We’ve had a look at a range of curling wands over the past few weeks, and now it is time to look at a mid range Cortex Curling Wand. This unit is somewhat of a average model, but can it stand out from the crowd? Read our review below to find out more.
Product Features:
Cortex is quite a big brand when it comes to hair care products, and their styling products are often quite highly regarded. This Cortex curling wand is quite stylish, and comes in a sleek black design. It is graded as a professional iron, although it seems to be missing some of the important features associated with professional grade curling irons.
The barrel is a 1.25″ size, which is considered to be a middle size. The single barrel limits your styling choices, but you can’t really ask for much more from a mid range unit. It will produce medium wave curls, which is suitable for most people. If you have really long hair then we would recommend you look for a model with a bigger barrel to save you time, but those of you with shorter or medium hair lengths should be fine. The barrel itself is made out of tourmaline, and this helps to make a smooth curling experience. The product claims to utilize the “ultra smooth plates” to stop hair getting caught, but the surface really doesn’t feel any smoother than any of the cheaper units we have tested so I don’t know if this is all marketing mumbo jumbo or if there is truth to that.
Like some of the other Cortex curling wands, this one uses Far-Infrared Technology. The benefits of this technology claim to help lock in moisture and spread heat more evenly, but like I said in one of my earlier reviews of one of theother Cortex models, I’m not sure how radical the benefits of this technology are. The results of the curling wand were pretty decent, but to be honest they didn’t really look that much different from the results we got from a cheaper model. So I can’t say how beneficial these claimed technological benefits really are at the end of the day.
Moving on, we take a look at the ergonomics of the unit. The handle itself is non slip, and is fairly comfortable to use. The unit is very basic in functionality, with only a on/off switch on the front. The handle is quite thin in the middle which proves to be just the right size for my somewhat small hands. Holding the unit, it doesn’t really feel very heavy at all. Having used it after 10 minutes, my arm was fine and there was no noticeable fatigue at all.
Looking at the heating element there isn’t really too much to talk about. It heats up to 420F I believe, but there is no temperature control. We mentioned a lack of pro features earlier on, but in this day and age even sub $30 units come with lcd displays and temperature buttons. I’m not sure why this feature isn’t included, but perhaps it is because it is a professional grade item where it is only designed for use by professionals who don’t need these sorts of features. There is also a lack of heat resistant glove, so perhaps there is some truth to my theory. Since it lacks the heat resistant glove we would recommend that amateurs be very careful when using this unit, as you can get burnt very easily since you can’t set the temperature to a lower one while you learn to use it. One thing we should mention is that it heats up in a few seconds so this is definitely a big plus for the unit.
The cord itself is a swivel cord, which is a great as it won’t get tangled up or in the way when you are busy with your hair. The cord itself is a little on the short side, but that could always be fixed with an extension cord I suppose. Another benefit we should mention is that this Cortex curling wand is a dual voltage product, supporting 110-220volts. What is the benefit of this? There isn’t really much benefit unless you plan to travel to another country. The USA operates on 110v (a quick google claims) whereas some other countries operate on 220v. So if you plan on traveling then this wand will work straight out of the box without any sort of voltage converter.
The warranty on this unit is one year, which is somewhat disappointing for a professional grade wand.
Pros:
- Produce nice curls with relative ease
- Heats up very quickly
- Light and comfortable to use
- Dual voltage for operating in different countries
- Swivel cord that won’t get in the way
Cons:
- No heat resistant glove
- No temperature control or lcd
- Only a one year warranty
- Bit pricey
Summary:
Overall it isn’t a bad product, but with the lack of some basic features it doesn’t stand out at all. The curling results were great, and it heats up super fast, but the price is a bit too steep I think for such a limited set of features. You can find this model on Amazon, otherwise you can take our look at our review of the fantastic Cortex 4-in-1 for a much better option.
| Our Rating: |
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| 3 |
