By a show of hands, how many of you want to spend hours and hours doing your hair? Sure, you might wind up with Olympian boxer-level biceps as a happy consequence, but you can’t replace all that life missed.
With summer and sunshine here, mermaid waves are among the top beauty trends. We’re talking about the sort of full-bodied, free-flowing waves that would make legendary half-fish half-woman Ariel green with envy.
Although you can achieve the look with straighteners (by running the irons at a tilt against strands) as well as curling tongs or rollers, the fastest route to fun, flirty hair comes courtesy of a mermaid hair waver.
With a triple barrel system, they may look complex, but mermaid hair wavers are incredibly simple to use and can transform your locks into new levels of prettiness in a flash. Essentially they work like giant crimpers; simply pass sections of dried hair through the barrels, et voila! Photoshoot-worthy waves, with no aching arms in sight.
Remember to always use a heat-protecting spray when you use hot hair tools, and finish with either a dash of serum for extra gloss, or hairspray for long-lasting hold. Want to go full mermaid? A sea salt spray will add the sort of texture that you can usually only get by walking along the seafront.
Without further ado, see the best mermaid hair wavers to spend your money on below.
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Mermade Hair Pro Waver 32Mm Pink - Get Instant Lush Waves
As the leading brand behind the hair trend, Mermade has wavers in a selection of colours and circumference to help you realise your vision. With 32mm barrels, this design is the one to reach for when you’ve got Hollywood on your pinboard. It can handle large sections of hair with ease, which means if you’ve got thick or long hair, you won’t have to wrestle with it for very long. In fact the PRO edition can style your hair up to 50 per cent faster than its competitors.
The clamp-and-release mechanism is blissfully simple to use and the barrels are made from ceramic to reduce frizziness. It has a fast heat-up time, is temperature adjustable and features an auto shut-off - a valuable safety net for forgetful types. The shut-off kicks in after an hour though so it’s imperative to use the safety stand when the tool is on.
Mermade is so confident in its product that it offers a full money back guarantee if you’re not happy, so there really is nothing to lose.
Buy now £69.00, lookfantastic
Amika high tide deep waver
There’s no need to expose your hair to the drying sea air to achieve toss-worthy locks. Amika’s deep waver uses a trio of tourmaline ceramic barrels to create stunning ripples while ion technology ensures they’re frizz-free to boot. Though you won’t be holding the electrical for long, it’s comfortable when it’s in your hands with a heat-resistant handle that won’t slip, no matter what angle you wind up holding it.
Buy now £90.00, Amika
Beauty Works Jumbo Waver
For XL curls that’ll stop traffic, you need bigger barrels - and Beauty Works has some of the largest around at 32mm. This means you’ll get luxuriously large waves that, with the right hairspray, could last you for days, making it ideal to use before a weekend break. Heat up time is a mere 60 seconds and you can control the temperature from 80 to 220 degrees.
This comes with a heat-resistant mat to protect your surfaces too.
Buy now £49.00, lookfantastic
Revamp WV-2000-GB Progloss Deep Beach Hair Waver
You don’t have to live near a beach to look like you’ve been on one. Revamp’s hair tool will give you the bouncy, beach waves of your dreams. Using a double whammy of ceramic and ionic technology, the triple barrels are also infused with Progloss super smooth oils to give hair a lustrous, mirror-like shine.
The 15 second heat up time is one of the fastest on this list, meaning effortless-looking waves can be yours even sooner. Five heat setting options also mean you can style your locks without totally frazzling them.
Buy now £60.00, Argos
MERMADE Pro Hair Cutie hair waver 22mm
Ideal for shorter hair, this Mermade waver has much smaller barrels than the other option on this list at just 22mm. It’s one to choose if you have hair that falls to shoulder-length or less, or if your hair is on the thinner side. The small barrel size will result in more texture and body, giving a fuller appearance.
Made from ceramic to keep hair looking smooth, there are multiple settings to choose. It even comes with a heat protection glove to save you from accidental burns. Comes with a two year warranty.
Buy now £70.00, Selfridges
Revlon Wave Master Jumbo Waver
If you like to be able to fine tune heat settings, you’ll love this waver from Revlon. It offers no less than 30 options to best suit your hair, which means it’s fine to use even on bleached strands at the right temperature. The tourmaline coated ceramic barrels further helps to reduce styling damage by sealing the cuticle, which should cut down on split ends.
It is a corded hair tool, but the wire swivels 360 so you won’t wind up a tangled mess by the time you’ve finished doing your hair.
Buy now £33.24, Amazon
Toni & Guy Deep Barrel Hair Waver, 32 mm - Black
Using deep plates instead of space-hogging barrels, hair expert Toni & Guy has this waver to help you achieve a salon-quality do at home yourself. The cord stretches to 3m so you’re not tied to the wall socket, and you can use any of the 25 heat settings to customise your waves and keep your locks safe from extreme heat.
The tourmaline plates use Colour Lock Technology which is particularly beneficial for those with dyed hair, keeping your shade looking vibrant for longer. For red carpet results, add a pump of volumising mousse before you start styling.
Buy now £30.00, Amazon
BaByliss Deep Waves Styler
Storage can be an issue with mermaid hair wavers, which is why we’ve included BaByliss’ styler to the mix. What it lacks in barrel numbers it makes up for in an XL iron with a deep ridge to make the same beach-inspired effect. Clamp between sections of hair for waves that will really go the distance.
Buy now £45.00, Amazon
Revolution Haircare 32mm Mega Waver
In pretty white and rose gold livery, this waver will look stunning on your dressing table. It’s not all about looks though; the function isn’t bad either. Leaving behind nothing but beautiful rolling waves, the ceramic coated tubes distribute heat evenly around the whole barrel to add longevity to your look.
Buy now £40.00, lookfantastic
