Our take on GHD’S unique luxury curling iron, which is the only oval-shaped wand we could find worth our attention
Model name/ number: N/A
Price: $205
Shape: tapered wand
Size: 1” base and oval 0.9” tip
Heat settings: none
Best for: for shoulder length and longer hair, normal to thick hair
What we like: ergonomically designed, beautiful casual beach waves
What we don’t like: not suitable for very thick or fine hair due to no variable settings
How it stands out: its tapered oval shape allows to create voluminous roots and zigzag curls at the tips
Rating: 4.8/5.0
While curling irons come in many different shapes and forms, GHD truly has a unique shape that is really hard to come across. It starts as a tapered wand at the base but towards the tip the round shape turns into oval. What difference does this make? It allows even a more casual and undone look that feels like you just came out of bed and this is the natural shape of your locks. GHD Curve Creative Curl, unlike most curling irons in the market, doesn’t have variable settings, it’s pre-set to 365°F which they think is the optimal heat to curl strands. While this can be a good thing if you’re worried about burning your stands as it doesn’t overheat. But, in our opinion, it’s a big downside if you have very thick of fine hair because some strands need higher or lower temperatures. It has a ceramic barrel that goes easy on the strands and provides a gentle session, making it a beginner-friendly option. This tool is seriously comfortable to hold and has a long cool tip that makes it even easier to hold and maneuver. You can feel the luxury when you hold it which comes with its price of $205 and as you can see, it’s not the most affordable tool in the market. If you have medium-type strands and you want to achieve natural-looking results, this tool is the perfect option.
Whether you’re seeking the best curling irons for beach waves or the best curling iron for short hair, rest assured, Ghd Curve Creative Curl Curling Wand has you covered.
Below we share our experiences with “GHD Curve Creative Curl”.
Shape
Shape is one of the most important aspects of a curling iron as there are many different types to choose from that appeal to different styling needs. GHD Curve Creative Curl is a tapered wand, which first of all, means that it doesn’t have a holding clamp that keeps your hair attached to the barrel. Secondly, it’s cone-shaped as its base is thicker than its tip. But what really stands out about this curling iron’s shape is the fact that its tip is oval while its base remains round. Let’s go deeper in to these qualities:
Wands are preferred for their capacity to create looser beach waves and s-shaped curls rather than uniform locks. A wand leaves out the holding clamp on purpose as clamp makes the curls more uniform and perfect. While perfection can be desirable for some, it can be too much for others. If you prefer a natural look, a clampless wand is what you need. This tool takes things to next level in terms of natural-looking results and casual beach waves. Not only the curls come in different widths with its tapered shape, its oval tip allows even a more casual finish. It’s ideal if you’re not into ringlets but waves.
The oval tip that it offers is a completely unique shape which we’ve never come across in any other flat iron in the market and it claims to make the results even more natural. After putting it through many tests with different hair types, we can confirm that it does bring an extra quality to the session as the roots are more volumized and the tips have more natural looking s-shape curls.
As we mentioned above, if tight and uniform curls is what you want to achieve, this tool is not for you. Spring curling irons do a much better job with that and there are many in the market such as Babylisspro Nano Titanium Spring Curling Iron (10).
Size
When it comes to size, more than one aspect stands out. Barrel’s diameter is very important but its length also makes a difference in your session.
GHD Curve Creative Curl is tapered shaped. So, its base its larger than its tip. Its base has a width of 1” and its tip measures as 0.9”. Considering most tapered wands have a base width of 1.25”, this tool creates less volume by the roots. 1” curling irons are known to be medium-sized as well as being the most versatile ones in the market. This size will fit most hair lengths, as long as the hair is not shorter than chin length or longer than mid-back length. If you have very long strands which are also thick, this tool may not be the right option for you. In that case, a spring curling iron with a barrel width of at least 1.5” is best as wands don’t come in larger sizes.
Another size to consider is the length of the barrel. GHD Curve Creative Curl comes with a 4.9” barrel, which is considered much below the average of 5.4”. While this makes the tool compact and travel-friendly, it’s also is something to consider if you have long hair. Longer barrels are great for long hair as they can cover a large area at one go and get hotter. Bioionic Long Barrel Curling Iron has a 6.4” barrel as well as a 1.5” barrel width option which makes it very desirable for long strands.
Heat and Variable Settings
GHD Curve Creative Curl isn’t the most versatile in the heat department. It doesn’t have variable heat settings which is a huge drawback. Its temperature is pre-set to 365 °F which they believe is the optimal heat for hair curling. This heat usually appeals to normal and wavy hair but if you have fine or thick strands, you certainly need very different temperatures while styling. 365°F is too hot for thin hair and can easily burn the strands. If you have very unruly hair on the other hand, you need at least 400°F to tame it properly. So, you may need some products as it doesn’t heat to very high degrees. There are many different tools in the market with large ranges of variable heat settings such as Bioionic Goldpro Styling Wand (5), which starts from as low as 170°F and goes up till 450°F, satisfying the needs of every type of hair.
Material and Performance
GHD Curve Creative Curl has a ceramic barrel. Now, when it comes to choosing the right material, you have to think of your hair type. Ceramic is known to be a gentler option on the strands, as it heats slower and gets less hot. If you have normal to fine hair, this is a great thing and your strands will remain protected from heat damage. Ceramic also spreads the heat evenly as well as creating shinier results than titanium. But, considering it only reaches up to 365°F, combined with its ceramic material, this tool is not the best for thick and unruly strands. You’re much better off with a titanium tool that can tame your strands properly. Babylisspro Nano Titanium Curling Wand not only reaches very high temperatures such as 430°F, it also has a titanium plate that heats up fast and strong.
This tool is a luxury curling iron with great material quality. You can feel the difference instantly, even its box has a fancier material. It’s durable, sturdy to hold, and very ergonomically designed. But it’s not the best when it comes to speed. Its not-so-strong temperature and ceramic material slow this tool down considerably. So if a fast session is your priority, we recommend seeking another curling wand, maybe even a spring curling iron, preferably with a long barrel. Babylisspro Nano Titanium Extended barrel Curling Iron(11) is one of the fastest tools in the market.
Features
GHD Curve Creative Curl comes with an extra-long cool tip that brings extra comfort to your session while providing safety to your hands. It also comes with heat-protectant gloves to make sure your hands don’t burn, which is great if you’re a beginner home stylist. That said, these gloves have 3 fingers instead of 5, making them a bit uncomfortable.
It has a non-slip barrel. This type of barrels are great if you want a more polished look as it bends the ends and provides a better grip. It’s better for beginners as it makes things easier.
It has ultra-zone technology that claims to ensure consistent heat, but to be honest, after our tests, we didn’t notice any significant difference in the results.
The fact that it has an optimal heat of 365°F, while being too low for thick hair, is a protective feature that makes sure that you don’t damage your strands.
Ionic Technology is a very useful feature that eliminates frizz and this tool doesn’t come with it. If you have frizz issues and it’s your priority to have the smoothest results, you may want to opt for an option that provides this, such as Bioionic Goldpro Styling Wand.
Auto shut-off technology is another important feature to consider which GHD offers. It shuts off by itself after 30 minutes and provides extra safety. On that note, we have to mention that this tool takes a really long time to cool down. This can be dangerous and should be paid attention to.
It has an audible warning, meaning it bleeps and lights up to let you know when it reaches the desired temperature, as well as dual voltage to make sure that you can use your tool anywhere in the world.
Ergonomics
GHD Curve Creative Curl weighs 7.4oz which is below the average amongst curling irons. We can say that it’s comfortable to hold for long periods of time. It also is a very travel-friendly curling iron combined with its short barrel and dual voltage.
Its handle has a diameter of 1.06 and its relatively slim. It fits most hands comfortably.
It has a digital display as well as digital temperature control. We believe this is a very handy feature as you know exactly which temperature you’re dealing with, especially if you are a beginner.
It has a counterrest attached to the tool to make sure that your tool doesn’t touch the surface while hot.
It has a relatively long cord of 8ft, which is something to consider if your plug is not very close to your mirror. Its cord is swivel and makes this tool very easy to maneuver.
Price & Warranty
GHD tools aren’t famous for being affordable. They’re luxury tools that appeal to a certain budget and for people that don’t mind spending extra for better quality. This tool has a price of $205 and is one of the most expensive tools on our list. What you’re spending on is the durable material and the results that are shinier and less damaging to your strands. It does make a big difference when we look at the more affordable options, yet we think that it’s slightly overpriced nevertheless. There are much more affordable tapered wand-shaped curling irons in the market if you’re aiming for a more budget product. Conair Double Ceramic, for example, only costs $27 and is a decent option for fine strands.
It comes with a 2-year warranty and is the standard number that we see in the market.
Competition
T3 Singlepass Wave is another high-quality curling wand in our selection for the best wand category. It features a smoother barrel surface compared to the Ghd Curve. The Ghd Curve creates looser and more natural-looking waves, perfect for touching up natural curls. It offers an adjustable temperature range between 260 to 410°F and works well for medium-textured hair.
If you have unruly strands, especially if they’re long we definitely recommend another option that can reach till higher temperatures. InfinitiPRO by Conair Rose Gold Curling Wand has a titanium wand that reaches up to 400°F, and provides very effective and speedy styling for thick hair. It also has a relatively long barrel which helps with more heat. This tool also is a much more affordable option than GHD Curve Creative curl at only $41. Obviously, it lacks the material quality and the elegance, but it is a great alternative to consider if you’re on a budget.
