Every time I pick up my curling wand, a clip of the viral hair-curling-gone-wrong video (the one of the girl burning her hair right off after clamping her hair onto the barrel for too long) runs through my mind and I’m instantly reminded of the importance of keeping heat off my hair for no longer than I absolutely need to (watch it here at your own discretion). But, when I’m half way through curling, because of the way wands are crafted, my wrist usually gets sore from holding and maneuvering it around my head and I don’t want to hold my hair on the barrel for very long, anyways. But all of this changed when the Curlbar ($100), the newest launch from Hot Tools, arrived at my desk—I knew it looked untraditional for a curling iron at first glance, but what I didn’t know was that it was going to solve all issues I faced when it came to styling my strands every morning the second I started using it.
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The design is obviously unique and doesn’t look like your standard iron or wand with a completely straight barrel. Instead, it features a 90 degree angle to prevent any shoulder, elbow or wrist strain while you use it and it’s also great for both right and left hand usage. I didn’t think this would make that big of a difference, but after using it a handful of times, I’ve noticed zero discomfort. Once you pick up the iron, you’ll notice there’s so much more than meets the eye than just the “L’ shape barrel—like the optional timer, for starters. At the junction of the angle (this is also where you turn the tool on/off and set the temperature, which goes up to 450 degrees), you’ll find an optional timer feature that’s designed to be to pressed when your hair is wrapped around the barrel. Set the timer for up to 30 seconds depending on your hair type and how reluctant it is to hold a curl (you can watch the timer count down the seconds if you’re curious) and once it vibrates, your curl is ready!
Plus, if you’re like me and also find yourself second guessing if you remembered to turn off your hot tools before you left the house, there’s a feature for that too. The curling iron will automatically shut off after two hours of use so you can kiss all worrying—both about whether or not you left it on and if your hair has been on the barrel for too long—goodbye for good. The Curlbar is available now in a one inch or 1.25 inch barrel for small or medium-sized curls that last ALL DAY. If you’re still a little confused on how the tool works, watch it in action below. Once you’re a believer, pick one up at Ulta and never look back.
