Curlers for Long & Shorter Hair- Babyliss Curl Secret and Nicky Clarke Diamond Shine Wand

I've learned the hard way that not all curlers suit all lengths of hair; some will easily create a smooth flowing spiral on long hair, while others will (quite literally) chew it up and spit it out!

Because electricals tend to be on the pricier side of beauty products, I want to make sure that the tools I'm using are right for my hair, especially when it can bounce between lengths and textures. The two curlers I've chosen for todays post are the Babyliss Curl Secret for shorter hair and the Nicky Clarke Diamond Shine Pro Salon Styling Wand for long hair.

Babyliss Curl Secret (£119.99)

We'd all seen the videos of women effortlessly creating perfect curls with the Babyliss Curl Secret, so I was super excited when I received this glittery purple gadget as a present a year or so ago and I thought I'd be using it pretty much every day. The problem is that the tool isn't meant to be used on hair that goes down past the bust and (disregarding the fact that everyone has a different length torso and boob height so the thought of a 'universal bust' is impossible, and weird) my hair did. 

I really wouldn't recommend the Curl Secret for long hair- this tool works by automatically rolling a section of hair round a barrel in the 'ceramic curl chamber' when its clamped against the hair, and I suppose the barrel is just too small to cope.

I found the tool was constantly beeping at me to let me know the hair hadn't been wrapped properly and I needed to re-clamp, or it was getting stuck in my hair and pulling it out when I went to release the curl. A couple of times it got so stuck that I had to unplug it out of fear of burning my hair off as I tugged hard to release my locks from the thing. The sections of long hair needed to ensure the curler works properly are so small that it makes it more time consuming and prohibitive than using a normal curling tong or straightener (especially as it's quite heavy to hold in the air for a long time), which in my eyes defeats the point.

However, after I had an extra big trim not too long ago, the Curl Secret worked much more as it should and does prove to be a useful tool that makes life much easier. I need to have a mirror handy to make sure the hair sections are tangle free and inserted correctly, but with the heat on high and the time option set to the middle of three, I get bouncy and long lasting alternating curls that can be separated with my fingers or brushed out to a lovely wave. 

I love curly hair but the constant wrapping and waiting can be difficult to master with some wands, so a curler that produces consistent results with less effort is exactly what I needed, even if I can't use it when my hair is at its longest. 
Its a bit of an investment, even though you do get a free heat mat and dust cover, but if you have short to mid length hair then the Babyliss Curl Secret is a tool you'll definitely reach for in order to make curling an easier task. 

Nicky Clarke Diamond Shine Pro Salon Styling Wand* (£34.99)

I'm always up for trying out new hair tools but it was the inclusion of real diamonds in this wand that intrigued me the most. The Diamond Shine Pro Salon wand has a diamond infused ceramic coated barrel that uses tourmaline technology to help transfer heat evenly, avoid damage and moisture loss, and leave a smooth shiny look to the hair.

While this wand would also work well on short hair, the 25mm barrel is exactly the right size for my hair now that it has grown out. Smaller sections produce tighter curls but the barrel can quickly heat through larger thicker sections of hair and its easy to get the hair flat against the barrel and avoid twists that produce an uneven curl.

The Diamond Shine wand reaches a maximum of 210⁰c and I use the middle of the five heat settings at around 170⁰c. With my hair held for 15 seconds against the barrel and a few seconds resting in a gloved hand, I get a really nice curl that doesn't drop too much. I'm not convinced that there's all that much diamond in this curler, but it's doing something right as it produces curls which are much more even and uniform than some I've tried. I get trouble with visible split ends and increased dryness with some tools, but thankfully with the Diamond Shine the ends of my newly bleached hair look smooth rather than frazzled.

For longer hair, the Nicky Clarke Diamond Shine Styling Wand is a hit- the high heat transfer of the barrel but lack of damage makes it a really useful tool and, if like me you're not a pro with hair styling, it will definitely speed up your curling routine! 

Which tools do you find work best for your hair length?