6 Best Curling Iron For African American Hair

African American Hair (or more commonly known as Afro hair) is very unique. It is very diverse and holds its shape for creating an innovative look.

Just like all other types of hair, afro hair also poses some difficulties while styling with heat.

Curling is particularly difficult so, we have compiled this list of some of the best hair curlers for African American hair that you can potentially buy for curly hair.

But before that. let us answer some questions!

What are the different types of African American Hair?

African American hair generally comes in 4 types; Wavy, Straight, curly, and kinky. If you want to curl a straight African American hair, it could be difficult for the course type while easy for fine.

With wavy hair, the finer types can get a good curl while the courser type may seem frizzy. Moving on to the curly types, looser curls can be frizzy while the tight curls are less frizzy.

Also, kinky hair is generally determined by Z like shapes. It can be styled but is very difficult to style properly.

check out – 6 Best Straighteners For Short Hair

Why is African American hair different?

African American hair has a fragile nature due to its structure so, it may need more TLC.

We recommend you to wash your hair once a week to prevent hair products being built up in the hair.

What should you do to take care of African American hair?

To take care of your African American hair, you should cut down on the use of hair products and hair devices. This means minimum blow dryers and conditioners!

You can use a wide-toothed comb for detangling your hair and use a natural oil to keep your moisturized.

How to use a curling iron with an African American hair?

The whole process of using a curling iron is similar to any other kind of hair but there are slight differences. You can follow the instructions given below for styling the African American hair in the best way possible:

Step 1: Preparation Stage- The first thing you need to do is curl the black hair. It is really important to ensure that you protect your hair first. You can use a serum cream or a small amount of natural oil to provide a heat barrier that will stop the hair from being dry.

Step 2: Barrel Selection – There are different types of barrel sizes and it is important you choose the correct size in accordance with the hair type. For shorter hair and 5/8 inch barrel will do the job. For longer hair, you should use wider barrels.

Small barrels are generally easier to maneuver while bigger barrels can create some good looking hairstyles.

As far as the build quality of the barrel goes, get a ceramic barrel as it will provide you more heat distribution. You can even go one step further and use a ceramic barrel with tourmaline technology for even better protection.

Step 3: Using the iron – The next stage is to first relax your hair and using the curling iron on a low temperature. Do not use it at high temperatures as it can cause damage.

what about – 6 Best Flat Iron For Short Hair

Hairstyles for African American hair

With the Irons explained and reviewed in this post, you can create the following hairstyles for your hair:

Springy Corkscrew

For this hairstyle, you can use a thin barreled curling iron as we mentioned earlier. But if you have thick hair and you want a springy corkscrew, you should use the iron at high heat settings.

Tight Corkscrews- For tight corkscrews, you need a curling iron with a sizable barrel. You need to curl every strand of hair for this so, when using curls the hair, apply mousse to the hair. Remember to run your fingers through your hair in the best way possible.

Wavy Style

For a wavy style hair, you need a 1-inch barrel to curl your hair. Just wrap the hair around the barrel and curl it. You can use the spray before releasing the hair to make sure the style stays longer.

Best Curling Iron For African American Hair

1. REMINGTON Pro Conical Curling Wand

The REMINGTON pro conical curling wand has a pearl ceramic build made for less damage. The curling wand is pretty fast to use and gives you salon-like results.

There is a crushed pearl infused barrel for smooth, frizz-free waves. You get 410 F heat settingsfor fast results. It runs in 60 hertz.

There is a conical barrel for natural waves. An even ceramic coating is present for providing consistent heat.

Pros

• Great performance
• impressive quality
• Affordable price

Cons

• No warranty option
• The tip of the want is very small

2. Hot Tools Professional Curling Iron/Wand

The Hot Tools Professional curling iron comes with 24 karat iron. It will provide you with gorgeous hair. There are plenty of hairstyles such as waves, curls, and loops that you can do with this product. The standard is set very high and every hair can be curled consistently.

The irons get hot enough and they stay hot for a long time. In case of a temperature drop, you have smart sensors that will restore it in no time.

You get a variable heat setting. There is also a separate on/off switch that makes it easy to operate. You get a 1-year warranty with this product.

Pros

• Unique styling surface
• Variable heat settings
• Foldaway safety stand to protect your hands
• 1-year warranty

Cons

• Might not work well with frizzy and coarse hair.

3. Remington Pro Thermaluxe Curling Wand

The Remington Pro Thermaluxe curling wand boasts to provide you with a 24-hour curl hold. The curling wand has a size of 1 inch and it creates medium curls. There is an advanced thermal technology. The ceramic Non Slip barrel present in this curling wand will provide you more control.

As far as the heat goes, it has around 410 degrees F of high heat. The iron will heat up in 30 seconds max and it also has a swivel cord for tangle-free salon-quality hair. You even get a heat-protective pouch and glove with this product.

Pros

• Advanced Thermal Technology and 24-hour hold
• Impressive nonslip barrel
• Salon like results
• lots of heat settings
• high heat

Cons

• The curling wand can be a bit difficult to use
• The safety system is lackluster so you might burn your hands accidentally.

4. HOT TOOLS Professional Marcel curling Iron/Wand

The Marcel Iron from HOT TOOLS is one of the best curling irons for African American hair. It provides snappy curls and loose waves quite easily. It is very easy and fast to use.

The design is also impressive. It has a 24K gold plated surface. This surface also makes it a good conductor of heat so, heat distribution is even here.

You can see the proprietary Pulse Technology here i.e. the curling iron will get hot and then stay hot. The smart sense tool for restoring dropped temperature is also present. And the Marcel iron is engineered for providing you with a salon-like result.

Pros

• Foldaway Stand
• Firm grip
• Pulse and Smart sense technology
• high heat

Cons

• A bit expensive (because of the gold plated surface)

5. BaBylissPRO

BaByliss is the world’s leader in the manufacturing of high-performance styling tools. The product is chosen by hairdressers, barbers, and clients everywhere. The product is versatile and is engineered to last. The ceramic tool spring curling iron uses ceramic barrel technology.

This provides consistent heat to the product making it great for smooth curls. The ceramic build here provides you 25 settings to choose from.

The heat can go up to 400F and there are 4 different size barrels available. The ceramic barrel technology here allows faster styling time and reduces the stress on the hair.

Pros

• Manual control over heat settings
• Various size of barrels available
• Consistent heat for smooth curls

Cons

• The temperature regulator has a bad quality
• The build quality is very bad

6. 5 in 1 Professional Curling Iron and Wand Set

This might be the most valuable product in this list because of all the items here. For a very cheap price you get these things so, we definitely recommend this.

The curling iron kit includes a tapered clipless barrel, a 1-inch barrel with a clamp, heat resistant gloves, and an impressive barrel to maximize the curling surface area.

The tourmaline ceramic technology here can seal moisture, protect cuticles, and reduce the hair frizz. It will definitely provide you a shinier, healthier finish to your hair.

You get a digital temperature control with 9 precise temperature settings. The temperature goes between 250 F to 410 F. The curling iron is suitable for all types of hair from short, medium, and long to fine hair.

The curling iron runs in dual voltage and it adjusts automatically to the proper voltage when used with a compatible adapter.

It turns off automatically after 60 minutes of use. You get a 2-year warranty on this product and there is a money-back guarantee option too if you are not satisfied.

Pros

• 2-year warranty
• Value for money
• Great performance
• Impressive quality

Cons

• Some of the barrels can stop working after a while
• The heat distribution isn’t even

Conclusion

African American hair can be curled but it is very susceptible to tangles and can get dry soon. Due to the structure of the African American hair, it becomes prone to damage from heat and almost all curling irons work with heat. So, selecting the proper curling iron to do damage control becomes necessary.

Also, African American hair is naturally fluffy so, some of the hair might not even need styling!

Anyway, in today’s world everyone wants to style their hair with precision and if you are looking to style your African American hair in a proper manner, do follow our instructions and get the curling irons that we have reviewed in this article.