Review: Diva Big Waves Styler

Today I’m going to be talking about a really useful hairstyling tool that’s completely rocked my world lately.

I didn’t think anything on this green earth could induce me  to ditch the GHD’s, but I have to say that since I purchased this, my straighteners have been lying in the draw, unsued, on a regular basis.

What is it, you cry? Well, the title gave it away. It’s the rather fabulous Diva Big Waves styler. If you long for easy, effortless cool-girl waves and texture to give your locks something different, then read on…

Like most things, I really love, this styler has multiple uses. You can either use the waving plates, or lock the barrel together and use for those very gentle, big, falling-out curls favoured by VS Angels.

Either is a really good look – but for me, the waving plate has the edge, and that’s how I use it more often.

The wide plates are Korean ceramic infused with Argan Oil. This means that instead of those dry, crisped out looking curls, you get the glossy, bouncy kind.

I must confess that in the past, with other curlers, I have straightened and then curled, just to get that smoothed down texture that curling on its own doesn’t seem to give, but these give that effect to the hair shaft anyway -  its wavy but glossy and smoothed out.

They heat up in 30 seconds to 210 degrees, but you can vary the heat settings from 150-250 degrees.

What amount of heat you need depends largely on your hair type (thick or coarser hair will need more heat) and also on the effect you’re hoping for – the lower the heat, the looser the wave or curl.

They’re also multi-voltage, so you can travel with them safe in the knowledge they won’t blow up on you - always a reassurance!

A word of warning – these really are hotter than the surface of the sun when they’re on, so take care to always use a heat-resistant glove for curling (which they come with) and a heat-proof mat to rest them on. You’ll also need a heat protective spray to keep your locks safe.

First of all, the waves.

These give a really pretty, beachy style of movement to the hair. Its sort of like an oversized crimp – not as angular, but very defined.

I call it a mermaid wave. The look the wavers create is not like anything else I’ve been able to achieve through plaiting the hair and applying heat to the plait – it’s a lot more defined than that.

It gives the hair a really pretty fullness and body, without taking away too much length.

You can vary the definition both by adjusting the temperature, and also by the amount of time you clamp for.

To use the waving plates, you section off a piece of hair about 2 inches across, and going from the root to the ends, clamp the plate down for about ten seconds, move it down and clamp again until you’ve gone all the way down.

I generally clamp very quickly at the roots and for longer towards the bottom, as this gives a more flattering effect. The whole thing is ridiculously quick and easy. The style really lasts as well – no drop out, you’ll have a nice, defined, silky wave all day long.

Love, love, love the effect these give – its unique.

Then we get to the curls.

When I do curls, I like them to be fat and I like them to be loose. I have no interest in corkscrew curls – they just make my face look rounder!

These are my go to tongs for the kind of curls that are really more of a bend or a slight movement in the hair than a curl. When I do my little beehive, mini Bardot hair, they’re perfect for that nonchalant, ‘I haven’t tried’ look.

You use a sliding switch to lock the plates together, and then wrap a piece of hair around the barrel -  very simple. The barrel is very wide, so you do need longer hair to be able to use this option, it wouldn’t do much on a bob!

If you have shorter layers, this would also be hard to use -  this is really designed for long hair. You do get a heatproof glove included in the pack to help with this styling move!

There’s also a super-long cord, which is really useful, no moving your mirror closer to the plug or coming up short. There’s just something about these that are really well designed, they feel very comfortable in your hand and just work beautifully with no fuss.

These are a great purchase for long haired girls, after a couple of false starts, I have used mine so much.

They’re ideal for those days when you want to wear your hair down, but you feel like its just hanging there looking a bit limp and shapeless – plug these in and you have a way to add instant interest, either a deep wave or a loose curl, both sexy styles.

These are a good hair day in a box and great quality. They retail for £65.99 and you can get hold of them several place, including Amazon. Love!