Anyone with thick hair can attest to the fact that styling thick hair can be a challenge. Thick hair can be unruly and difficult to manage, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to style.
In fact, most people who encounter problems often do so because they’re using all the wrong tools. If you’re curling thick hair with a wand, for instance, you need to make sure the wand is of the right kind. Having an ideal curling wand for thick long hair will save you from all the trouble of figuring out why the curls don’t seem to hold because all the settings will be right.
This post contains some affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I’ll earn a commission, at no additional cost to you. Read my full disclosure here.
How to Shop for the Best Curling Wand For Thick Hair
When you look at all the curling wands available in the market today, you’ll be surprised at how many options there are out there. The worst thing you could do is just pick the first curling wand you come across, or perhaps pick the one that’s discounted without looking at the details.
In choosing a curling wand for thick frizzy hair, you have to keep these things in mind:
Heat settings
The thicker your hair, the more heat you’ll need to style it. Low heat settings may work for thin and delicate hair, but if those exact same settings will have hardly any effect on thick hair. This is why when you’re picking your curling wand, you have to take a look at the maximum heat settings and see whether this is enough to style your hair. Ideally, make sure it goes to as high as 400 degrees Fahrenheit or more.
Technology
Aside from the heat, you should also pay attention to what heating technology this curling wand is using. You’d want to minimize frizz and damage as far as you can, and technology will help you achieve this.
Size
When using your curling iron or wand for thick hair, you typically have to wrap the entire length of your hair in the wand. If the diameter of your wand is too small, you might have a hard time.
The Best Curling Wands for Thick Hair
In the world of curling wands, there are some brands that really stand out. These are the tried and tested ones that have many satisfied users behind them, and these are the curling wands you should be paying attention to. If you have thick hair, take note of these:
Remington Pearl Ceramic Conical Styling Wand
This bestselling pearl ceramic styling wand from Remington may look pink and pretty, but it’s all about serious business when it comes to styling your hair. It comes in a cone-shaped design, and the diameter of the wand goes from 1 inch to 1 ½ inch. This gives users flexibility in terms of the style and size of the curls.
What Makes It Work Well for Thick Hair
The Remington T Studio Pearl Ceramic Styling Wand can go to as high as 410 degrees, with a 30-second heat up to ensure that you don’t wait long as you attempt to style your hair. It is infused with real pearl and comes with a unique patent-pending technology that gives the wand the smoothest glide you can ask for. So even if your hair is thick and frizzy, once you’re done using this wand it will become silky and smooth – with a luminous luster to boot.
What Users are Saying: Pros and Cons
This handy device comes with a digital display and controls for easy use. This is exactly what users are raving about because the controls are so easy-to-read and they feel like they have a professional, salon-quality styling tool in the comfort of their own home. They also love the 60-minute auto shutoff, because it prevents accidents and keeps their peace of mind.
The only drawback is that it comes in a pearly pink, which makes the product very feminine. This may work for a lot of people but there are those who would prefer the colors to be more neutral and professional-looking.
Paul Mitchell Express Ion 3-in-1 Unclipped Curling Iron
From the design house of Paul Mitchell Professional Hair Care Products comes this express ion unclipped curling iron, in a sleek black design. It comes with a simple ceramic barrel that enables users to create salon-style waves, ringlets, and curls. It goes to as high as 410 degrees Fahrenheit when you heat it up, making it perfect for thick hair.
What Makes It The Best Curling Wand for Thick Hair
Aside from the ideal heat settings, this curling iron from Paul Mitchell is ideal because of its express ion complex. This technology hydrates your hair and even makes it shiny as you curl it. Hydrating and keeping hair healthy is important, especially when it’s thick, frizzy, and prone to the heat and damage of other styling tools. With this ion curling iron, you can manage thick and coarse hair without having to worry about burning or sagging.
What Users are Saying: Pros and Cons
Users are generally happy with this curling iron, as can be expected with Paul Mitchell products. The credibility behind the name speaks for itself, and those who have used this especially love the fact that it doesn’t really damage your hair as other cheaper brands would.
Naturally, this quality will come at a cost and that’s something you must be aware of. This Paul Mitchell baby will be more expensive than most curling irons in this list, which makes other people think twice about getting it. However, you can also say that getting a Paul Mitchell is an investment. And for many people, it certainly is.
Revlon Bold Expressions Flipperless Curling Wand
Revlon is one of the most popular names in the beauty industry, and this flipperless curling wand is something that carries all that the brand stands for. This curling wand is pretty straightforward, with a cone-shaped barrel that you can use to create all kinds of textures – from loose waves to tight curls. It also has multiple heat settings, so you are really given the flexibility you need in styling your hair.
What Makes It Work Well for Thick Hair
The ceramic technology that this curling wand comes with gives the heat the ability to penetrate hair from inside out and this goes for thick hair as well. Because of this technology, you can style your hair at a fraction of the time it usually takes you to do so. This is ideal for thick hair, especially because the thicker your hair is, the more time becomes a challenge.
What Users are Saying: Pros and Cons
Aside from the obvious fact that this is a really effective product, users love the added features such as the tangle-free swivel cord and bonus heat resistant glove, which makes them feel like they’re professionals. These features make the curling wand easy (and safe!) to manage, together with the special auto shut-off feature.
The multiple heat settings are great, and it goes to as high as 30. It can get very, very hot, though, so you need to be careful so as not to burn yourself. While these heat settings are available, you’re not fully aware of exactly how hot (in degrees) the wand is at any given time.
Hot Tools Professional Tapered Curling Iron
This tapered curling iron from Hot Tools has a diameter of ½” – 1”, giving you the flexibility to style your hair in different ways. More than that, this curling iron comes with a rheostat heat control dial, which goes to as high as 450 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s pretty impressive and is probably one of the highest temperature settings you can get for a styling tool.
What Makes It Work Well for Thick Hair
Heat settings aside, this tapered curling iron comes with Nano Ceramic Technology, which emits infrared energy, seals the cuticle, and eliminates the frizz. This is especially important for thick hair, which is prone to frizz and hard to transform into something soft and shiny. It also comes with Pulse Technology, which makes heat-up really fast.
What Users are Saying: Pros and Cons
Many of the pros that users associate with this product deal with safety and ease of use. For one, there’s a foldaway safety stand and heat resistant styling glove, lessening the probability of accidents. It’s also pretty easy to maneuver with its 8-inch long swivel cord and a powerful spring clamp.
The only thing you have to be wary of is that the barrel is quite skinny, given that it tapers at 1 inch. This could be a little tricky to manage especially if you’re used to thicker barrels. This also means you’ll have to curl your hair in multiple sections.
Nume Titan
If you’re curious about why celebrity stylists love this tool, you should go and give it a try yourself. Nume is a name that is well-known in beauty circles, widely recognized as one of the world’s best beauty brands. Always leading in innovation and style, Nume has made salon-quality products available for all, and the Titan is no exception.
What Makes It Work Well for Thick Hair
Specifically engineered for hair that’s difficult to style and which seems like it won’t hold a curl, this curling wand comes with three barrel sizes: 19mm, 25mm, and 32mm. These barrels are all titanium-infused, and the variety gives you the ability to produce the perfect texture and size of curls for your thick hair. Because you get the latest in digital and titanium technology, you can count on this styling tool to help you achieve the style you want.
What Users are Saying: Pros and Cons
With the ergonomic design and sleek look of this curling wand, you will feel like a celebrity stylist yourself when you use it. Users love how professional and sleek this looks, and how easy it is to use even if it’s clearly salon-quality. They also love the modern digital display to complement its chic look, with a color-changing LED light that’s pretty helpful.
The only drawback is that it only goes to 392 degrees Fahrenheit, which some may find lacking. Also, it’s more expensive than your normal curling irons.
See it in action:
Best Way to Curl Thick Hair
When it comes to styling, you simply have to remember that the tools are supposed to help you and not make your life even more complicated.
For thick hair, many people prefer the curling wand because all you have to do is twist the length of your hair in the wand. With curling irons, especially the ones with clips, the hair sometimes snags and this could be a problem if you have thick hair. Hot rollers are also a possibility, but with thick hair, that means you’d have to use a lot of rollers because you’d need to divide your hair into many more sections. Compared to the curling wand, hot rollers also take more time. The results that you get with a curling wand are more instantaneous and long-lasting, and this is why many people prefer this method.
When picking the right tool, it’s also important to look at your hair length. For short hair, you’d typically want a barrel size that’s smaller in diameter because shorter hair typically means you only have room for tiny ringlets. In the same way, you have to consider the barrel size (both length and diameter) if you’re dealing with long and thick hair.
Remember that you will have to wrap your hair around the barrel, so considering the size is important. Medium length hair is easier to manage. If flexibility is what you want, then it’s best to consider a tapered curling wand so you can work with different lengths at a time.
But even when you’ve picked the right tool, you also have to make sure you understand how to use it properly.
The next question should then be how to use a curling wand for thick hair.
How To Use A Curling Wand On Thick Hair
When you’ve picked your curling wand, it’s important to read the instructions carefully because each brand is unique. However, there are general principles that you can follow. Here are some curling wand tips for thick hair:
1. Start with dry hair, but make sure it’s prepped properly.
Never ever apply direct heat to wet hair, because that will literally fry your hair. Before using your curling wand, make sure your hair is completely dry.
Having said that, it’s also best if you add a layer (or two!) or protection to go in between your hair cuticle and the damaging heat of the curling wand. With thick hair especially, you’re working with really high temperatures, and if your hair is not protected, you run the risk of damaging it then and there. A heat protectant serum or spray will be enough, and your hair will thank you for it.
Aside from protecting your hair, you should also protect yourself by wearing the heat-resistant glove.
2. Separate your hair into sections.
Thick hair can be overwhelming, and the best way to deal with it is to work one smaller section at a time. Separate your hair into as many sections as you can, because the curls will be more defined if you do so. To secure the top sections of your hair, you can use duck bill clips.
3. Working one section at a time, twist your hair into the curling wand.
It’s better if you work from back to front, leaving the top sections for last. This is so that the other sections of your hair don’t interfere with the ones that are already styled.
To start with, make sure that one of your hands is holding the wand and the other is doing the wrapping. The wand should be positioned about 1-2 inches from the base of each hair section. You should then wrap your hair down the barrel until you reach the end.
In wrapping your hair around the barrels, you can be as creative and as experimental as you want. Just remember the general rule, that the thicker the barrel, the looser the curls are. If you want tight ringlets, then you should be working with the barrels that are thin in diameter. Working with a tapered barrel will allow you to have different textures all at once.
4. Let go.
With thick hair, you should pick the maximum heat setting so that the curls are set as soon as possible. The idea is to keep the heat contact minimal, and this is where the technology of the curling wand comes in.
When you’re done wrapping, the hand holding the hair should simply let go, and the wand will automatically slide out. Work on the other sections until you finish.
5. Show off those curls!
Once all the sections are done, you can use a little bit of spray to hold the curls in place. While doing this, you can use your fingers to comb through your hair. Don’t overdo it, though.
Image Credits: Deposit Photos
Wow. Never thought curlers may look this specific and definitive. 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
I really like my Karmin