Four TYME irons, one honest question: which one belongs in your bathroom. Most guides answer this by hair type, and that is the wrong starting point. Start with what you want your hair to look like, because that is what genuinely separates these four tools.
If you want one sentence. Ringlet curls or beachy waves: the 1.25 inch. Volume and movement rather than curls: the 2 inch. Curling and straightening from one tool, especially on medium to coarse hair: the Iron Pro or the Iron Air. All four are $149.99.
The four irons side by side
| 1.25 inch | 2 inch | Iron Pro | Iron Air | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it is built to do | Ringlet curls, or beachy waves | Volume and movement, not defined curls | Curl and straighten with one tool | Curl and straighten with one tool |
| Straightens | No | No | Yes, fastest of the four | Yes |
| Hair it suits | Any hair type | Any hair type | Especially medium to coarse | Especially medium to coarse |
| Plates | PTC ceramic | PTC ceramic | Titanium | Ceramic with cool air vents |
| Heat settings | 300F, 350F, 375F, 400F | 300F, 350F, 375F, 400F | 300F, 325F, 350F, 375F, 400F | 280F to 430F |
| Heat up time | About 30 seconds | About 30 seconds | About 55 seconds | About 55 seconds |
| Dual voltage | Yes, 120 to 240v | Yes, 120 to 240v | Yes, 110 to 240v | Yes |
| Colours | Cashmere, Caviar | Cashmere, Caviar | Cashmere, Rose gold | Cashmere |
| Price | $149.99 | $149.99 | $149.99 | $149.99 |
Every TYME iron works on every ethnicity and every texture of hair. The 1.25 inch, the 2 inch and the Iron Pro all shut off after 30 minutes of no use, and the two curling irons have a 360 degree swivel cord and use negative ions to cut frizz and static.
The 1.25 inch curling iron
This is the versatile one, and for most people it is the right first iron. The same tool gives you a tight ringlet or a loose beachy wave, and which one you get depends entirely on how you angle and rotate it. More rotation and smaller sections gives ringlets. Less rotation and bigger sections gives waves.
It works on any hair type and any texture. PTC ceramic plates heat evenly, there are four settings from 300F to 400F, and it is ready in about 30 seconds. Lauren Ashtyn designed this iron herself, along with the 2 inch. Cashmere or Caviar.
The 2 inch curling iron
Worth being clear about this one, because the name misleads people. The 2 inch is not really for curls. It is built to put volume and movement into the hair: body at the root, swing through the length, the way hair looks after a good blowout. If your complaint is that your hair hangs flat and lifeless, this is the iron. If you want ringlets, take the 1.25 inch instead.
Like the 1.25 inch, it suits any hair type, uses PTC ceramic plates, runs from 300F to 400F and heats in about 30 seconds. It is also faster on long hair, because each pass covers more.
The Iron Pro
The Iron Pro is the original TYME iron, the one the company was built on, and it is one of only two that straighten as well as curl. Titanium plates shaped so the twist lives in the tool rather than in your wrist. A small change of angle takes you from a ringlet to a loose wave, and flipping the iron over straightens.
Titanium moves heat fast and holds it steady, which is why the Iron Pro is at its best on medium to coarse hair textures, the kind that fight a curl. It has the steepest learning curve of the four, and it is worth the week it takes. Ready in about 55 seconds. Cashmere or Rose gold.
The Iron Air
The Iron Air also curls and straightens, and like the Iron Pro it is at its best on medium to coarse hair. Ceramic plates paired with cool air vents: the heat shapes the section and a burst of air sets it in the same movement, which is the same principle as letting a curl cool in your hand, done for you.
It has the widest heat range in the line, 280F to 430F, is ready in about 55 seconds, and it is the easiest of the four to learn. Cashmere.
Choosing by the look you want
- Defined ringlet curls. 1.25 inch.
- Beachy waves. 1.25 inch, with bigger sections and less rotation. There is a full guide.
- Volume, body and movement. 2 inch.
- Straight and sleek, and curls on other days. Iron Pro or Iron Air. These are the only two that straighten.
- Curls one day and body the next. The Size Matters bundle pairs both curling irons for less than buying them separately.
Choosing by your hair
Medium to coarse texture
The Iron Pro or the Iron Air. Both are built for this, and both curl and straighten. Work in smaller sections than feels necessary.
Fine hair
Either curling iron, on the lowest heat setting. Fine hair takes a curl quickly and drops it quickly, so the thing that matters most is letting it cool fully before you touch it, not the tool.
Colour treated, bleached or fragile hair
Either curling iron, again on the lowest setting, and a heat protectant every single time without exception. Go up one setting only if the style genuinely will not hold.
Naturally curly hair
Any of them, and you do not need to straighten first. The iron smooths as it curls.
Short hair
The 1.25 inch. You need about an inch of length to work with, and because you start at the top of the section, the curl ends where your hair ends.
One rule, whichever you buy
Start on the lowest heat setting. If your hair is not holding the style, turn it up one and stop as soon as it does. Every texture and every density wants something different, and that is precisely why there is a range of settings rather than a single temperature. Nobody should be starting at 400F by default.
Ceramic or titanium
Ceramic distributes heat evenly and treats hair gently, which is why both curling irons and the Iron Air use it. Titanium heats faster and holds a higher temperature, which is what coarser hair needs, and why the Iron Pro gets through a difficult head of hair so quickly. Neither is better in the abstract.
Still not sure
Take the thirty second quiz, or email hello@tymestyle.com with your hair length, texture and a photo of the look you want. A licensed stylist will tell you which iron to buy, at no charge and with no obligation.