Friday, July 31, 2015

Beautiful, Beachy Waves with a Clampless Curling Iron

Taylor Stevens Salon & Spa's Blog

August 1st, 2015 • Posted by Taylor Stevens Salon & Spa •

Do you aspire to have big, beautiful, beachy waves? We can't blame you. Bouncy beach waves are a summer hairstyle staple and they're not going out of style any time soon. Although you can achieve this look with a curling iron, one of the best tools to use is a clampless curling iron (also known as a curling wand or rod). At first, using a curling wand may seem tricky, but with some practice, some stylists insist that it is even faster than using a traditional curling iron.
There are many benefits of using a curling wand rather than a curling iron:
  • A curling wand is better at getting closer to the roots and allows you to create perfect, natural-looking curls from roots to ends without those unattractive, kinky, crimp marks that a traditional curling iron can leave behind.
  • Since there is no clamp, it's highly unlikely that your hair will get tangled, reducing the chances of severe damage.
  • A curling rod also gives you more control, because as you're grabbing sections of hair to curl, you're able to vary the thickness and orientation of each curl.
  • Many curling wands have detachable barrels, making it easy to switch between different sized barrels and create dynamic hairstyles.
If you're a little hesitant about shelling out the dough for a new tool that you're not even sure you'll like, here are three different techniques you can try to get an idea of how to use a curling wand and the types of curls it creates:
  1. You can wrap hair around the closed barrel of a curling iron, making sure to do or else indents of the clamp will appear in your curls.
  2. You can try opening the clamp and winding your hair around the barrel, without closing the clamp. It's a little tricky at first, but you'll get the hang of it with some practice.
  3. You can transform an old curling iron into a curling wand by removing the clamp on a traditional curling iron with a screwdriver.
Get the curls you desire. Here's a chart to help you decide which size of barrel you should use for you your locks:
Curl type                     Suggested Barrel Size           Hair Length
Super thin tendrils          3/8" (iron)                      Short to medium
Shirley temple ringlets   1/2-5/8" (iron)                Short to medium
Classy coils                    1" (iron)                          Medium
Loopy curls                    1 1/4"  (iron/rod)            Medium to long
Big curls                         1 1/2" (rod)                    Medium to long
Loose "S" waves            2"+ (rod)                         Long
If you decide to invest in an official curling wand, make sure to buy one that includes a heat resistant glove. Before you apply any heat to your hair, use a heat protectant, like Aveda's BrilliantTM Damage ControlTM, to shield hair from heat damage. If you have fine or color treated hair, use a low heat setting (below 200 degrees). If you have coarse, curly or thick hair, adjust your heat setting between 200 - 300 degrees. As you curl your hair, pay attention to how it responds to the heat and adjust the temperature accordingly, but never go above 400 degrees.
It's also best to choose a ceramic and tourmaline curling wand, because they're the safest and healthiest for your hair. Ceramic wands diffuse heat through your hair more evenly, while the tourmaline releases negative ions that leave locks looking shinier and feeling silky smooth.
If you want to learn more tips and tricks, schedule a free hair consultation. We would be happy to sit down and talk with you about your hair concerns and suggest a few products to make styling easier for your type of hair.