The Best Curling Iron for Waves

By: | Last Updated: December 2, 2019

Achieving picture-perfect waves that dance with the wind and make you look like a million bucks is not as hard as some people think. Wavy hair is something a lot of people long for, but not everyone knows how to achieve the look.

The good news is you don’t have to go to a salon or have a professional hairdresser do your curly locks for you. As long as you have the best curling iron for waves, you can take care of transforming your hair to perfection.

But not all curling irons are the same, and you need to understand how to use it properly to make the most out of it. How exactly does one choose a curling iron?

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How to Shop for the Best Curling Iron for Waves

When shopping for the best curling iron for loose waves, you must first understand what it is actually designed to do. You can achieve loose curls with a curling iron, but depending on how you use it, you can also have curls that are tight and close to each other. A curling iron works wonders and can be used to produced all kinds of waves. You just need to know exactly what you want to achieve before you think of doing it.

The first thing you must look at is the brand. Is it a brand that’s known for quality curling irons and other styling products? The credibility of the brand can be seen when you look at the reviews and testimonials of those who have used the products before. You should also look at price, the product’s main features, size, and whether or not the curling iron suits your styling needs.

Here are some of the Best Curlers for Waves:

1. The Beachwaver Pro Curling Iron

The Beachwaver Beach Waver Pro Curling Iron

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The Beachwaver is perhaps the best curling iron for beachy waves, and even Hollywood is going loco. Featured in popular shows and magazines, its 6.5” ceramic rod will give you the beautiful waves you’re aiming for. This curling iron was actually invented by Sarah Potempa, a celebrity hairstylist with years of styling experience.

Unlike any other hair styling tool that you’ve encountered, the Beachwaver Pro is an innovative rotating curling iron that will save you a lot of time and effort. The tourmaline infused with gold power gives off uniform heat, and with one push of the go button, the protective ceramic rod will rotate either left or right, depending on what side you pick. In as short as 30 seconds, the curling iron can already heat up to 310°F-450°F.

What Users Are Saying:

Users love that it has a simple LED digital temperature screen, as well as control buttons to dictate what direction the barrel will roll. A setback is that it’s because it’s different from normal curling irons, some people find that they need to adjust at first. But once they get the hang of it, it’s all good.

2. Bed Head A Wave We Go Adjustable Hair Waver

Bed Head A-Wave-We-Go Adjustable Waver

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Bed Head’s adjustable hair weaver gives you the freedom to control the exact shape and size of waves. Whether you want it tousled, loose, tight, or crimped, the ceramic barrels can be adjusted to the level that you want. The heat control buttons can be adjusted depending on your hair type, but it can go as low as 250°F for fine hair and as high as 400°F if you have thick and hard-to-style hair. The tourmaline ceramic technology will give you curls that are free of frizz and as shiny as shiny can get.

Bed Head’s unique selling proposition is really the adjustable waver barrel, which only asks you to turn the knob for you to customize your style to 4 different heights. Together with its multiple heat settings, you really get the variety and flexibility that you need.

Pros and Cons:

Most users are happy with the fact that they can do a lot with one tool alone. If you know how to maximize this tool, you basically get so much more than you bargained for. However, for the same reason, some find this a little too complicated for their liking, even if the adjustable barrels allow them to achieve practically any type of curl.

3. T3 BodyWaver Styling Iron

T3 BodyWaver 1.75” Styling Iron for Deep Waves

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The BodyWaver can give you voluminous curls that make it look like you just had a professional blowout done. It features a 45mm/1.75” tourmaline barrel that’s ceramic-infused and ionic, sealing your hair cuticle and creating the curls without damaging the strands. You get to pick from 5 heat settings all the way to 210°C, and the hollow barrel is designed to distribute this heat evenly.

The BodyWaver stands out from the rest of the curling irons available because it’s the only one that has the T3 SinglePass™ Radial Technology. This revolutionizes hairstyling because it leads to uniform heat and professional results. The technology available from these MCH ceramic heaters helps style your hair evenly and without the damage other curling irons can cause.

Pros and Cons:

Users are very happy with the performance of this curling iron and find it very easy to use for something that can give you professional-level curls. This is because the slim handle is designed ergonomically and the 360° swivel cord prevents tangling. The only concern is that some find that the 1-hour auto-shutoff takes too long.

4. Revlon Perfect Heat Jumbo 3 Barrel Waver

Revlon Jumbo 3 Barrel Hair Waver for Deep Waves

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From the name alone, you will see that this curling iron from Revlon features 3 jumbo tourmaline ceramic barrels to give you extra-large, S-shaped waves. It takes all of 30 seconds to heat up the iron to the setting that you pick from the 30 that are available. Because of these barrels, you get hair condition ions to give you healthy-looking hair.

This curling iron is perfect for curling large sections of the hair because it has heat sensors that constantly monitor temperature, ensuring that the heat you get is even.

Pros and Cons:

Those who have used this product love how fast it heats up and how easy it is to use. The 6-ft. tangle-free swivel cord and safety stand make this curling iron easy to maneuver even from the comfort of their own home, and most of them are very happy with the beautiful S-waves that this is able to produce. However, because the barrels are jumbo in size, this is really not the most appealing product for those with really short hair or those who want smaller-sized waves.

5. Hot Tools Professional Marcel Iron

HOT TOOLS Professional 24K Gold Marcel Iron

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Hot Tools also has a 1” curling wand that works perfectly for short hair. You can work with 4 temperature settings depending on the quality of your hair (280°F for fragile hair, 330°F for normal hair, 380°F for wavy hair, and 430°F for thick hair).

This is unlike any other curling wand you’ve seen because first of all, the 1” barrel has a gold surface. This golden surface distributes the heat evenly, the pulse technology enables fast heat-up but also fast heat recovery, so you can easily style your hair without having to wait for so long.

What Users are Saying:

Users are all praises about this product because the soft-grip handle makes it easy to use when styling and the grip is secure as well. The same goes for the 8-ft. professional swivel cord, which helps them maneuver it easily. This works wonders and produces salon-style results, however, some have a hard time adjusting to the way this is used, which is basically the reverse of how you would use a normal curling iron.

6. GHD Curve Classic Wave Curling Wand

ghd Curve Classic Wave Wand

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The classic curling wand from GHD is oval shaped and can be used for both long and short hair. This curling wand has a 1 1/2″ barrel with a protective cool tip, delivering long-lasting curls. Because of its professional length cord as well as universal voltage, it’s probably one of the most flexible styling tools you can use virtually anywhere in the world.

This is the best beach wave curling iron you can ask for because its patented tri-zone technology. This technology is able to lock in the waves quickly and evenly, guaranteeing the ideal temperature of 185°C. That temperature is maintained throughout the wand barrel, and this is done through six quick-thinking sensors. To add to that it has an advanced ceramic coating that helps you achieve smoother curls, and the combination of all these technologies ensure that you get the curls you want in the shortest possible time.

What Users are Saying:

Users absolutely love how effective this is as a curling wand. Once you get the hang of it, the curls look professionally-done and they can last all day and all night. The only complaint mentioned by many is the weird sound that the curling wand emits when starting up and cooling down.

7. Paul Mitchell Neuro Unclipped Rod

Paul Mitchell Neuro Unclipped Styling Rod

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This offering from Paul Mitchell is perhaps the best curling wand for beach waves or at least one of the best options you can get. It’s perfect for both short and long hair because it’s a handy little clipless device that has a 1” IsoTherm titanium barrel. This is very easy to use if what you want are loose, beach waves.

In just a few seconds, this Paul Mitchell wonder heats up to as high as 450°F. But what really sets it apart is its SmartSense microchip, which enables lightning-fast heat recovery. The auto shut-off is also customizable, so you don’t have to worry about safety features.

Pros and Cons:

Users have commented that they love how versatile this wand is, as it works great for short hair but also has an extra long barrel that can still produce the same wonderful waves for longer hair. However, those who are used to clipped curling irons will need to adjust a bit.

Video: How to use the Paul Mitchell Neuro Unclipped Styling Rod

8. Sultra The Seductress Curl, Wave & Straight

Sultra The Bombshell Rod Curling Iron

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The Seductress is 10.5” x 1.5” x 2”, with three temperature settings to pick from depending on whether your hair is thick (395°F), normal (380°F), or fine (370°F). At only 8 ounces, it’s really lightweight, portable, and easy to use. It’s also one of the most flexible styling tools you can ever ask for, because you can use it not just to produce curls and waves but also to straighten your hair. So if you’re looking for something that will really give you value for money and something that you can truly maximize, then this many be the perfect product for you.

Aside from its unmatched versatility, what makes this different from the rest is its ThermaTru Ceramic Technology, which basically mends your hair with far infrared rays as you style it. This makes the curling iron perfect for treated hair as well as hair that’s damaged or excessively dry. Even when your hair is not damaged, you will still benefit from the “mending” that this styling tool does because too much styling and heat can really wreak havoc on your hair.

Pros and Cons:

Most of those who have tried this product already are raving about it, especially because they can share it with others in the household. You may want to curl your short hair but perhaps your sister wants to straighten her long hair. With this product, you can do both. The only minor thing is that the temperature settings are too close to one another, meaning the hottest is really just at 395° and doesn’t go as far as the 430°++ of other irons. Same for the setting for fine hair, which is at 370 and may still be too high for some.

9. Theorie Quantum Switch Curling Wand

Theorie Titan Sculpt Technology Quantum Switch Interchangeable Barrel Curler

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The Quantum curling wand by Theorie comes with different barrel sizes: 19/25 MM, 25/32 MM, 25 MM, and 32 MM. These interchangeable curler barrels have ultra-powerful MCH heaters that can help you achieve effortlessly precise curls. The curling wand comes with adjustable heat settings that work for all types of hair. You can go from 310°F-450°F (150°C-232°C) to achieve the perfect curl that you want. It also comes with a heat-resistant cord that’s 9 feet long, so you can really use it for all your styling needs.

What sets the Quantum apart is its Revolutionary TitanSculpt™ Ultra technology, which helps curl your hair while protecting it from heat damage and maintaining the lustrous shine that makes it look like a work of art. This is also because of Theorie’s proprietary multi-phase process, which leads to the quickest heat transfer and consistent temperatures.

What Users are Saying:

Customers love the professional heat-resistant case for travel and the auto safety shut off, which makes this extra convenient to use. While the smart touch technology makes it almost effortless, some customers get confused at the beginning when they’re not used to it yet.

10. Remington Wrap to Waves Ceramic Hair Styler

71iK4qe5aFL – Curling Diva

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Remington’s ceramic hair styler can give you smooth and silky waves that last long. Because it’s made of two ceramic barrels and has 30 variable heat settings to choose from, you pretty much have access to one of the most versatile styling tools. The curling iron is 13 inches long and only 9.6 ounces, so it’s very lightweight. You also get a protective heat glove for safe styling.

The best thing about this ceramic hair styler is that it can go up to as high as 350°F in only 30 seconds, so you can use it, especially if you’re pressed for time. The ceramic distributes heat evenly throughout the barrels, so you don’t have to worry about any snagging or flattening in your hair cuticles. You can also easily adjust the size of your waves by adjusting the size of the sections of hair that you are wrapping around the barrels.

What Users are Saying:

Users who have benefited from this styling tool rave about the lightweight design and ease of use, and this is important for something that can give you salon-quality hair. The auto-shutoff function is also a relief. The only qualm some people have is that this seems to work better if you have long hair.

The Best Curling Irons for Beach Waves and Short Hair

For those with short hair, you can still style it if you have the best size curling iron for beachy waves. You’ll need something that has a small barrel size. Perhaps one with 1 to 1.25″ barrel.

Resources to check out:

If you’re looking for more beach waves hair tutorials and how to choose a curling wand, check out these bloggers:

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