7 Best Hair Wavers in 2024 for Mermaid Hair, Tested and Reviewed

Table Of Content

• How to Use a Three-Barrel Curling Iron
• A Fan-Favorite Pick
• Best for Thick Hair: Sultra Bombshell One-Inch Curling Rod
• Amika High Tide Deep Waver
• Conair Mini Waver – Best for On-The-Go Styling
• BLUETOP Bluetop Three Barrel Curling Iron
• Number of Barrels
• Best Multi-Barrel Curling Iron: Hot Tools Pro Artist Gold 3-Barrel Hair Waver

That said, I tested my hair with that temperature because this was one of the first hair wavers I tested and there wasn’t any guidance available. At this temperature, the hair waver gave me a substantial wavy look that remained in place throughout my entire 9-hour-long day. The iron alerts you when it’s fully heated, and you won’t be waiting long, as this waver heats up fast—ideal for anyone who is often in a time crunch. Though it may seem pretty straightforward, in order to get the best results from your hair waver, you should properly prep your and use the right finishing products.

How to Use a Three-Barrel Curling Iron

Beachwaver Review: This Curling Iron is Like Your Own Personal Hair Assistant - GLAMOUR UK

Beachwaver Review: This Curling Iron is Like Your Own Personal Hair Assistant.

Posted: Fri, 19 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

And she tests quite literally thousands of launches for our Beauty Awards package. It’s also the most lightweight hair waver on our list, which Hurtado appreciates. “Sometimes wavers can be a little heavy and make your arms a little sore, but I like that it’s super lightweight.

A Fan-Favorite Pick

The Revlon 3 Barrel Jumbo Hair Waver scored poorly in nearly every aspect of testing. It’s a very flimsy hair waver with an unusual clamp that makes it very difficult to maneuver through hair— I couldn’t even get a great grip on it. The Hot Tools Pro Artist 24K Gold 3 Barrel Hair Waver earned perfect scores in every category—build and durability, usability, and performance.

Best for Thick Hair: Sultra Bombshell One-Inch Curling Rod

The larger size of the tool could pose a larger risk of burning yourself, and the different shape can take some time to get used to. “Wavers are so simple to use, but the size and clamping may feel foreign at first,” says Maine. Additionally, Toth notes that the high heat and surface area combination could be slightly more damaging to your strands than a traditional curling wand. “Prep your hair with a heat protectant, and while you're crimping, try not to overlap any crimps while you're working your way down a section of hair,” he says. Here, we spoke to pro hairstylists Devin Toth and Joseph Maine to find out what three-barrel curling irons do, the benefits of using one, and how to work with the tool.

Amika High Tide Deep Waver

The waver also has some enviable safety features other hair wavers didn’t—most notably an auto-shutoff feature, a high metal stand, and an included glove to protect your fingers from the heat. It also comes with a one-year warranty, so you can feel good about your purchase, even if it was the most expensive hair waver we tested. "Do this around your whole head and vary the size of the sections for a more natural look," OCool says in the video. When you reach the face-framing pieces, curl toward your face to mimic a voluminous curl pattern. For your bangs, style it with a traditional barrel curl toward your face, and then you'll want to go in with a fine-toothed comb, lift the hair at the root, and spray it with hairspray. Finally, dry that section on the lowest setting to prevent it from moving.

When it comes to results—arguably the most important aspect of a quality hair waver—this one outperforms the rest. I repeated that action two to three times down each section of hair and all over my head, which took about 15 minutes. A waver has two metal plates, but instead of flat plates like a hair straightener, it has waved or cylindrical plates to create a wave effect. The more extensive the temperature range, the more versatility you have with your appliance. You cannot get a perfect wave at less than 190 degrees Fahrenheit, but some waver irons go up to 475 degrees and can wave your hair much more quickly. Beauty cult classic Drybar has finally come out with a hair waver, and it’s pretty great.

The best curling tongs, wands and wavers for all hair types - Harper's Bazaar UK

The best curling tongs, wands and wavers for all hair types.

Posted: Mon, 20 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Freund also tested a few top-rated tools and pored over reviews for dozens of others, evaluating each on their features and customer feedback. All of our experts recommend using a heat protectant before using a hot tool, both for protection and to add nourishment to the hair. Some of their favorites are Drybar’s Hot Toddy Heat Protectant, the Mermade Mist, and Amika’s Water Sign Hydrating Oil. Their favorites are Drybar’s Final Call Frizz & Static Control Spray and Amika’s Un.Done Volume and Matte Texture Spray for the perfect bedhead look.

Not only will that reduce damage, it will also help cut down on clamp marks or dents in your style. A hair waver is comprised of two to three barrels, whereas curling irons have one that you wrap hair around. Newman notes that if you have fine hair that doesn’t hold a curl, a hair waver is a great way to add shape. “A curling iron is going to give you more of a vertical curl, whereas a hair waver is going to give you more of a horizontal wave,” says Polko. For this piece, Tatjana Freund spoke with experts and hair stylists about the benefits of hair wavers how to use them.

Best Multi-Barrel Curling Iron: Hot Tools Pro Artist Gold 3-Barrel Hair Waver

Aptly-named, this wand is designed to give you voluminous, bouncy mermaid waves after heating up in just 60 seconds. With a large barrel size of 1.25 inches, it’s a great pick for long hair. “Your hair length matters when choosing a hair waver because if you have really long hair, you want to use a bigger barrel,” says Polko. Those who have long hair know how long it can take to style it, and a larger barrel size will help cut down on styling time by heating up more hair in each clamp. Yes, we love this mermaid hair waver's pretty salmon pink aesthetic, but it's also functional — we promise! Not only does it heat up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, but each 1-inch barrel is coated in a tourmaline ceramic glaze to prevent heat damage and frizz.

We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors — in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon — is essential to reaching that goal. Nicole Saunders is the beauty editor at Best Products with over seven years of experience researching, writing, and editing lifestyle content. She specializes in breaking down complicated topics, like high-frequency wands and microcurrent devices, into easy-to-understand guides.

Wands have no clamps and relay on the user's ability to wrap around and hold their hair in place — which is why most wands come packaged with a heat-resistant glove (to avoid close-contact injuries). Curling irons with clamps are probably the most common type and allow you to create a variety of curls depending on how you feed the hair, twist/roll the wand, open/close the clamp, and release. We especially love the styling flexibility the entire collection of Babe Waves hair wavers offers.

I attribute that last part to the ceramic-glazed plates feeling smooth against my strands. The bulky, heavy design of most hair wavers makes it tricky to maneuver, which can result in burning yourself or less-than-ideal waves. I love this single barrel waver that is super lightweight and makes it easy to style your hair. A three-barrel curling iron is a hot tool that comprises a trio of side-by-side curling wands. When used on a section of hair, the tool will create a soft, wavy texture. “The way the hair is creased between the three barrels results in a shape that’s like an elongated 'W,' ” Maine says.

As an added bonus, it has an auto shutoff option, so you no longer have to worry whether you unplugged it before leaving the house. This hair waver was created by celebrity hairstylist Sarah Potempa, who counts Lea Michele, Emily Blunt, and Busy Phillips as clients, so you already know it’s going to be a high-quality product. What’s more, the hair waver has a very outdated set of controls that don’t quite make sense. Rather than a screen, there’s a big red "on/off" switch and a dial that goes from 0 to 30 in increments of 5. Although the instructions offer some guidance on the temperature range to use based on your hair type, those numbers don’t match the increments on the dial. The Conair Double Ceramic Triple Barrel Curl Styling Waver is among one of the best budget-friendly hair wavers we tested, but the value wasn’t quite there.

All products featured on Glamour are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Speaking of exciting functionalities, there are cool tips to avoid accidental burns, and the velvet handles add extra comfort. It also heats up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning the iron is compatible with all hair thicknesses and textures. This highly rated hair waver costs around $36 and offers exceptional styling versatility.