I’ve been writing about beauty trends for over a decade, and I’m often asked by friends and coworkers about which products are actually worth buying. The number one question? Without a doubt, it’s “What hair products do you use?” The secret isn’t a texturizing spray or fancy hair tools—it’s a curling iron I’ve been using since high school.
The first time I heard about the Hot Tools 24K Gold Collection curling iron was in a celebrity gossip magazine, where it was mentioned as one of Lauren Conrad’s favorite products. This was at the peak of the Y2K reality show The Hills, so let’s just say it didn’t take much convincing. Years later, I’m still using the classic gold curling iron almost daily. I have to replace it every few years, but it’s still a great deal at $80—much less than a Dyson Airwrap—and it often goes on sale. In fact, you can get it for $56 (30% off) right now during Prime Day.
As a longtime beauty writer, I’ve had access to all the high-end hair tools, and while some are well worth the splurge, I still find myself going back to Hot Tools. I have fine, stick-straight hair that’s super thick and notoriously hard to hold a curl, but this does the job with its temperature settings that go up to 450 degrees. I use the maximum heat setting, but it’s adjustable to lower temps for those with thinner or damage-prone hair. Just be sure to use a heat protectant!
Plus, I can curl my whole head in around 10 minutes, making it a huge time-saver compared to the thermal brushes and blow-dryer brushes that are so popular lately. The experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab even named it as the top pick for long hair in our guide to the best curling irons.
While the 1.25-inch barrel is my go-to for everyday, I’ve also had good luck with the 1-inch and 1.5-inch sizes for tighter curls or looser waves. There are seven sizes in total (and they’re all on sale, too!), so it’s easy to find one to match your preferred curl size or hair texture. And if you really know your way around a curling iron, I’ve known a handful of professional stylists who keep the marcel version (the clip doesn’t have a spring to offer more control) in their kit at all times.
This curling iron has gotten me through three graduation ceremonies, several friends’ weddings, and numerous haircuts (especially the bad ones), and as long as they keep making it, I’ll keep buying it.
