When you are looking for the best curling iron, walking into a beauty supply store or doing a quick search online can be overwhelming:  there are so many different sized barrels and varieties of curling irons out there!  How do you know which one is right for you?  Before you get frustrated and decide “to heck with it”, take a look at this guide:

• Size Matters: The smaller the barrel, the tighter the curls.  The shorter your hair, the smaller the barrel needed.  If you have shoulder length or shorter hair, you’ll need nothing larger than a one inch barrel to help you add body and style to your hair.  If you have longer hair, then you can afford to experiment with larger barrel sizes.
• Straight or Curly? You can kill two birds with one iron when you get a curling iron that opens in the middle to straighten your hair.  These two-in-one irons can help you get just the look you need, no matter what your mood is that day.
• Protection is Key! With any heat appliance, you need to make sure that you are protecting your hair. So go with a ceramic curling iron or a tourmaline finish so that the heat is evenly distributed and the ions help to seal the cuticle.

What makes a curling iron the “best” curling iron?  The standards have risen in the world of curling irons because the technology to make a curling iron great has become more attainable.  We now know that ceramic curling irons are among the best for your hair because the ceramic creates negatively charged ions that actually helps protect your hair.  It seals in the moisture and helps to prevent breakage.  The ceramic also helps to create an even conduit for heat.  This means no more troublesome hot spots on your curling barrel.  Tourmaline curling irons offer similar advantages but they are often a little more expensive for practically the same results.  It just depends on what your budget is for finding the best curling iron that determines which finish you go with.  If you want to get great curls like Jessica’s then make sure you use the best curling iron!

Sometimes the best curling irons are not the most expensive ones.  A lot of times people associate quality with cost but I’ve found that just because a curling iron costs an arm and a leg, that doesn’t always mean that it does a better job than one that is more affordable.  While you don’t want to buy the cheapest curling iron if you want to keep your hair looking healthy, there are options out there that won’t break the bank.

There are two important qualities to look for when you are buying curling irons:

1.  Ceramic

A ceramic curling iron is one of the first and foremost requirements when you are looking for the best curling iron.  A ceramic coating or finish to the barrel will help protect your hair.  Applying any kind of heat to your hair is a risky endeavor because hair is fragile.  To avoid breakage, split ends and overall damage, making sure your curling iron has ceramic plating will make a major difference.

2.  Temperature control

Not all hair is created equal, which means a curling iron should never be one-temperature-fits-all.  Finer hair needs a lower heat setting while coarser hair will need higher heat settings in order to hold a curl.  If you can’t control the temperature settings you risk damaging your hair or just not getting the results that you need.

If the curling iron you are considering has these two important qualities, then you are on the right track.  Chances are that the one for $30 will work just as well as the one for $300.  The choice is up to you.

Alicia Keys always looks fabulous, and in my opinion, never more so than when she rocked this super sexy, Bardot-esque bombshell hair! It can be hard to decide which curling irons will work best on your hair if you’re African American, but Alicia and her stylist clearly have it figured out. If you’re looking for a curling iron that will effectively curl your hair without damaging it, here are some guidelines to keep in mind:

• Choose an iron with a ceramic or tourmaline – NOT metal – barrel. Metal barrels can seriously dry out, burn and damage your hair, whereas ceramic curling irons seal in moisture and leave your hair healthier than before.
• Turn the heat up high. How high? That depends on the texture and thickness of your hair, so use your own judgment, but remember than African American hair tends to be coarse, so you’ll probably need to crank the heat a little to add the curl you want.
• Use a thermal protectant beforehand. This will prevent the extra high heat from frying your locks!
• Dry your hair completely first. You can’t use heat styling tools on wet hair, because the heat can actually cook your hair! Not pretty.

After curling, try pulling your hair into a half-up, half-down style a la Alicia. Your romantic style is sure to rake in the compliments!

My favorite show currently on TV is The Office – and one of my favorite characters is Pam. Pam Beesley, as played by Jenna Fischer, has had quite the character arc so far. We’ve seen her grow and mature from a meek receptionist with an insensitive fiance and a latent interest in art to a brave, self-assured woman unafraid to go for what she wants. Over the course of six (and counting) seasons, we’ve seen Pam leave her relationship, move to New York to study graphic design, ask her boss to promote her from receptionist to sales, and – perhaps most importantly – actively pursue a relationship with her soulmate, Jim Halpert. To go along with her newly acquired confidence, Pam’s style has developed as well…but, while cute, she’s still far from glamorous. Jenna Fischer, on the other hand, is really getting the hang of the red carpet! I think she looks absolutely gorgeous here, especially her softly waved hair that cascades around her shoulders. Best of all, it’s a look that’s fairly attainable for those of is with longer hair! The best curling irons for this kind of look are those with larger barrels. The size of the barrel corresponds to the size of the curl it will produce, so if you want big, loose curls like these, you’ll need something with at least a 1 1/2″ inch barrel. Just wrap sections of hair around the barrel for a few seconds at a time, muss everything up with your fingers, a give yourself a not-too-precise center part. Now you’re ready to join Jenna in leaving “The Office” behind!

Getting glamorous, feathered out, volumized hair, like country superstar Carrie Underwood, is not an impossibility.  All you need is a little patience, a little know-how, and the best curling irons to get this look.

First, before you dry your hair, add some volumizing mousse to add texture to your hair.  Then you will want to blow dry your hair in sections using a large round brush so that you can add even more volume.  Once your hair is completely dry, you will want to divide your hair into sections again so that you can make sure to curl hair all over.  You will want to use a barrel size no larger than one inch.  A 3/4″ barrel is the best choice.  Take small sections of hair, a half inch or one inch amount, and wind around the barrel.  Continue doing this all over your head until you have a head full of tight ringlets.  Let hair set in this tightly wound state for about thirty minutes.  Then gently comb your fingers through your hair to release the curls so they fall into voluminous waves.  Create a far right part and then smooth the top layer of your hair or bangs, to achieve a more polished look.

I always wonder about the best way to do my hair when I am going to special events. I have short hair and so I can’t do elaborate updos or voluminous waves. I always thought I would just have to make it look sleek and sharp. However, a good friend of mine suggested I try to do ringlets all over my head to create a fun and bouncy look that could be really sexy and playful at the same time. She insisted on experimenting with my style and said she had the best curling irons to choose from to make it happen. I am so glad she wanted to play “dress up.” I was surprised at how easy it was to get my hair looking like it was naturally curly. She chose a three-quarter inch barrel curling iron as her weapon. She then took small sections and sprayed them with hairspray before curling the section. This made my style hold together all night and also made my hair look shiny and healthy. I love this new style and I can even do it myself, without her help!

Get a flipped out look, like Alyson Hannigan!

Curling irons do not have to be reserved for use when attending special events. You can have fun with your hair on a daily basis! Experimenting with the best curling irons gives you the freedom to be creative with your hairstyle and look beautiful everyday.

Many people think of curling irons as just a tool for curling ones hair. Heck, it’s in the name! But in reality curling irons are much more versatile than just that. You can use your curling iron to create volume on a straight style. You can even use your curling iron to straighten your hair. Sounds counterintuitive but it’s true. Just take a section of your hair, as you would if you were curling it, and instead of wrapping the hair around the barrel, glide the hair through. This will smooth your hair straight and you can also use the iron to then create a flipped out or curled under finish.

If you have an event to attend, such as a wedding or a formal party, you will want to look your very best.  Since summer is wedding season, chances are you have such an event on the horizon.  Whether you are in the wedding or attending as a guest, your hair will need more maintenance than on a normal day.  Using the professional curling irons to create a beautiful hair style is a great way to get yourself noticed.

When choosing what kind of hair style to attempt, consider the natural texture of your hair.  Is it fine or coarse?  Naturally straight or curly?  Is your hair cut long or short?  The texture and cut of your hair will determine the best curling iron for you to use.  If you have a short hair cut, a small barrel curling iron, anything one inch or smaller, will give you the best results.  If your hair is longer you can experiment with a 2 inch curling iron.  You need to be careful to tailor the heat of the iron to the texture of your hair.  Fine hair is more sensitive while coarser hair can withstand higher temperatures.  Once you find the best curling iron for you, you can start having fun with your style!

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Sometimes it’s tough determining the best possible products to buy, and this includes products as simple as a curling iron! Walking into a target or walmart and trying to pick out the best curling iron isn’t easy. Because of these challenges, I’ve decided to make a cheat sheet available on the absolute best curling irons around! We’ll take a look at the more expensive irons that are used by the pros as well as the more affordable irons that work great for everyday use.

One of the best curling irons for waves is the Conair Cermaics Tools 1- 1/2″ Spring Curl. This is one of the better ceramic curling irons that is able to create soft waves with a 1 1/4 inch curling iron. This specific model has 25 different heat settings and it also helps to eliminate frizz.

Another great curling iron is any iron from the brand Hot Tools. The Hot tools brand is the preferred curling iron brand that is used by the pros. They are often the best pick from InStyle magazine. Every iron comes with a gauage that tells you how how it is, and lets you turn up the heat for coarser hair and turn down the heat for finer hair. Most models run somehwere between $29-$39.

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