Key Difference: Crimping iron is a similar to a straightening iron, but it has ridges on the heating plates. The ridges on the plate allow the hair to have a crimped look to them. Crimping results in the hair looking wavy with very small waves, similar to a saw tooth. Curling iron is a type of hair iron that can create waves and curls in hair using different methods and products in the hair. Curling irons are in cylindrical shape and have a metallic barrel, with a plastic handle.

Crimping iron and curling iron are two types of hair irons that are used to style hair. They both differ in the type of style they create. Crimping iron creates crimps using ridged paddles, which curling iron uses heats to curl the hair providing waves or curls in the hair. These both are two different types of irons that are available on the market and should not be confused with each other.

Crimping iron is a similar to a straightening iron, but it has ridges on the heating plates. The ridges on the plate allow the hair to have a crimped look to them. These irons are used for purely styling the hair and does not curl or straighten the hair. Crimping results in the hair looking wavy with very small waves, similar to a saw tooth. In addition to crimping it is also called krinkles or deep waves. The crimping iron has a handle that is attached to two hot plates and that have a spring. It requires the person to hold the two plates closed and when pressure is removed the plates separate. The size of the crimp varies depending on the design of the ridged paddle and how close of far apart the ridges are placed on the hot plate. Crimping became popular during the mid-1980s and was invented by Geri Cusenza, one of the co-founders of Sebastian Professional.

When using the crimping iron, hair must be washed, dried and tangle free. The best approach is to blow dry the hair and straightening it out using the brush. When hair is fully dry, apply the crimping iron to small sections of the hair and pull from root to tip. Apply pressure only for few seconds before releasing, so hair does not become damaged or burned. Hair can even be crimped using a straightening iron or just braids. The straightening iron is run through the hair in small S pattern, which create small bends or waves in the hair. If one wants the style without splurging on the iron, they can create small braids when hair is wet and leave them in till the hair is dry or dry them using a hair dryer to set the style and then remove the braids. Loose braids can also be used to create natural waves in the hair.

Curling iron is a type of hair iron that can create waves and curls in hair using different methods and products in the hair. Curling irons are in cylindrical shape and have a metallic barrel, with a plastic handle. Some curling irons may also come with a clip to hold hair in place. The purpose of a curling iron is to provide some curls or waves to naturally straight hair. The plastic handle commonly comes with only one button, but could have more buttons if the device has extra features. There are many different types of curling irons, which vary by diameter, material, and shape of barrel and the type of handle.  The barrel can range between 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) to 2 inches (5.1 cm). The smaller barrels are used for curls and ringlets, while the bigger barrels are used to create waves.

The curling irons can be made of Teflon, ceramic, tourmaline, metal, or titanium. There are many different people claiming which is better, but a person should check and purchase the irons depending on their usage. The curling iron may also have a spring-loaded handle that allows the hair to stay in place while it is being heated. They are the most common types of irons and allow the user to place as much pressure on the clip to ensure the strength of the curl. The clipless wands come with gloves so to keep the hands from burning.  The curling iron can be used without any added products, but experts suggest adding heat protection serum to keep the hair from singeing. Other serums or products are also available to ensure the curls stay or the hair has more bounce or volume.

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