Curling Iron

Add bounce and glamour to your locks with alluring curls. Skilful use of a curling iron can add curls, waves and incredible body to your hair. With a curling iron, you can add texture to your hair and shape it into flattering hairstyles. Read about ceramic curling irons that use ceramic and digital technology. Learn about curling iron holders that make for convenient storage.

Curling iron

From time immemorial, women have used many methods to add waves and curls to their hair. Curling irons can be traced back to the late 19th century when a French inventor Marcel Grateau invented a system of styling hair into curls using heated rods. The curling irons of today have come a long way and offer ease and convenience to change the wave pattern of your hair from tight curls to cascading spirals.

A curling iron has a metal rod that heats up and a plastic grip for you to hold and style your hair. It is essential to place the curling iron at the base of the hair and then roll it up till the ends. Often most women work the other way round, thereby creating a frizzy look.

Place the curling iron about an inch from the scalp and rotate the rest of the hair through the iron as you work it down the hair shaft. Once you have held the hair for about 10 seconds, open the curling iron and release the curl. Repeat this for all sections of your hair. Shake out the curls and watch the bouncy hair cascading down your shoulders. Used right, a curling iron can lend your hair a glamorous makeover in minutes. A few well-placed curls and you can be all set for the special look. You can get innovative and add just a few loose spiral curls around your face. You can try a few seductive curls along the back of your neck.

• Always use curling irons on dry and clean hair. Even if the hair is slightly damp, it can result in severe damage from thermal styling. The hot curling iron will cause the damp hair to swell and open the cuticle, thereby forcing out the protective moisture from the cortex.
  
  
• Shampoo and condition your hair with a moisturizing conditioner and treat it with a leave-in conditioner for protection against damage.
  
  
• You can spray your hair lightly with soft-hold hair spray
  
  
• Use a skinny wand for tight and small curls and a thick curling iron for large and bouncy curls
  
  
• Avoid bringing the curling iron close the scalp and hairline for fear of burning the skin
  
  
• If you regularly use a curling iron, ensure that you deep-condition your hair to guard it against hair damage
  
  
• Do not place your curling iron in or near water or other liquids
  
  
• It is advisable to refrain from using attachments that are not recommended by the manufacturer
  
  
• Using a styling product along with the curling iron can help your curls last longer.
  
  
• Divide the hair into sections and work with manageable amounts of hair. Do not attempt to curl too much hair at a time.
  

The heat from the curling iron acts along with the natural moisture in the hair, causing certain protein bonds in the hair structure to break. When the hair is curled around a curler of the curling iron, new bonds are created to hold the hair in a temporarily curled condition. But curling irons can be very hard on the structural integrity of the hair shaft.

Curling iron holder

Look for a secure and safe curling iron holder that will protect it in the chaotic mess of your dressing table. You can pick up a durable curling iron holder made of steel or acrylic. This would easily fit on the closet or vanity door and allow you to organize your makeup items. There is many a heat –resistant and insulated storage options available for curling irons. They make for ease of use during travel and storage. You can pack up your curling iron without waiting for it to cool completely.

Ceramic curling iron

Ceramic curling irons seal the hair cuticle and create a shiny effect on your curled hair. You can adjust the temperature settings to tailor it to your hair type. The features of ceramic curling irons include:

• Sealing the cuticles
  
  
• Repelling humidity
  
  
• Locking hair color and resisting fading
  
  
• Maintenance of even temperature all the time.
  

Adjustable temperature settings in a ceramic curling iron allows a hair stylist to create final texture from soft to firm curls. Some of the ceramic curling irons come with digital temperature display to let you know what temperature is right for your hair. It takes the guesswork out of the curling procedure. Ceramic curling irons release gentle, far-infrared heat that helps preserve the natural moisture and luster in hair. Ions help in inhibiting bacteria and odor buildup.