I have naturally curly hair that I love-ish and that people compliment on the regular (I swear I have a point to make and Im not just being vain!). However, I go through the trouble to either a) blow dry and straighten it or b) blow dry and curl it with an iron/wand EVERY DAY. Needless to say, I spend a lot of time on my hair to make it look super-fab. While Ive never really had trouble straightening it, Ive always struggled with curling it in a way that didnt leave me with sad, droopy curls 30 minutes after my curling iron cooled down. Last year, I found a solution in a birthday present from my wonderful boyfriend (the Sultra Bombshell), but hadnt found another curling iron that works anywhere near as well sense.
However, the tides shifted when the kind people at White Sands contacted me and asked me to review their 3/4 Spring/Mar
Before I get into my trial/results, let me (aka the White Sands website) tell you a little about the product:
These innovative must have curling irons fuse the Marcel and Spring Load curling iron methods into ONE tool. Utilize the professionalism of a Marcel curling iron to create beautiful waves or switch to the direct control of a Spring Load without the need for multiple irons. These two curling iron options allow hair artists to instantly master their craft, while offering the styling choices they need.
Ill be honest, I have no ideal what the Marcel curling iron is, but Ill attempt to explain the iron in simpler terms. My 3/4 iron has a traditional clamp that holds the hair in place. This clamp seems to be a bit wider than other irons Ive tried, and dont leave the clamp indent that drove me crazy about other irons.
Unlike traditional irons, the actual curling part (aka the hot part), is spring loaded and you are able to roll up your curls by holding the tip of the iron and twirling. The arm holding the base of the iron (by the cord) can stay completely stationary. I hope that made sense, because I didnt have the foresight to make a video of me demonstrating this technique. While I might get a better understanding of why this is necessary/how to better use it with further testing, I didnt really see a need to be able to roll up the curls this way.
What I really liked (aside from the lack of clamp indents) was the ability to control the heat. You can set it anywhere from 180-210 degrees Fahrenheit. Since my hair is finicky and can fall easily, I set it the heat all the way up to 210.
Ill be honest, the first time I played around with the iron I was only semi-impressed, because my curls didnt last. I loved the curls, but they were gone in 30 minutes. To be fair, I used no hairspray and it was really windy.
Also to be fair, I gave the iron a second chance (whith hairspray this time), and was much more impressed. My curls fell a little bit by the end of the day, but they were still intact and still looked wonderful. I wanted to show you an end-of-the-day shot, but I totally forgot. Sad face. While I think my Sultra beats this iron, I would highly recommend the White Sands Curling Iron to anyone who prefers irons over wands.
Want to see my curls for yourself? Take a look! But first, please excuse my lack of makeup, as I had just woken up and was in the process of getting ready for the day. Also, please excuse my pink hoodie I hadnt changed out of my PJs yet. Oknow take a look!
While I tested out the 3/4 iron, you can also purchase a 1, 1.25 and 1.33 curling iron. The irons retail for $110, and I think it is well worth the price.
Photos: Kristin Bassett/BeautyXpose; Disclosure