How to Choose a Crimping Iron

Do you remember the wildly wavy hairstyles that were so popular in the eighties? These styles were often created with the help of a handy hairstyling tool called a crimping iron. Recently, there’s been renewed interest in styles and fashions from the eighties including the reappearance of the jumpsuit and even the return of the shoulder pad. Along with this eighties revival has come a growing interest in crimped hairstyles. Rather than damaging hair with perm solutions to get this wavy, crimped look, many women are turning to that handy hairstyling tool of the eighties, the hair crimping iron. Using a hair crimping iron gives an easy and nonpermanent way to add wave and body to straight hair. For as little as $15.00 you can purchase a crimping iron to use at home whenever the desire for wavy hair strikes you.

The best place to find a hair crimping iron is at your local beauty supply store. Although some drugstores sell these appliances, the selection will be more limited and the irons are more likely to be lower end. Sally’s Beauty Supply is a good alternative for purchasing a quality crimping iron and it’s open to the public.

The price you’ll pay for a hair crimping iron varies depending upon the number of heat settings available as well as whether the crimper has interchangeable plates. Higher end hair crimping irons generally have more heat settings as well as a larger number of interchangeable plates. The advantage of having plates that are interchangeable is it allows you to vary the size of the wave you create. The least expensive hair crimping irons may have only a single heat setting and a single plate whereas the higher end ones have several heat settings and a variety of plates. Having the option of several heat settings is important if you have fine or thin hair which may require lower heat to reduce the risk of damage to the hair. Chemically treated hair will also require a lower heat setting.

If you plan on using a hair crimping iron frequently, you may want to invest in a higher end model with interchangeable plates to give you the freedom to create a variety of wave sizes. If you’ll only be using it on a special occasion, a basic model without additional plates may be sufficient. Spend some time researching various models online and read the reviews before purchasing, particularly if you’ll be buying a higher end model which can run over $100.00.

Once you purchase your new hair crimping iron, moisturize and condition your hair before using it and frequently thereafter to reduce the risk of damage. Use the lowest heat setting possible to get the wave you want. A carefully selected hair crimping iron should give you many years of use.