I can’t tell you how many years I have spent trying to get big, bouncy waves to stay in my hair. Everytime I open up Instagram or TikTok, I always see tutorials with people using hair rollers or the Dyson Airwrap to get these voluminous curls, but whenever I try the same thing, my hair just ends up falling flat. I’ve practised waving my hair with straighteners, I’ve spent hours on YouTube trying to perfect heatless curls, I’ve wasted a fair amount of money on various hair tools… but nothing has given me the result I want.
That was until a few months ago when I was getting ready at my friend’s house. I had forgotten to bring anything to do my hair with, so I asked her if I could borrow something of hers, and she handed me what looked like a very simple curling wand from BaByliss. I had never been a big fan of curling wands as they’ve never seemed to be able to create the bouncy yet natural-looking waves I was after. As it turns out though, I just hadn’t found the right one.
After using the BaByliss tool and brushing the curls out with a wide-tooth comb, I was left with perfectly voluminous waves that stayed in place all night long (with a little help from some hairspray, of course). The next day I went home and ordered the exact same curling wand online, and was delighted to find out that it was only £48. Since then, I have never had so many compliments on my hair, so I thought it was only right that I did an in-depth review for any of you who also struggle to keep your waves or curls in place.
First things first, let me get into a bit of detail about the curling wand. Because it’s a wand, the tool doesn’t have a clamp, so you simply wrap your hair around the barrel. The barrel itself is titanium and is 28mm wide, and this length means it’s great for thicker or longer hair types. I personally have very thick, medium-length hair, and I found that this was the perfect size.
The wand is super easy to navigate and comes with six different heat settings up to 210°C. I tend to have mine set to 190°C, but this is totally dependent on your hair type. I was so impressed by how quickly the hair tool heated up, and it also comes with a handy heat-protective mat and glove to stop you from burning yourself and any surfaces in your house.
In order to get those perfect bouncy waves, I always section my hair into parts, apply a heat protectant and wrap the hair around the barrel in the direction away from my face. I tend to hold it there for around 10 seconds (again, this is totally dependent on your hair type and which temperature you have the curling wand set at), and then after removing the wand, I hold the curl in place (still wearing the heat-protective glove) for around another 10 seconds to help it “set” and stay all day. Once all the curls are done, I take a wide-tooth comb and brush them out to get that voluminous finish before appling a generous amount of hairspray to hold them in place.
Fans of brands such as GHD might be wondering why this curling wand is titanium instead of ceramic. When it comes to choosing between titanium and ceramic, it’s important to consider your hair type and what you want from your hair tool. If, like me, you have thicker hair that you find harder to style (and harder to keep in that style) then titanium may be the best option for you, as these hair tools often have higher heat settings and can transfer heat to your hair a lot quicker. That being said, because of this, they can also be more damaging to the hair, so if you want something a bit more gentle, then I would recommend going for a ceramic option.
Overall, is the BaByliss curling wand worth it? In my opinion, yes. Not only is it affordable, but it gives more expensive curling tools a run for their money thanks to how well it styles the hair.
Pros: Six different heat settings, has a long barrel, comes with a protective mat and glove, the titanium wand helps the curls last a lot longer and it is much more affordable than other hair tools.
Cons: Can be more damaging to the hair and doesn’t come with a clasp, so can be trickier to get the hang of.
Next Up: I Tried the Dyson Airwrap, and These Are My Honest Thoughts