What is the difference between a curling wand and a curling tong?
Curling wands and curling tongs look very similar: they each feature a heated barrel, with a handle for curling the hair. Curling tongs have clamps at the handle end to hold the hair in place, while a curling wand doesn’t.
Victoria Panting, educator, colour and technical educator at Paul Mitchell, believes that the difference between the two comes down to the result you want. “A wand (without a clamp) creates soft, effortless waves, while a tong (with a clamp) delivers more defined, polished curls. Wands are great for a modern, undone texture, whereas tongs offer more control for classic styles,” she says.
What is the best curling wand for everyday use?
It depends what you’re looking for, but Victoria has some advice.
“A quality, everyday curling wand should have adjustable heat settings (because different hair types need different temperatures), and ceramic or titanium plates for even heat distribution,” she comments. “Look for a barrel size that suits your styling goals, and a good swivel cord and quick heat-up time.”
Bear in mind that wide wands will create bigger, looser curls, so are best for beach waves, whereas slim chopstick stylers are ideal for tighter ringlets. And you can personalise further by choosing between tools with a variable heat setting (low, medium or high) to cater best to fine or coarse hair.
There are also the non-traditional curling devices that deliver a variety of waves and curls in novel ways. Take the BaByliss Wave Secret Air Hair Waver, which sucks the hair up into a spinning barrel to create easy beach waves in seconds.
What curling wand is best for tight curls?
If you’re after a tighter curl, make sure to check out the ghd Curve Thin Wand, which is one of the best of its kind. See for yourself, as the GLAMOUR team have put it to the 5 people test to see if it works on different hair textures and types (spoiler alert: it absolutely does).
Can you protect hair from heat damage while curling it?
Yes, you absolutely can.
Victoria recommends to start by applying a good heat protectant such as the Paul Mitchell Heat Styling Spray to damp hair before you blow-dry. “Then, I would add an extra layer of heat protection on dry hair before styling, like the Paul Mitchell Hot Off The Press Thermal Protection Spray,” she says.
The experts adds to keep the heat at the lowest effective setting for your hair type, and never hold the hair on the barrel too long. “Also, look for hair tools with advanced technology that help to prevent heat damage. Paul Mitchell tools use NeutraHeat Technology, which delivers even heat across ion-enhanced ceramic plates, which speeds up styling and minimises the risk of damage.”
This article originally appeared Glamour US.
After more electrical styling tools and haircare content? Check out our guides for hot tools such as the best hair dryers and best hair straighteners. We can also help you pick the best shampoo, best hair conditioner and best hair serums. Yep, we’ve covered every strand. For more beauty content from Glamour UK Commerce Writer Denise Primbet, follow her on Instagram @deniseprimbet.
