The 7 best curling wands for fine hair in 2024, tried and tested by a beauty editor

When it comes to curling wands, there’s no one-size-fits-all. If you’ve got fine hair, the best curling wand will add body and bounce without frying fragile strands. If you’re wondering how, adjustable temperature settings are a must when choosing a curling wand for fine hair as, unlike our thick-haired friends, fine hair is especially prone to heat damage.

Whilst fine hair is a blessing, it can also be a curse. Its malleable structure means fine strands can often be fragile and prone to damage when using heat styling tools. To help minimise the damage, it’s important to invest in the best curling wands that have been made specifically with fine hair in mind. As well as adjustable temperature settings, ceramic barrels are a good option for fine hair as they spread the heat evenly.

Other things to consider include the size and shape of the barrel, thin barrels are great for creating tight, ringlet curls, while large barrels can create bouncy, beachy waves. Whatever your curl preference is, we’ve tried and tested some of the best curling wands for fine hair, that can each create different curly hairstyles in our expertly-tested guide. Want salon-worthy results? Use alongside your best hair dryer for fine hair for a volumised finish.

Emma Stoddart

Emma Stoddart is a freelance beauty journalist who has worked for some of the UK’s top titles including Net-A-Porter, Stylist and Grazia. Her experience spans online and print, as well as producing editorial shoots with some of the industry’s biggest artists.

The quick list

The best curling wand for fine hair overall

While curling wands with clamps are great for holding the hair in place, my personal preference is a tool without a clamp. Why, you may ask? Not only do I find clamp-free tools easier to use but you also avoid those unwanted kinks from the clamp. Coming in on top, this tool from Cloud Nine, gets my vote, thanks to its four-inch clampless barrel that's ideal for curling fine, long hair. There are three heat settings in total: low, medium and high, ranging from 125 to 175°C. For fine hair, opt for the low or medium setting; however, I found that low was hot enough to create tousled beach hair waves in my fine hair.

When it came to using the tool, it took a little practice to lock down the best technique when using this wand. Arriving with a heat-resistant case, which makes it perfect for travel, as well as a handy heatproof glove – make sure you wear this while styling as there’s no cool tip on this curling wand. With the glove on, we recommend holding the wand at an angle, facing downwards, before wrapping a section of hair around it. Then, hold for a few seconds before releasing. Alternate the direction of curling with each section of hair to increase the body in fine strands. We noticed that our hair looked shinier after using the tool, all due to the mineral-infused coating that helps lock in moisture. A big tick!

Best cordless curling wand for fine hair

If convenience is your priority, this cordless curling wand from BaByliss gets top marks. A little like driving an electric car after years of using gears, this sleek, wireless design makes hair styling so seamless. The medium-sized barrel is ideal for those with fine hair and can be used to create both loose, relaxed waves or tighter curls - if you’re after the latter, make sure to style smaller sections of hair at a time. With three heat settings to choose from, the cordless wand offers 40 minutes of wireless styling at maximum heat – which I found was more than enough for my fine, long hair.

When it came to battery life, I got two full styling sessions out of this tool before having to recharge it – but do note that it takes three hours for a complete charge. Whether you’re an avid jetsetter or if your best lighting and mirror happens to be in the bathroom, this travel-friendly tool is a great option. Whilst the ceramic-coated wand left my hair feeling smooth, I also appreciated the clamp, which gave me more control. The only downside of this top tool is the weight; it’s heavier than most curling wands I've tried and may give you armache after a while.

Best curling wand for fine hair for long-lasting curls

Some of the best hair straighteners in the business are at the hands of ghd, but the brand also makes top tier curling devices. Take the Curve Creative Wand, for instance, this award-winning, best-selling tool creates effortless beachy waves and big, bouncy curls on all hair types and lengths. However, its tapered barrel sets it apart from the other curling wands I tested in this guide. Its wider base is perfect for creating looser waves and the narrow end for tighter curls. If you're looking to curl short hairstyles, I recommend using the narrower end.

his easy to use wand works like any other – simply wrap a section of hair around the barrel, hold for a few seconds, before letting go to reveal a bouncy curl. As with the best ghd straighteners, there’s only one heat setting of 185°C to choose from here (the brand’s identified optimum temperature for styling hair). It takes a few seconds for the styler to reach this heat and it will alert you when it's ready for use. While this temperature is high for fine hair, it is monitored by technology that recognises how thick your hair is and adapts the temperature accordingly. Clever!

Best affordable curling wand for fine hair

Compared to its competitors that have a tripled price tag, this curling wand makes a stand for affordable hair tools. Its very long (18.5cm) and large, ceramic-coated barrel makes this tool a great pick for creating curly hairstyles for long hair. Again, this styler is clampless (my personal preference) and there’s a choice of heat settings that vary from 80-220°C. Start low and, if needed, gradually turn up the heat – but don’t exceed 180°C on fine hair. Once hot, make sure to pop the heat protective glove, that's included, on and wrap sections of hair around the barrel.

If you like to create glamorous Hollywood waves, this will be your go-to tool as the thick wand is the perfect size and shape to create uniform, bouncy waves. Our top tip? Curl hair towards your face for that Hollywood look, before gently brushing the curls outwards after.

While we found this tool really easy to use, it’s worth noting that the extra-long (and wide) barrel may not be suitable for those with short hairstyles. Also, if you like to experiment with different curly styles, this tool is probably not for you as I found that the shape and size limited it to creating Hollywood waves and loose curls.

Best luxury curling wand for fine hair

Yes, it’s expensive, but the Dyson Airwrap Complete Styler is a multi-tasking mane-changer that, in my opinion, is worth every single penny. No matter the hair type, including fine and fragile, this techy tool arrives with six attachments that can curl, wave, smooth and dry hair - all without using extreme heat (up to 150°C) to minimise damage. At first, we must admit, the tool looks a little intimidating, but if you follow woman&home's step-by-step guide on how to use the Dyson Airwrap you’ll quickly get the hang of it. Essentially, to sum it up, the Airwrap attracts hair and wraps it around the barrel using powerful airflow and heat (otherwise known as the brand’s Coanda effect).

Depending on the attachment you use, you can create anything from tight curls to beachy waves. I love using the 30mm Airwrap Barrel, specifically on fine locks, which offers a voluminous and curly salon-worthy blow-dry. While it is expensive, this high-tech tool can replace most others – including your best hair dryer. What impressed me most with the Airwrap is how my hair felt and looked after styling – shinier and softer than when I started. Bravo, Dyson!

Best waver for fine hair

After watching countless video tutorials online showcasing Amika’s High Tide Waver, I was extremely eager to give it a whirl and can confirm that it did not disappoint. Creating beautiful, beachy waves, this three-barrel tool is so easy to use and can quickly wave an entire head of fine hair in less than 20 minutes (trust me, I timed it). Starting at the roots, hold the tool horizontally, clamping onto a large section of hair, before moving it slowly down the length of the hair until you reach the ends. The results are soft waves that add body and thickness to fine hair. As someone who has naturally straight, fine hair, I was blown away by the finish.

To add a more tousled texture, I recommend spritzing a texture spray or your similar best hair styling products through the mid-lengths to ends before working it in with your fingertips. The waver’s design also uses far-infrared technology to help lock in moisture, as well as negative ions to seal the hair cuticle - a double tick from us! If you adore wavy hairstyles and those deep S-bends, this is the styler for you. It's probably the only tool that's even easier to use than our beauty editor's favourite, the Babyliss Wave Secret Air. Expect long-lasting, smooth waves that cheat thicker-looking hair.

Best versatile curling wand for fine hair

If you love experimenting with different styles, then let us introduce you to the Whirl Trio styling wand from T3. Complete with three interchangeable barrels, this styler has everything you need to create countless looks, from relaxed waves to bouncy curls. For uniform spiral curls, attach the small straight barrel, or if you’re looking for undone beachy waves, opt for the tapered barrel. And for full-bodied curls, we’d recommend using the large straight barrel. Whichever attachment you choose, it’s worth noting that they all boast a ceramic surface that glides effortlessly through hair, smoothing frizz and boosting shine.

When styling fine hair, I used the tapered barrel in combination with the second heat setting (there are five in total). This duo was ideal for adding texture to fine hair along with relaxed, tousled waves. Overall, I found the design to be user-friendly (albeit a little chunkier than other curling wands) and soon got to grips with using the different attachments. And while it is expensive, it’s essentially a three-in-one tool that allows you to streamline your hair styling kit. If you love to mix up your curls, this is a great choice for you.

How we tested the best curling wands for fine hair

To whittle down an edit of the best curling wands for fine hair, our tester tried several top-rated tools, whilst learning how to curl hair using various barrel sizes and shapes. With a range of tools at different price points, each styler was rated on ease of use, design, number of settings and results. Each curling wand was tried on separate days, styling hair in the morning to see how well the curls lasted over the day. Those that ranked highly and delivered long-lasting results are featured in our edit below.

FAQs

How to choose the best curling wand for fine hair

There are several factors to consider when choosing the best curling wand for fine hair, as celebrity hairdresser and expert, Paul Percival, outlines below:

• Temperature settings: Opt for a tool with a range of adjustable temperature settings, as fine hair is more susceptible to heat damage. "Always try to curl fine hair with the lowest temperature setting," says Paul Percival, celebrity hairstylist and founder of Percy & Reed. "If you don't feel that it's curling enough or holding long enough then go up a setting."
• Barrel size: When it comes to choosing the barrel size, consider what type of curl you're after. "If you want to have super curly hair, obviously you need a really small wand or tong," says Percival. "If, on the other hand, you want a loose curl then go for a bigger barrel. I personally would go for a mid-size if you're not sure."
• Material: Most curling wands are made with ceramic barrels that spread heat evenly and are good for fine hair. Whilst, titanium wands are better for thicker hair, tourmaline is a good option for damaged or frizz-prone hair as it emits negative ions that can help eliminate frizz.