Curling wands are pretty straightforward hot tools, these devices curl the tresses. But these products are made from different materials. Each of these materials differs in the way they curl and affect the hair. Two of the most popular curling wand materials are titanium and tourmaline. In the great titanium vs tourmaline curling wand debate, which side are you on?
- 50 heat settings
- Far-Infrared heat technology
- Sol-Gel Ceramic technology
- Heats up to 450 F Degrees
- Turbo Button
- Titanium curling barrel
In today’s guide, we are pitting titanium against tourmaline curling wands to help you find the best hot tool for your styling needs.
What’s the Difference: Titanium vs Tourmaline Curling Wand
Titanium Curling Wands
Titanium is a lightweight metal alloy that conducts heat efficiently. Titanium is resilient, able to withstand everyday wear and tear as well as occasional drops. In fact, titanium is often used for manufacturing components in aircraft because of its durability.
Best for:
- Coarse, pin-straight hair
- Thick density hair
- Hard to manage tresses
- Hair that could not hold a curl
- Users who don’t style their hair often
When used in hair curlers, titanium heats up quickly and cools down just as easily once the curling wand is switched off. This material could reach higher temperatures without cracking or breaking. It doesn’t have any cold spots so you get consistent, uniform curls that last.
Tourmaline Curling Wands
Tourmaline is a material that produces double the negative ions that smoothen the hair cuticles that’s why it is often used as heating material for high-end hot tools. Tourmaline curlers have a heating surface that’s made by crushing and baking the fine tourmaline powder. Often, tourmaline is mixed with ceramic to boosts the materials’ hair curling benefits.
Best for:
- Thin hair
- Hair with fine hair strands
- Thin to thick density hair
- Damaged or damage-prone hair
- Delicate tresses that require gentle heat
- Users that style their hair often
You see, ceramic uses negative ion technology, just like tourmaline. So when combined, tourmaline and ceramic plates produce double the number of negative ions so hair is curled perfectly without heat damage.
Tourmaline applies heat evenly and deeply thanks to infrared heat that penetrates the hair without sucking the moisture out. Infrared heat also eliminates static and frizz, giving you silky, shiny results. Just like titanium, tourmaline could reach high temperatures but is less damaging to the tresses.
Best Titanium Curling Irons
1. Babyliss Pro Professional Nano Titanium Spring Curling Iron
- 50 heat settings
- Far-Infrared heat technology
- Sol-Gel Ceramic technology
- Heats up to 450 F Degrees
- Turbo Button
- Titanium curling barrel
This salon-quality curler is one of the brand’s bestselling curling wand. It features Babyliss Pro’s proprietary Sol-Gel technology and Nano-titanium technology. It offers 50 different heat settings and a maximum temperature of 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
We liked
- Turbo Heat button
- Far-infrared technology
- Quick heat recovery
- Non-slip grip
- Dual voltage
- Swivel cord
We didn’t like
- Not ideal for fragile or thin hair
- Awkward controls placement
2. Hot Tools Professional Ceramic Titanium Professional Curling Iron
- Advanced Ceramic-Tourmaline Technology
- Titanium Barrel
- Pulse technology
If you love the long-lasting curls that you get from a titanium curler but the high heat is too much for your tresses to handle, Hot Tools offers you a happy compromise. The Ceramic Titanium Professional Curling Iron combines the efficiency of titanium and the gentleness of ceramic barrels. This curler offers 10 variable heat settings with a maximum temperature of 430 degrees Fahrenheit. The Titanium Ceramic Curling Wand also comes with a bunch of safety features for worry-free styling.
We liked
- Quick Heat Recovery
- Adjustable heat setting
- Power switch
- Indicator Lights
- Soft touch handle
- Swivel cord
We didn’t like
- No digital temperature display
- Not ideal for thin or fragile hair
3. Infiniti Pro by Conair Rainbow Titanium Curling Wand
- Rainbow Titanium barrel
- 20 heat settings
- True ceramic heater
The Infiniti Pro by Conair Rainbow Titanium Curling Wand features a high-quality titanium barrel with rainbow coating for a cool kaleidoscopic effect. The barrel is extra-long to give you optimum styling control and comfort. It has 25 variable heat settings and could reach up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for creating silky smooth curls and waves.
We liked
- Quick Heat Up
- Uniform heat recovery
- Auto shutoff feature
- Compact and lightweight design
- Adjustable heat settings
- 400 degrees F maximum temperature
We didn’t like
- No digital temperature display
- Basic features
Best Tourmaline Curling Iron
1. Infiniti Pro by Conair Nano Tourmaline Ceramic Curling
- Ceramic-Tourmaline technology
- 5 Heat Settings (300 to 400 Degrees)
- Built-in Hair Clip
- Affordable Pricing
- User-Friendly Controls
- Different barrel sizes to suit all hair lengths
The Infiniti Pro by Conair Nano Tourmaline Ceramic Curling Iron is one of the brand’s highest-rated curling irons. This curler combines the nano-producing powers of ceramic and tourmaline for the shiniest, most long-lasting curls you’ll ever get. It offers 5 precision heat settings and could reach a maximum of 400 degrees Fahrenheit. It also offers cool safety features such as a protective heat shield, auto shutoff, and light alerts.
We liked
- Quick Heat Up
- Uniform heat recovery
- Auto shutoff feature
- 5 temperature settings
- 400 degrees F maximum temperature
- LED indicators
We didn’t like
- Awkward controls placement
- Not dual voltage
2. Bed Head Curlipops Curling Wand
- Tourmaline, Ceramic Technology
- Wrap and Go design
- 1 inch Barrel for Loose Curls
- Max Temperature 400 Degrees Fahrenheit
- Dual voltage
Promising a frizz-free finish with outrageous body, the Bed Head Curlipops Curling Wand boasts a tourmaline-ceramic wand that gently curls every hair strand to perfection. This lightweight curler promises a “delicious mix of loose curls and massive waves,” thanks to its clamp-free, 1-inch barrel. It could reach up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and it also comes with a cool tip, rapid heat recovery feature, and dual voltage for easy styling.
We liked
- Cool tip
- Quick heat up feature
- Dual voltage
- Power switch
- Tangle-free cord
- Salon-grade quality
We didn’t like
- Short cord
- Handle warms up during use
3. T3 Micro Single Pass Twirl Professional Curling Styling Iron
- T3 Custom Blend Ceramic barrel
- SmartTwist Dial
- SinglePass Technology
The
We liked
- 5 Adjustable Heat Settings
- Lightweight Design
- Auto World Voltage
- Heat sensor
- Ionic technology
- Swivel cord
We didn’t like
- Expensive
- Awkward controls placement
5 Important Factors to Consider When Choosing Between Titanium and Tourmaline Curling Wand
1. Performance
The performance of a curling iron depends on the material used for the heating plates. Titanium curlers are high-performance hot tools that could take on any styling job. The material conducts heat quickly – the fastest among all hot tool materials – without cold spots. It’s also lightweight so curling is definitely strain-free.
If you have thick hair that cannot hold a curl, you should try titanium curlers. If you hate waiting around for your hot tools to heat up when styling in the morning, titanium is your best bet. If you are looking for a curling wand that you want to use for a long, long time without missing a beat, opt for a titanium curler.
But if you have fine hair, damaged hair, hair that’s prone to damage, limp hair, and hair that could not tolerate high heat, choose the gentler option: tourmaline curlers. Tourmaline could reach high temps without damaging the tresses. It’s an excellent heat conductor, able to retain and apply heat on the tresses evenly while leaving your hair silky and hydrated.
Titanium plates are quite harsh on the tresses. If you have dry, brittle, or treated hair, using a titanium curler could worsen the condition of your tresses. If you don’t style your hair often, titanium is fine. But for every day, you cannot go wrong with gentler curlers like tourmaline.
2. Durability
As far as durability goes, titanium trumps tourmaline because it is the most durable of all materials used for curlers. Don’t get me wrong, tourmaline is quite durable and it will last for years even if you curl your hair every day. But the thing is, tourmaline is more high maintenance compared to tourmaline. The material is quite brittle so there is always the risk of breaking the material when you drop the curler by accident. Can you imagine the heartbreak?
But as long as you are careful with your curler, if you don’t bang it around willy-nilly, I see no reason why a tourmaline curler can’t last for a long, long time.
Of course, titanium is more durable than tourmaline because the metal itself is virtually life-proof. It’s lightweight and thin so it could take on everyday abuse with aplomb. Titanium is not brittle so it won’t break into a million pieces in the unfortunate case that you dropped your curler by accident. It’s a great material to get if you’re clumsy because the curler could withstand a few drops, totally worry-free.
Tourmaline will wear out at some point no matter how careful you are with your curler. Titanium, on the other hand, will never corrode or wear out.
3. Results
Whatever argument you have about tourmaline and titanium curlers, what matters are the results. Of course, the results will depend on certain factors, such as the state of your hair and your hair length. Titanium curlers could reach higher temps quickly so you get long-lasting curls. If your hair cannot hold a curl and it could take the high heat then the choice is obvious. The same thing can be said for coarse hair, thick hair, and hard to manage tresses, titanium curler has a way of beating these hair types to submission.
On the other hand, tourmaline does a great job of curling most hair types but it works better for treated hair, dry, fine hair, damaged, and damage-prone hair as well as medium to thin hair. Tourmaline generates infrared heat that curls every hair strands while producing double the number of negative ions that smoothen hair cuticles. You get bouncy, vibrant curls and silky softness that you simply cannot get from a regular titanium curler. However, the longevity of the curls won’t be the same as curls created using a titanium curler.
4. Price
Curling irons are not created equally, some are better than others and the prices reflect that. There’s no need to get the priciest, fanciest curler out there if the device won’t get a lot of use unless, of course, you’d in the mood to splurge.
Generally, titanium curlers are pricier than tourmaline curlers. The material is more expensive because making the alloy is one lengthy, expensive process. Titanium is also more durable than tourmaline so the curler could take on bigger styling jobs, making it suitable for professional use. However, not all hair types could withstand the high heat that titanium delivers, which is why the price shouldn’t be the sole deciding factor when picking a curling wand especially if you are planning on curling your hair every day.
5. Your Hair Type
… which brings us to what, I think, should be the most important factor that you should consider when buying a hot tool – any hot tool: your hair type. Do you have thin, limp, damaged, damage-prone, or delicate hair? If the answer is yes then a titanium curler isn’t the best choice for you. It’s just too harsh on the tresses and unless your mane could take the heat, you’ll only end up frying your locks to oblivion. That or pile on the heat protective serum. It’s important to remember that hair care must be a consideration when it comes to styling tools.
On the other hand, if your hair is thick, coarse, and it won’t stay put, a titanium curler is just the thing you need to get your tresses to behave. I have thick hair that’s prone to heat damage and I use a titanium curler on a fairly regular basis with no problems at all.
That being said, I do have a penchant for tourmaline curlers because they’re less damaging to the tresses. Since I curl my hair almost every day, I would always reach for a tourmaline or a tourmaline-ceramic curler more than my titanium curler. But this is just a matter of personal preference. As long as you prepped your hair properly before, during, and after styling, you can maintain the health of your hair no matter what kind of curler you use.
Conclusion: Which Curler is Best for Your Needs?
As you can see, titanium and tourmaline curlers have a lot of similarities as well as differences. To recap, tourmaline curlers deliver gentle, even heat, making it a terrific choice for anyone with thin or delicate tresses. The material is brittle but as long as you use your hot tools with care, a tourmaline curler will last for a long, long time. Tourmaline curlers are also less expensive than titanium curlers.
Titanium curlers boast of fast heat transfer – the fastest of all curler materials – allowing you to style your hair quickly and efficiently. The material is light, durable, and virtually lifeproof. Titanium curlers give you long-lasting curls although it’s more damaging to the tresses. Curlers with titanium heating plates are more expensive than tourmaline curlers but if you style your hair often, these curlers will definitely get a lot of use.
