Partying is indeed fun, but did I tell you about the time when I almost burnt my hair getting ready for my best friend’s birthday party? So, how did it happen? No prizes for guessing, my curling iron was the culprit. After that episode, I understood the importance of buying a good hair curling machine.
Fashion trends change, but the idea of a wavy and curly hair is always fresh. Have you ever thought that even after spending a couple of thousand bucks for your every salon visit the curl doest last long? That’s when I decided to become my hairstylist. Most importantly, I needed one of the best hair curlers to help me there. Did I find it? Do keep reading, to know further.
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The What and When questions
Are you hearing the terms hair curlers, curling irons or curling rods for the first time? Do not worry. I will help you get familiar with these “terms”.
What Is A Hair Curler?
Have you seen the beautiful, wavy and dense curls models and actors show off, well the secret behind is the work of a hair curler. Women have been obsessed with curly hair for as long as I can remember. No heat and heat curlers, also known as the curling irons, are most prevalent in the modern era.
When Was It Invented?
In the old days, royals and aristocrats would curl their hairs with heating rods or tongs. This was considered dangerous as you had no control over the heat and it might burn your scalp or your hair.
The invention of the modern-day curling iron is credited to more than one creator. Hiram Maxim in 1866 has the first patent for the curling iron, but Marcel Grateau is credited for the actual invention in 1890. He is considered a pioneer in hairstyling.
Type Of Curlers
During my quest for an excellent professional hair curler, I gained a few ideas. There are a variety of types available in the market. You choose the type you need based on your hair length, texture and the kind of curl you require. Likewise, we have heat and no heat as well.
No Heat Hair Curlers
Oldie but a goodie, we have been using these non-heat curlers for centuries. Beauty enthusiasts still stick to this way, to avoid unnecessary damage to their hair from heat.
You have ample kinds of best non-heat hair rollers in the market; curling rods, foam rollers, plastic rollers, to name a few. Above all, these rollers are best when used overnight as without heat. They have to work on your hair for a more extended period for long-lasting curls.
Curling Rods
Also called as ‘Flexi rods’, these are flexible and used in your wet, untangled hair. You can use hair spray to help you there. These are available in different sizes and shapes for tight or loose curls. These are the best no heat hair curlers for long and thick hair.
Foam Rollers
Foam rollers are similar to the curling rods, but smaller in size. These no heat hair curlers help you achieve your gorgeous curls and are available for different hair length and curl types, best achieved when used overnight.
Apart from the above commonly used types, there are a few other types as well, but they give you better results when used overnight. For instance,
- Velcro rollers – these are plastic rollers with a layer of velcro over it, best used with wet hair.
- Magnetic rollers – they work on wet hair when the magnetic clasp holds your hair to stay put. These are the best no heat hair curlers for beginners.
- Sponge rollers – these are like the foam rollers but made of sponge material. You can sleep comfortably while wearing them. These are painless too.
Heat Hair Curlers
Curling irons or curling rods or wands render volume to your hair with impressive curls in a short period. But a hair curler isn’t designed to cater to every hair kind or every curl type. Beauty stores are filled with loads of hair curlers to confuse you, so it is appropriate for you to understand your hair styling needs, for example, the type of curls you need etc. Let’s find out more.
Curling Iron
Commonly found type, these have a smooth barrel and a handle, where you just roll your hair to make them curly. These have a clasp to help you create tight curls. The barrel is made of either titanium, ceramic or tourmaline.
Curling Wand
The fundamental design of a curling wand is different compared to the curling iron. It doesn’t have a clasp. These are easy to use compared to the curling irons, and best suited to create loose and natural curls to your hairs. You can opt for short curling wands for tighter and smaller curls.
Automatic Curling Iron/Wand
If you are a newbie and do not know how to play around with your curling iron, this is your best bet. It’s so easy that, on the press of a button, the barrel moves automatically and your hair rolls around it. After you apply the necessary heat, the barrel rolls in reverse.
The only difference between an automatic curling iron and wand is that the curling irons have a clasp and the wands do not.
Hair Curlers – Top Brands
From weddings to formal office meetings, no matter which occasion it is, gorgeous curls never let you down. Therefore, it is important to research brands available in the market before you chose yours. The below section talks about a few best hair curler brands in India.
Philips
A familiar name found in every Indian household, Philips is a significant player in the production of personal and hair care products. They have numerous hair curler models with awesome features like the different barrel sizes, swivelling cord and a decent warranty period. It is a brand you can rely on.
Remington
Remington is has been there to assist you in your care for more than 80 years. They have a lot of ingenious products under their belt, for example, hair curlers with the two-way hair curl technology, where you select which way your curls, the backside or the front side.
Braun
Its a German company specialising in grooming, beauty and hair care. Their hair curlers use the ‘IONTEC technology’ that safeguards the health of your hair due to heat exposure. In this technology, numerous active ions keep the moisture of your hair intact and prevent fuzziness and static.
Ikonic
Ikonic professional is the product of SSIZ International, manufacturer of professional salon tools and accessories. In addition to Ikonic professional, the company, SSIZ have created other products like the Pro Arte – Makeup tools, Biosoft – Liposoluble Wax etc. Their curling irons have a lot of the usual features like tourmaline ceramic barrel, temperature control, auto shut off, swivelling cord, to name a few.
Havells
One of the largest electrical equipment companies in India, Havells manufactures Personal Grooming Equipments as well. From multi-styling kit to digital hair curler to chopstick curlers, they have products for everyone’s need.
Nova
Another player in personal care, Nova’s curling iron has the ionic conditioning and the Eh+ technology. Eh+ ensures that the right amount of heat is distributed to your hair to protect from excessive damage due to heat.
Conair
Conair is an American company selling health and personal care products. According to its website, Conair has covered you from head to toe. They started by selling hair curlers and hair dryers and moved to small appliances. Conair is one of the largest producers of hair care products.
These brands are just the select ones, and if you browse the Internet, you will find more options to choose from.
Review – Best Hair Curlers India
Here comes the best part, now that you know there are plenty of brands available, which one to choose? I am listing the top 10 curlers to choose from based on hair type, type of curl, heat or no heat etc. Now let’s check out a few popular hair curlers in India.
Conair InfinitiPro
Conair InfinitiPro is considered one of the best professional hair curling tools available in the market. The barrel size is around 1 ½ inch suitable for long hair to create big curls and distributes heat evenly, its ceramic tourmaline minimises frizziness and adds moisture to your hair.
Likewise, other features include the 5 LED temperature control and a bonus protective shield for your barrel. Priced around 5000, this belongs to the expensive category.
Remington Ci76 Hair Curler
The ceramic tourmaline barrel material is best suited for your hair, with even heat distribution, and moisture retention due to negative and positive ion reaction. The barrel heats up between 120-180 degrees Celcius, and the 19mm width gives you small and tight curls, majority of the amazon reviews say these are simple and easy to use.
Moreover, the Remington Hair curling iron comes with a 3-year warranty and is available online.
Braun Satin Hair Curler
Braun’s Satin Hair 7 Iontec Curler, comes in 2 varieties, EC1 with a slim barrel for tight curls and EC2 with a wide barrel for loose and beach wavy curls. It uses the popular IONTEC technology, that is to say, when the barrel is heated up, it generates a lot of active ions to restore moisture to give shine and smoothness to your hair, acting as a conditioner. In addition, it avoids static, as well.
EC1 has advanced heat control for better hairstyles. Likewise, EC2 has customised temperature control. After a glimpse at these features, Braun is hands down one of the top hair curling iron available online.
BabyLiss Ipro Hair Curler
The Babyliss C519E Ipro 200 is a one-stroke ceramic curler tong with 19mm barrel width for smaller and tight curls. It uses the I-temperature technology that supports the curler to heat up real quick. The temperate range is between 100-200 degrees Celcius and gives you curls lasting more than a day with just one stroke. Therefore, minimal heat exposure prevents hair damage.
Ikonic Curling Tong
Ikonic curling tong comes in different barrel sizes to suit your different curl needs. Ikonic boasts of having features like the ceramic shine infused barrel for a smooth texture to your hair, and it has some safety aspects as well. Like the safety stand that comes integrated with it, to avoid damaging the surface when the machine is hot, cool tip, automatic shut off after an hour etc.
With less than 30 seconds of heat-up time, this Ikonic curling tong is your best option for easy and quick curl solutions under the 2000 category.
Philips BHB862 Hair Curler
The BHB862 hair curler is gentle on your hair, the ceramic coating evenly distributes the hair and avoids frizziness to your hair and gives a smooth finish. With less than ¾ inch(which is around 19mm) barrel size, this is good for shorter hair to create tight curls.
As I said before, this brand never fails to impress. It has a variety of other top-notch features, a swivel cord for tangle-free wires and a cool tip made with heat-insulating material to help you hold the machine. It also has 200 degrees Celcius optimal heat distribution, and fast heat-up time which is less than 60 seconds. Above all, it comes with a substantial two year warranty period, which is pretty handy.
With a decent approval rating, and priced under 1500, this is one of the best hair curlers found online in Amazon.
Havells Chopstick Hair Curler
Not a curling iron, Havells HC4032 is a curling wand, as it is without a clasp. It comes with a 10mm barrel width for short and retro curls.
Likewise, other features include the safety stand, heat-insulated tip, LED indicator, quicker heat-ups and tangle-free swivel cord.
Priced under 1500, this is a good hair curler for a beginner trying to get their hands dirty.
Vega 3 in 1 Hair Styler, (India's No.1* Hair Styler Appliance), Hair Straightener, Curler & Crimper, VHSCC-01, Black
This Vega 3-1 hair straightener, curler and crimper combo is the best deal if you are looking for different styles for your hair. With 32mm barrel size, this is one of the larger barrel curling irons that could give you big wavy and natural curls. It has all the typical features like the swivel cord, straightener and crimper plates and a styling switch for you to choose between a straightener, curler or crimper.
Priced just around 1500, this Vega crimper, straightener and curler is one of the best combo styling solutions available online.
Nova Curler Straightener
Another 2-1 curler straightener combo, Nova 2-1 has a switch that controls the curl or straight function. This is extremely easy to use, and all you need to make is a small modification. Priced around 500, this could be one of the good and cheap hair curler/straighter in the market.
BoldnYoung Flexi Rods
Not a great fan of curling irons or wands? This is your solution. The Flexi rods from BoldnYoung come in a package of 10 rods. These rollers are self grip and help you get the volume to your hair.
As these involve no heat, you have to make sure to use them in wet and untangled hair for a more extended period. That is to say; these are effective when done overnight.
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Hair Curlers – Buying Guide
So, what are the things you should consider before buying a good hair curler? I decided on a few factors before settling for mine. So, here they are –
- Barrel size
- Barrel Material
- Heat Setting
- Price
- Automatic turn off
- Cord length
Most of the top hair curlers you see in the market have these features. Let’s find out more why these are important.
Barrel Size
The barrel is a crucial part of a curling iron. It has the heating element inside it and helps you against getting burnt. The size of the barrel determines your curl type. In other words, for longer, loose and wavy curls, choose barrels 1 ½ inch or longer, and shorter ones around ¾ inches for small and tight curls.
Therefore, hair curlers have different barrel size and shapes, so, choose as per your needs. The barrel size is usually from ¾ to 2 inches and is capable of creating many hairstyles.
Barrel Material
Over a period of time, the barrel’s material type has evolved. It is essential for the manufactures to make sure the material of barrel serves the purpose, for instance, the material is an excellent conductor and heats up quickly and is made up of high quality to protect your hair and not burn it.
Hence, Titanium, Ceramic and Tourmaline are the widely used materials to make barrels. Now let’s look at their pros and cons.
Titanium
Titanium is an excellent conductor of heat, and it heats up pretty quickly. If you have thick hair, you might need added heat to curl your hair. Therefore, titanium makes curling hassle-free, but you cannot use it for thin hair. Moreover, excessive heating damages any kind of hair type.
Ceramic
Ceramic is a popular material used, as it evenly heats the barrel for smooth and better hair styling. You don’t have to worry about the hair damage due to excessive heat. You can control a ceramic curler as it comes with diverse heat settings. Ceramic reduces split ends and frizziness that could damage your hair.
Tourmaline
Comparatively newer variety, tourmaline is similar to ceramic. When heated, tourmaline emits negative ions and reacts with the positive ions emitted by the dry hair, making your hair glossy.
Tourmaline is expensive compared to ceramic, so manufacturers have found an ingenious way to make curlers’ barrels with a combination of ceramic and tourmaline. It is supposed to be of best qualities available in the market right now.
Heat Setting
Your hair curler shouldn’t cause damage to your hair. Excessive heat exposure makes your hair frizzy and rough.
Each hair type needs a different heat setting. If you have long thick hair, you need a little extra heat to get better and long-lasting curls and just moderate heat for thin and short hair. Therefore, it is a wise choice to buy a curling iron with adjustable heat settings.
Price
Curlers from a few hundred to a few thousand are available in the market. Pick one based on your usage and hair type. If you are a novice and want to experiment, stick to the basic model, but if you have worked your way up and are ready to shed a few pennies, look for a professional model.
Automatic Turn off
This is one of my favourites, wouldn’t you love if your curling iron turns off automatically after your use? Its a safety feature as well.
Cord Length
It is nice to have long lengthy cords when you are working on your curls and need some more room to work with. Longer the cord, easy it is to use and manage, a trivial, but a significant factor to think about. Some latest varieties have 360° swivel cords to avoid tangled wires when you rotate the curling iron.
How To Curl Your Hair?
Ok, now you know the aspects to consider before buying a hair curler, but is it as easy to use as your hairstylist make it look in the salon? The answer is No. The key is patience and some practice. So, let’s find out about this meticulous process to get amazing results.
Do’s And Dont’s
- Make sure you choose the correct barrel size for your curling style, smaller barrels ¾ inch and less for tight curls and 1-1 ½ inch barrel width for bigger curls.
- Use heat protectant sprays to preserve your hair from damage due to heat.
- Do not increase the temperature more than 200 degrees Celcius as it dulls and fades your hair.
- Practice curling your hair with no heat to get the hang of the machine.
Best Practices
- After your curling iron is hot and ready to use, start from the roots and come down gradually, make sure, you leave the lower parts of your hair to avoid split-ends.
- You could use hair sprays if you like your curls to last longer.
- You have to let your hair cool down for it to set, so gently flip your hair back and forth, then run through with your fingers to remove any tangles or lock.
Hair Curlers – Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I buy a hair curler?
Curls add volume to your hair, its an added style statement.
When was it invented?
By Marcel Grateau in 1890.
Will a hair curler damage my hair?
Barrel material made with titanium or Teflon coating damages your hair.
What kind is safe for my hair?
Hair curlers barrels made from ceramic and tourmaline are considered high-quality.
Is there a good curler and straighter combo available?
Yes, the market has so many curlers and straightener combos if you like to experiment with your hair.
How to choose based on my hair type?
You can choose barrel size ¾ inch and less for short hair and tight curls. Sizes above 1 inch are appropriate for long hair to achieve loose curls.
What are the parts of a hair curler?
Conclusion
To sum up, priced around 1500,BHB862 Hair Curler from Philips with around 550+ ratings in Amazon is an excellent choice for your hair styling needs. Most importantly, it has all the striking features like the ceramic coating, cool tip, fast heat-up time and a 2-year warranty. You couldn’t ask for more at this price.
But if you are ready to experiment a little more with your hair, and are not just looking for curls,Vega 3-1 Hair Styler with a curler, straightener and crimper combo will do the trick.
Keep in mind to choose your kind based on what you need.
So what are you waiting for, get ready to flaunt your new look with your hair curler, who knows you could turn heads in the right direction?
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