Finding the best curling iron for black hair can be tricky. If your hair is thick, curly, dry, or coarse, you know it needs extra special care. You need an iron that gets hot enough to tame those tresses without causing excess damage.
Finding a balance between heat and the damage it tends to cause is hard to do. But not to worry, we sought out the best curling irons for black hair, so you don’t have to.
Our list includes the top 7 curling irons made to define and style your locks without the damaged hair cost. But before we jump into our top picks, let’s look at why we picked them.
| Image | Title | Price |
|---|---|---|
Top | BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Spring Curling Iron | See Price |
Top | INFINITIPRO BY CONAIR Rainbow Titanium Curling Iron | See Price |
Top | Hot Tools Professional 24K Gold Curling Iron/Wand | See Price |
 | T3 Micro Voluminous Curls Styling Iron | See Price |
Top | Hoson 3/4 Inch Ceramic Tourmaline Curling Iron | See Price |
Top | Remington 3/4" Ceramic Clipped Curling Iron | See Price |
Top | ADTZYLD Mini Hair Curling Iron | See Price |
How to Pick The Right Curling Iron
When choosing the best curling iron for your natural hair, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, you want to select the right barrel size for your hair. You’ll also want to consider what the curling iron is made of and what temperature it can reach.
Barrel Size
Curling irons are available in all different sizes, from 3/8 of an inch to 2 inches. What size barrel you need depends a lot on the type of curl you want to achieve.
If you have natural curls and want to use a curling iron to define and style them, a smaller barrel is typically best. ⅝ to ¾ of an inch are ideal sizes.
If you have relaxed hair, look for a bigger barrel, up to 1.5 inches. The bigger barrel will give you volume with defined but looser curls.
Material
Material matters when it comes to the best curling irons for any kind of hair. You need a material that can reach high temperatures, but you don’t want something that causes damage.
In general, the best curling irons are ceramic, titanium, or tourmaline. All of these produce even infrared heat, so you end up with perfect curls and minimal damage.
Tourmaline is the best of all because it generates negative ions as it heats. These ions help seal your hair’s cuticles, preserving its natural oils. Unfortunately, tourmaline is a semi-precious metal. So, tourmaline curling irons tend to be the most expensive.
Temperature
Ideally, a curling iron will also have multiple temperature settings. The best models let you dial in an exact temperature.
If you have relaxed hair, you want a curling iron that allows you to use a lower heat setting. This will minimize heat damage.
If you have natural hair, you want a curling iron that gets up to 400 degrees. Natural hair typically requires more heat to create definition.
Our Top Seven Curling Iron Picks
Alright, now that you know what to look for, let’s dive into our review. All of the following curling irons fit the criteria we set above. No matter which one you pick, we’re sure it’ll help you reach a look you love.
1. BaBylissPro Nano Titanium Curling Iron
This curling iron is designed with thick, unruly locks in mind. It gets hot fast, but the titanium barrel minimizes heat damage.
It comes in a variety of sizes from ¾ of an inch up to 1.5 inches. So, you can get the one that works best for your look.
The barrel is smooth and applies perfectly even heat, so you’ll have smooth curls with only one pass through. That means less time styling and less heat damage overall. We call that a winning combo!
2. INFINITI PRO by Conair Rainbow Titanium Curling Iron
Don’t be confused by the name. This curling iron has a titanium coating but a ceramic and tourmaline core. That means it achieves high heat fast but is also super affordable.
Unfortunately, it’s only available with a 1-inch barrel, but it works like a dream for those who want that size curl. We love that it has 20 different heat settings, up to 400 degrees as well.
It’s technicolor rainbow coating looks fab sitting on your vanity, and its auto-off feature means you’ll never have to worry about accidentally leaving it on when you leave.
3. Hot Tools Professional 24K Gold Curling Iron
Ok, we know, we said you want a ceramic, titanium, or tourmaline curling iron. 24 karat gold isn’t on the list. However, in this case, we make an exception.
See, gold doesn’t damage hair, and it can handle incredibly high temps, but it’s known for having hot spots, which usually causes a problem. The pros at Hot Tools, though, found a way around that.
This curling iron uses heat-sense technology to detect and correct hot spots in the iron automatically. It maintains temperatures up to 430 degrees to tame unruly tresses.
Plus, it comes in sizes as small as ⅜ of an inch, which is ideal for those with natural hair who want to define their tight curls. So, see? We had to include it as a top pick!
4. T3 Micro Voluminous Curls Styling Iron
You’ll pay attention to the T3 Styling Iron because of its elegant looks but you’ll get hooked to it because of its functions. Aside from being the most beautiful styling iron in the market, it’s also one of the most versatile as it has interchangeable barrels. The convertible base is compatible with up to 7 styling wands that are sold separately.
What we love the most about this styling iron is it’s equipped with Digital T3 SinglePass Technology which ensures that your hair can get consistent and even heat so your hair can look smooth and shiny in just a single pass.
5. Hoson Curling Iron
Long-haired ladies, this one’s for you! The Hoson curling iron is known for its long barrel, making long hairstyling that much easier.
The iron comes in three sizes: ¾ inch, 1.25 inch, or 1.5 inches, and has a ceramic tourmaline barrel. That and its flexible temperature settings (225 – 450 degrees) make it ideal for natural or relaxed hair types.
We love that it comes with a heat glove, so you can use it as a wand if you prefer. Hoson has a digital temperature readout, so you know exactly how hot it is.
6. Remington Ceramic Clipped Curling Iron
Remington is a well-known beauty brand, and their curling iron doesn’t disappoint. Available in three sizes: ¾ inch, 1 inch, and 1¼ inches, this curling iron is great for a range of hair types.
The temperature dial has 30 settings so you can find the optimal temperature for your hair. It doesn’t get as hot as some of the other irons on this list; it maxes out at 400 degrees. But, as any professional stylist will tell you, hotter than that means damage is guaranteed anyway!
The barrel is a little on the short side, so you might have difficulties with long hair. That said, the shorter barrel makes the iron super lightweight, which means less arm fatigue while styling.
7. ADTZYLD Mini Hair Curler
If you’re rocking a bob or any style above the shoulders, a mini curler might be better than a full-sized option. This tourmaline and ceramic curling iron is less than 11 inches long, making it perfect for short hair or for those who travel often.
The LCD temperature readout makes picking the right temp a breeze, and the shorter barrel length allows you to curl even the roots of your hair with ease. Unfortunately, the temperatures are in Celsius instead of Fahrenheit, but the brochure includes the conversions.
The ⅜ inch barrel is ideal for touching up natural hairstyles, and the 90-inch swivel power cord gives plenty of room to maneuver the iron.
To Sum It Up
In the end, finding the best curling iron for black hair is all about finding a balance. You want an iron that protects your hair but can still stand up to the challenge. That means an iron that handles high heat but is made of the right materials, like ceramic tourmaline.
So whether you’re rocking natural locks or smooth, relaxed tresses, the right curling iron isn’t all that hard to find once you know what suits you best!
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