TYME Iron Pro

The TYME Iron Pro is the original TYME iron and one of only two in the range that straightens as well as curls. Titanium plates hold their heat through a thicker section, which is what medium and coarse hair needs, and you move between a curl and a straight pass without changing tools.

It takes practice. We would rather tell you now.

The Iron Pro does not work like a traditional curling iron, and your hands will not know what to do the first time you pick it up. There is no barrel to wrap around. The curl comes from the angle you hold the iron at and the way you rotate your arm, and that motion is new. You have to practise it.

Plan on a week of mornings. The first head will be uneven. The second will be better. By the end of the week your arm knows the movement and you stop thinking about it, and from then on it is the fastest tool you own. Almost everyone who gives up on the Iron Pro gives up in the first two or three tries, which is before anyone gets it right.

Two things make that week shorter. Watch the beginner tutorial all the way through before your first attempt, and watch the arm rather than the iron. Then practise the rotation once or twice with the iron cold, in front of a mirror, so your hand learns the path before there is heat in it.

If you would rather not learn a new motion at all, the Iron Air curls and straightens too and is the easiest of the four to pick up, and the 1.25 inch is the most familiar if you have used a curling iron before. We would rather point you at the right tool than sell you this one twice.

Features

• Curling iron and straightener in one: one tool, no attachments to swap, fit or lose.
• Titanium plates for even heat distribution and the power thicker textures need.
• Five heat settings: 300F, 325F, 350F, 375F and 400F.
• Ready in about 50 seconds.
• Automatic shut off after 30 minutes of no use.
• Dual voltage, 110v to 240v, so it works anywhere. You need a plug adapter for the socket shape, not a voltage converter.
• Cashmere or Rose gold.

In the box: the iron. No heat mat, glove or travel pouch. We would rather put the cost into the tool than into things that end up in a drawer.

Who it is for

The Iron Pro is at its best on medium to coarse hair up to bra strap length, and it works on every texture and every ethnicity of hair. Titanium suits medium to thicker, coarser textures. If your hair is fine to medium, ceramic is the better match and the Iron Air or the 1.25 inch will serve you better. There is more on that in titanium or ceramic.

Length is the one thing that narrows it. The Iron Pro gets harder to handle the longer your hair is, so if your hair is longer than bra strap we would point you at the 1.25 inch or the 2 inch instead, and that holds even if straightening is what you came for.

Start on the lowest heat setting

Whatever your hair is like. Try a section. If the style holds, that is your setting. If it drops, turn it up one and stop as soon as it holds. Every texture and every density needs something different, which is exactly why there are five settings rather than one temperature. You can always add heat; you cannot take it back out of the hair.

How to hold the TYME Iron Pro

Whether you are curling or straightening, always begin with the iron in your right hand, thumb resting behind the power button. That single balanced grip is all you need to style your own hair without constantly readjusting your hand.

• Identifying each side. The curling side is the smooth, curved side, and it faces your scalp. The other side is the straightening side.
• Positioning. Always keep your thumb behind the light.
• Mirror check. When you place the hair in the iron, make sure you can see the light in the mirror.
• Right side styling. Thumb points up.
• Left side styling. Thumb points down, hand coming over the head.

Once it is powered on, a quick click of the power button changes the heat setting. Press and hold to power off.

How to use the TYME Iron Pro

Prep

1. Start clean and dry. Use a lightweight shampoo and conditioner so the hair is not weighed down before you begin.
2. Protect it. Apply a lightweight heat protectant. Skip heavy oils, they flatten the style.
3. Section it. Smaller sections style faster and hold longer than large ones.

To curl

1. Set the iron to the lowest setting and let it come up to heat, about 50 seconds.
2. Place the section in the iron with the light visible in the mirror, curved side toward your scalp.
3. Close the iron gently, then rotate it so the light turns away from the mirror.
4. Glide the iron forward toward the mirror with light, even pressure.
5. Catch and twirl the curl in the same direction as it cools, and do not touch it again until it is cold.
6. Finish with a lightweight hairspray.

To straighten

1. Place the iron at the root of a section.
2. Glide down the strand with even pressure and no rotation.
3. For thicker or curlier hair, pass again before you reach for a higher setting.
4. Brush through at the end for a polished finish.

Pro tips from the TYME team

• Rotation controls tightness. Rotate your knuckles from facing the mirror to pointing at the wall behind you. The more you rotate, the tighter the curl.
• Your angle matters. A vertical angle gives sleek, defined curls. A horizontal angle gives soft, voluminous ones.
• Set the shape as it cools. Curls remember the form they cool in, so after releasing, gently catch and twirl each curl in the same direction to help it last.

Frequently asked questions

Is the TYME Iron Pro hard to use?

It is not hard, but it is different, and different feels hard for the first few days. The curl comes from the angle you hold the iron at and how far you rotate your arm, so you are learning a movement rather than a gadget. Most people have it by the end of a week of mornings, and after that it is faster than the tool they used before.

How long does it take to learn the Iron Pro?

About a week of daily use for most people. The first attempt is usually uneven, the second is better, and somewhere around day four or five your arm stops thinking about it. Watching the beginner tutorial before your first try cuts that down considerably.

What do most people get wrong at first?

Arm position. People watch the iron instead of watching their own hand, and the angle drifts, which is why the curls come out inconsistent from one section to the next. Keep your thumb behind the light, check you can see the light in the mirror before you close the iron, and practise the rotation once with the iron cold.

Which TYME iron is the easiest to learn?

The Iron Air, which also curls and straightens. The 1.25 inch is the most familiar if you have used an ordinary curling iron before. The Iron Pro has the steepest curve of the four, and the people who push through it rarely go back.

Does the TYME Iron Pro curl and straighten?

Yes, both. It is one of two TYME irons that straighten, alongside the Iron Air. The 1.25 inch and the 2 inch curling irons do not straighten.

What hair type is the Iron Pro best for?

Medium to coarse hair, up to bra strap length. Titanium holds high heat through a thick section better than ceramic does. It works on every texture and every ethnicity of hair.

Is the Iron Pro good for long hair?

It is not what we would recommend. The Iron Pro is at its best on hair up to bra strap length and gets harder to handle the longer the hair is. For hair longer than bra strap we recommend the 1.25 inch or the 2 inch, and that holds even if you want to straighten.

Can I use it if I am left handed?

Yes. The grip is the same, and the thumb positions above still apply. Our tutorials page has a video covering sectioning and left handed technique.

How long does it take to heat up?

About 50 seconds.

What heat setting should I use?

Start on the lowest one and only go up if the style is not holding. There is no correct setting by hair type, which is exactly why the iron has five of them.

Can it replace my curling iron and my flat iron?

That is what it was designed to do. One tool instead of two, nothing to attach, and one thing to pack.

Iron Pro or Iron Air?

Both curl and straighten, and both suit medium to coarse hair up to bra strap length. The Iron Pro has titanium plates and five fixed heat settings. The Iron Air has floating ceramic plates, cool air vents that set the style as you pass, a wider heat range, and a gentler learning curve. There is a full comparison here.

My curl keeps dropping. What am I doing wrong?

Usually one of four things, and heat is the last of them. Let the curl cool completely before you touch it, keep your products light, take smaller sections, and only then consider turning the heat up one setting.

How do I look after it?

Wipe it down with a damp microfibre cloth once it is completely cool. Never spray product directly onto the plates, let heat protectant dry before you clamp, and let the iron cool fully before storing. Keep the cord away from the heating elements and never wrap it tightly around the iron.

Shipping

We ship from the United States. Some countries charge customs or duties on arrival, and those charges are the customer's responsibility. Refusing a package because of customs fees does not qualify for a refund.