The Best Curling Wands That Make DIY Blowouts Look Salon-Level
Or shall I say magic wand?
The thing about a Cinderella moment is that you really don't need a fairy godmother to make it happen. Enter: the curling wand. It's like a magic wand, but for your hair—and it's a little easier to master. Designed without a clamp that could potentially put a kink in the hair, these hot tools come in all sorts of wand-like shapes and sizes to deliver the texture of your dreams with a simple hand-held twist around their barrels.
Curling wands have become my go-to for creating soft bends, loose waves, and—when I'm really feeling it—full-on ringlets. From simple all-stars to some of the more intricate tools, gorgeous waves are a given with these curlers—but without the real physical wand waving required.
The result: bouncy, glossy hair that looks like royalty, no fairy dust necessary. Keep reading to discover my favorite curling wands on the market for hair that's worthy of a princess.
Magic Curling Wands
If I had to recommend a straight-up perfect curling wand, these are the options I suggest. They heat up fast, feel nice to hold, and leave me with the exact texture I'm craving. Like any other curling tool, the most important thing to know with a wand is that the smaller the barrel, the tighter the wave. Something around 1.5 inches will give big, loose, relaxed curls. Whereas a half-inch barrel will give you something more akin to ringlets.
The ghd Chronos Curling Iron is my prized possession. Unsurprisingly, the brand has the wand market on lock, too. Above, you'll see the Max Wand, a forever favorite choice thanks to its 1.5-inch barrel, which creates the ideal loose, sexy curl. But there's also a thin wand (their most requested tool by hairstylists, which was recently used on The Bride at Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Performance) and a tapered version. If you can dream it, ghd has it—and it'll be ready to rock like three seconds after you plug it in.
Mane's whole thing is "easy beauty for the cuties," and their wand exemplifies that brand philosophy. It has a one-inch ceramic barrel that's nano-coated for smooth styling without frizz, and you can choose from four heat settings so all hair types can benefit. It's simple and straightforward to use, which is a magical descriptor all on its own.
Easy Swaps
If you have a signature curl size/style in the vein of Odessa A'Zion and her spirals, a single wand is all you'll ever need. But some people like to change things up. I never know what I'll be in the mood for, styling-wise, so a swappable head comes in handy if/when I want to switch things up. If you're up for it, you can even work in multiple textures for a little boho flair.
An array of attachments for the WavyTalk curling wand.
Arriving with bubble barrel, round brush, half-inch skinny wand, tapered wand, and 1.25-inch wand attachments, Wavytalk's three-setting superstar has all you might ever need for any and every curl. When I'm feeling extra funky, I like to use the super skinny attachment and work my bangs into some dramatic ringlets. They're so cute with a good updo.
From its dye formulas to its leave-in conditioner and hot tools, Paul Mitchell is a salon favorite for many (very good) reasons. This ceramic wand comes with three attachments—a 0.75-inch to 0.35-inch tapered barrel for tight, coily curls, a 1-inch straight barrel for defined, classic curls, and a 1-inch to 0.75-inch tapered barrel for natural, beachy waves—that heat up to 410 degrees to style all hair types.
Innovative Designs
If you thought the hair wand space couldn't get any more innovative than a swappable head, I have some amazing news. There's always more to discover, from curlers that also straighten (!) to the genius that is Airwrap.
Yeah, I know all hair straighteners can curl if you know how to wield them correctly (it's sort of the same motion that makes a ribbon springy). But this one has something special going for it. Because all sides of its ceramic plates are heated, you can clamp them together and use them like an old-fashioned wand if you so choose.
Ever heard of a little something called the Dyson Airwrap? I hope so. Among a long list of selling points, one of its charms is its skill as a curling wand. You don't even need to hold the hair up or risk burning your poor fingers to use this iconic tool.
Itty Bitty
If you're looking for super tight ringlets, a skinny curling wand is going to be your go-to. These are the most magic wand-looking tools in the bunch, and really can offer fairy princess-worthy coils if that's your vision. Sure, you have to use a smaller section, but isn't it worth it for all that bounce?
Sophia Vilensky holding her skinny-barrel curling wand.
This super-thin, bright-blue wand by BaBylissPRO measures just half an inch but packs a big punch for coil development. It has an extra-long barrel so lengthy tresses can get in on the action, and provides digital temperature control up to 430 degrees.
Measuring in at 0.75 inches, Bio Ionic's offering is a tiny bit wider than BaByLiss's and features a long barrel, so long strands get the full treatment. The stylist-favorite tool features multiple heat settings and a combination of what they call NanoIonic MX and Moisturizing Heat Technologies "that lock in moisture and seal the cuticle, ensuring curls last long and stay hydrated and bouncy instead of dull and limp."
Tapering Off
Another common shape you'll see is a conical or tapered wand. These can provide a more natural-looking curl thanks to their varied width; you get both the beach-y look and a tighter shape at once, rather than everything appearing super uniform.
A stylist-favorite brand, Hot Tools' tapered wand comes equipped with an eight-foot (!) cord and variable heat settings up to 450 degrees so you can really personalize your curling wand experience without being tethered (too closely) to an outlet. And don't worry—that little stand on the end isn't a clamp; it's a footrest so you can set your curler down without leaving a mark.
Surprise, surprise: another point for ghd. Great for beach waves, this wand's barrel tapers from 0.9 inches to 1 inch and features a cool tip, just in case you really can't help but touch it. (I get it, I promise—it's a good thing most of the others come with a heat-proof glove.) Also, while my "three-second heating" comment above was an exaggeration, it does get hot in just 25 seconds. Actual magic.
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