels? Six ceramic barrels, of course! Duomishu literally one-ups the previous product with their set of curling wands and barrels. With six different barrels to choose from, you can style your hair in many different ways. And the barrels aren’t the only things that come with the wand — you also get a glove and two hairpins to make your hair curling experience safe and convenient. With an adjustable temperature feature, you can set the heat of the wand anywhere between 300 to 410 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also change the barrels whenever you like, though you’ll need to be sure they cool down before you replace them. Finally, the insulating glove helps minimize the risk of you scalding yourself while using the wand, as this is a very real possibility, especially if you’re relatively new to curling wands.
6

Xtava Curling Wand

Pros

  • Sleek, futuristic design
  • Simple controls
  • User-friendly layout

Cons

  • No accessories included
This last curling wand looks like it came from the future, and while this device may appear to be too futuristic for you to understand, it’s quite easy to use. The Xtava Twist Curl Curling Wand comes with a low-profile digital display that showcases just how hot the ceramic barrel is. Below the display is a row of buttons that lets you control the temperature of the barrel as well as turn it on or off whenever necessary. What really makes this curling wand unique, however, is its design. The matte black colors work well with the low-profile digital display, and all in all, it results in a very professional-looking curling wand. Some people put a premium on visual aesthetics and appearances, and this sort of curling wand may be up their alley.

People Also Ask

  • Q: Are curling wands the same as flat irons?

    A:No. Curling wands typically refer to a non-clamping curling device, whereas a flat iron refers to the clamping hair device that you can also use for straightening your hair.

  • Q: Are curling wands safe to use?

    A:Not exactly. Curling wands can cause damage to your hair, and as such, you’ll want to use them sparingly to avoid any long-term damage. They also heat to high temperatures, up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, so adult supervision is required.

  • Q: When should I use a curling wand?

    A:It’s best to use curling wands occasionally, such as when you’re attending a party or event.

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By Kristie Olivieri

Kristie is a documentary enthusiast, horror movie lover, and avid gamer. When not lost in a virtual world, they enjoy curling up with a good book and their feline friends.
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