As someone with short hair, this is the tool that made me fall back in love with curling wands

For years, I’ve been using my straighteners to curl my hair. Often finding wands difficult to get to grips with, I’ve stayed away from them entirely – until trying the ghd Creative Curl Wand, which made the whole process incredibly easy.

Previous attempts at using even the best curling wands and tongs have resulted in finger and ear burns and a lot of frustration on my part. Unpackaging the ghd wand, my expectations were on the floor as a result; I was anticipating getting impatient and giving up within a matter of minutes.

Luckily, I found this tool to be suitable even for beginners like me – and what’s more, it works well on short hair. This is another problem I encounter with lots of tools that are just too bulky for my length. I’ve now started to use the ghd Curve Creative Curl Wand on a regular basis, often in place of my beloved best ghd straighteners – here’s why.

Our contributing beauty editor's ghd Curve Creative Curl Wand review

Our first impressions of the ghd Creative Curl Wand

Let’s begin with a quick analysis of the shape: unlike most designs, which tend to have an even cylindrical shape from top to bottom, the ghd Curve’s wand is tapered, meaning it’s wider at the base and gets smaller towards the top of the tool. This offers a variety of styling options, from loose waves using the wider end (28mm around), to tighter curls at the thinner end (23mm around).

The wand – which comes with a heat-proof glove for safe usage – has one temperature setting at 185ºC. While other brands may offer a range of heat settings, ghd chose to do this as it claims this is actually the "optimum" temperature for hair styling: any lower and styles won’t hold and set, any higher and unnecessary damage will be inflicted on the hair.

Safety-wise, aside from the aforementioned glove, the tool also has an automatic switch-off setting, meaning after 30 minutes of no use, it’ll turn off and cool down. There’s also a cool tip at the top of the wand, meaning less chance of getting burnt accidentally.

How does the ghd Creative Curl Wand perform?

Ghd says that this is a tool that’s particularly impressive on shorter locks, and I have to agree. As mentioned, I often find curling tongs a bit bulky and difficult to use without long, luscious lengths. However, this tool was different, and although I tried out both ends for different results, I tended to stick to the middle for perfectly sized beach waves.

The tool heats up very quickly, making it ideal for rushed mornings (which I am no stranger to). While some may say the single heat setting makes it a little less advanced than other tools on the market, I’d argue this makes it perfect for newbies. It’s simple, fuss-free and uncomplicated for people who, like me, have struggled with curlers in the past.

I much prefer wands that, like this one, don't have a "clip" and allow you to curl with just one hand. The former may sound easier in theory, but having a simple wand to wrap sections around is so much better, in my opinion. I sectioned my hair, reaching for smaller pieces to apply the heat to, then waited just under 10 seconds per piece. This resulted in nice, fairly loose but well-defined waves that felt very "me". They weren't too tight, but still had shape and bounce.

If you wanted tighter curls, you could use the smaller end of the wand and hold the hair on the heat a little longer – just not too much. I do have to stress, however, that if you prefer very tight curls, this may not be the correct tool for you as it’s not small enough.

Another thing I like about this ghd tool is the longevity factor: the waves last a good while and don't tend to drop, as they sometimes do with other tools I’ve tried.

How does the ghd Creative Curl Wand compare?

As mentioned, this wand has several defining features that set it apart from other models; it has a tapered shape and doesn’t feature a clip to secure hair. I personally like both of these things as I think they allow for more of a variety of hairstyles, and are better for beginners, respectively.

The single temperature setting is somewhat unique, with many modern designs featuring more than one. But, again, I think this takes the hassle and effort out of choosing between multiple options.

Should you buy the ghd Creative Curl Wand?

All in all, the ghd Creative Curl Wand is a great beginner's curling tool if you’re thinking of investing – trust me, if I can do it, so can you. However, for those looking for something a bit more advanced or a tool that creates tighter curls, this may not be the exact right tool for you.