Are you in the market for a new barrel style curling iron? If so, you may want to check out a few of my tips for selecting one. After all, barrel style curling irons come in different shapes, sizes and designs. Choosing the wrong one can make your life miserable. As a hairdresser’s daughter, I know that from personal experience. With that said, here’s some of what you need to know before making a purchase:
Barrel Size and Shape
When selecting a barrel style curling iron, you’ll want to think about what size and shape curls you want to create. Traditionally, large barrel curling irons are used to create loose flowing curls. They work well when curling long hair. Small barrel irons, tapered barrels and ribbon barrels are used to create tight, diminutive curls. They are also useful when curling short hair. Medium size barrels, on the other hand, are used to create mid-size curls. In the right hands, they can also be used to create tendril curls or waves.
Handles and Clips
Barrel style curling irons also employ three main types of handle and clip combinations. The curling iron’s handle controls the curling iron’s clip. The three main types of handle and clip combinations are spring loaded, professional (Marcel) and clipless. Each one has its advantages and disadvantages.
Spring Loaded Curling Irons
Spring loaded curling irons are what most people start out with. They are inexpensive to purchase and come with spring loaded clips that help to hold the hair into place. The irons also don’t tend to get as hot as professional irons. Hence, they are a great option for tweens and teens just learning to do their own hair.
The disadvantages to using spring loaded curling irons are ironically the same things that make them advantageous. For instance, the spring loaded handles tend to break over time and may cause kinks in the hair. In addition, the lower temperature settings may not be able to create a strong enough curl for people with certain hair types. As such, folks with thick, wavy hair will want to use a curling iron capable of reaching a high temperature. People with baby fine hair can get away with using a low temperature iron.
Professional Curling Irons
Professional curling irons, also known as Marcel irons, do not have spring loaded clips or barrel tips. They also tend to get extremely hot and cost more than spring loaded curling irons. In order to use them properly, a person has to know how to hold and manipulate the handle and clip. This can be a challenge for someone that has never worked with curling irons before. The irons also need to be cooled down periodically with the aid of a damp towel. Otherwise, the curling iron’s extreme heat can burn a person’s hair. As such, I would only recommend them for older teens and adults.
Clipless Curling Irons
Just like the name suggests, clipless curling irons do not have a clip to hold a person’s hair into place. Thus, the lack of a clip can make it difficult to use for folks that have limited mobility and upper body strength. For instance, in order to curl the hair on top of one’s head with such a curling iron, the user must be capable of holding both of her arms above her head for extended periods of time. Similar situations apply if the user wants to curl the hair located on the back of her head. Therefore, I would only recommend the clipless curling irons to ambidextrous and flexible individuals.
Source: Personal Experience
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