Forget the Iron: Try These Cool New Ways to Curl Your Hair

Since its invention in the 1800s, the curling iron has been a staple in every woman’s bathroom. Sure, it’s done the job—it can help you create every hairstyle from loose waves to tight coils—but a new wave of hair styling tools is making the rounds…and might make you rethink the antiquated iron.

Infiniti Pro by Conair Curl Secret

1. Infiniti Pro by Conair Curl Secret ($99.99, curlsecret.com)
This strange-looking tool is a godsend for anyone who isn’t good with a traditional curling iron. You take a small section of hair and slip it into the tool’s opening, but what happens next is a bit of a mystery. When you clamp the tool down, it fully encloses the hair, so you can’t see what’s going on. You wait and listen for the beeping sound that signals it’s time to take your hair out, and you’re left with a springy curl. (Note: BeLissPro makes an identical tool called Curl Genius)
Pro: This is the perfect lazy girl hair tool. It takes almost no effort and, better yet, no skill set to get a head of curls.
Con: Because the tool does everything for you, you’re left with zero control over how your curls turn out, so you’re unable to tweak how loose or tight they are.

Click n Curl

2. Click n Curl ($44.99, click-n-curl.com)
We’re always in awe of the way hairstylists can wield a barrel brush to make hair look voluminous and wavy. DIY blowouts tend to end with burned ends and flat, lifeless hair. The Click n Curl helps make the process a little easier. As you twist your hair around the brush and dry it, you’re able to pop the handle out of the brush’s barrel, so it stays in place on your head. You then connect another barrel and move on to a different section of hair.
Pro: By leaving the barrels in as you dry, you’re able to create voluminous curls more easily.
Con: Their smallest barrels are still pretty large, so you won’t be able to get a tight curl.

Air Curler

3. Air Curler ($14.99, aircurler.com)
If you’ve seen the infomercial, then you know how promising the Air Curler looks. Using the same idea as a cotton candy machine, the mechanism (which attaches to your blow dryer) spins hair into a loose curl.
Pro: You’re supposed to use the Air Curler on damp hair, so you don’t have to worry about drying and then styling.
Con: The finished look is a little messy, so if you’re in the mood for polished curls, this is not for you.

Read more: An Owner’s Guide to Naturally Wavy Hair