Is A Rectangular Wand The Secret To Creating Perfect Curls? We Put The Chopstick Styler To The Test

Erin Cardiff reviews the innovative new heat styling tool that promises long-lasting curls

Posted on

5 March 2019

All Credits: PA

As somebody whose hair spends more time in a bun than a McDonald’s burger, it is safe to say that, when it comes to beauty, I’m pretty low maintenance.

So, when I heard that the Chopstick Styler could give my locks a great finish – be that beachy waves or tight, bouncy curls – fast, my first thought was, ‘sign me up.’

But as soon as I saw it, with its rectangular barrel, my second thought was, ‘how on earth do I use this?’

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Screenshot to find your perfect match babe#CurlCrew #chopstickstyler

A post shared by Chopstick Styler™ (@chopstickstyler) on Feb 4, 2019 at 2:28pm PST

What Does It Do?

The Chopstick Styler comes in four varieties, priced between £24.99 and £29 – Hero for voluminous curls, Long for longer hair types, Chunky for defined, glamorous ringlets and Master for effortless waves.

Its rectangular barrel sets it apart from traditional smooth-edged tongs, and you can chose between five heat settings. Best of all, each is infused with a different type of oil to give your locks a splash of hydration.

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Whoever you are, whatever your hair type and whether you’re looking to create a dramatic curled style, beachy waves, or enhance your natural curl texture, there’s a Chopstick Styler for you. #chopstickstyler #curlcrew

A post shared by Chopstick Styler™ (@chopstickstyler) on Feb 7, 2019 at 12:27pm PST

Does It Work?

Full disclosure: it took a little while before I worked out exactly how to use the Chopstick Styler.

Through some trial and error, though, I discovered that, as my hair is rather thin, it didn’t need the tong held in place for long.

I divided it up into two to three-inch sections, and wound each around the barrel, holding it in place for around 10 seconds.

Some of my earlier curling attempts were a little too tight, but I was able to achieve loser ringlets by decreasing the amount of time I held the wand in place for.

Once I found my rhythm, I was finishing within 15 minutes, transforming my tresses from flat and fine to big and bouncy.

Erin transformed her hair from flat to fabulous with the Chopstick Styler

Erin transformed her hair from flat to fabulous with the Chopstick Styler (Erin Cardiff/PA)

I did, however, learn the hard way that the tongs get incredibly hot, so I would recommend using the heat-proof glove that comes in the box.

Plus, the barrel itself seemed to almost grip my hair in place with slightly too much tension, which made it difficult to manoeuvre changing angles, or space it out more for looser curls once it was already wound around.

I do worry about causing damage to my hair, which has only just forgiven me for an ill-advised teenage obsession with peroxide, but the fact the styler I used, Chunky, is infused with Brazilian maracuja oil put my mind at ease.

Erin’s curly locks after giving them the Chopstick treatment

Erin’s curly locks after giving them the Chopstick treatment (Erin Cardiff/PA)

Once I got the hang of using the rectangular tong I was able to achieve soft, silky curls in half the time it would have taken me with normal round-barrelled tongs.

And anything that saves me a little time in the mornings is a must-have in my book.