How to Use the Wavytalk Cool Curl Pencil on Short Hair
By Ashley Rubell Published
The Wavytalk Cool Curl Pencil is a very slim flat iron built for short cuts. The shell is 0.65 inches across and the heated ceramic plates inside are 0.39 inches, small enough to reach short layers at the neckline and around the ears. Around the plates are 104 vents that blow cool air as you style, which is what sets it apart from a regular pencil iron.
What follows is a first session from start to finish, in the order you'd actually do it, then the mistakes worth avoiding.
Your first session, start to finish
Before you plug in
Start with clean, completely dry hair and a heat protectant. Take the heat-resistant glove out of the box and put it on the hand that will hold your hair, not the tool. Have a couple of clips ready if your hair is long enough to section.
Switching on and opening it
Press and hold the power button for about 2 seconds until the iron turns on. It heats up in around 30 seconds.
The iron has a locking mechanism so it stays closed in a bag. To open it, find the latch on the bottom of the iron and unlock it.
Choosing your heat
After it turns on, short presses on the power button step through the five settings: 280, 320, 360, 400 and 430°F. Wavytalk's guide is:
- Fine or delicate hair: 280 to 320°F
- Normal hair: 320 to 380°F
- Thick or coarse hair: 380 to 430°F
On your first go, start at the bottom of your range. You can always step up a setting if a curl drops out, and you can't undo heat you've already used.
Lifting the roots
Root lift is the thing this tool does best. At the crown or along the fringe, take a small section, clamp the iron close to the root, and lift the section up from the scalp as you hold it for a moment. Wavytalk pitches the cool air as the key to root lift, because it sets the shape without more heat. The heat-insulated housing means you can work close to the scalp, but keep the tip away from skin.
Flipping the ends
For a bob or a grown-out pixie, clamp near the ends, then turn the iron under or out as you glide off. The plates have rounded edges, which Wavytalk designed for flipping ends under or adding a subtle wave. Do the back first, while your arms are fresh, then the sides.
Curls and waves
For soft curls, clamp a section, turn the iron half a turn, and glide slowly down. For a looser wave, alternate the direction of each turn. The narrow plates make small, tight shapes, so on very short hair one turn is usually enough.
Edges, bangs and baby hair
The slim plates are also useful on longer hair for refining bangs and smoothing edges. Use the lowest setting that works, since the hair around the face is often the finest on your head.
Setting it
The 360° cool airflow locks the shape as you go. Wavytalk says you can turn the cool air off for quieter sessions or when you're only straightening, but leave it on when you want curls and lift to hold.
Putting it away
The iron switches itself off after 60 minutes, but turn it off when you're done. Let it cool, close the plates, and lock the latch before you pack it. It runs on 110 to 240V, so it can travel abroad with only a plug adapter.
Five mistakes to avoid
- Starting at the top setting. The 430°F setting is meant for thick, coarse hair. On fine or silver hair, 280°F is often enough.
- Using it on damp hair. A flat iron on wet strands can damage them. Dry fully first.
- Taking big sections. The plates are 0.39 inches, so small sections give you cleaner curls and better lift.
- Switching the cool air off for curls. The airflow is what sets them. Save fan-off for straightening.
- Forcing it open. If the arms won't part, the latch on the bottom is still locked.
Related tools and guides
If your hair is very short, the Wavytalk 0.3" pencil flat iron is even slimmer, and we walk through it in how to use the Wavytalk pencil flat iron. Not sure which width suits your length? The curling iron barrel size guide explains how size changes the curl. You can also browse every tool that straightens and curls in Wavytalk multi-stylers.