This ain’t your grandma’s hair curler. In fact, it’s not technically a curler at all, but a styler that claims to give you the mermaid hair waves of your dreams.
If you’ve been living under a rock, the Mermade Hair Waver arrived on the beauty scene and almost instantly took over Instagram. Influencers everywhere were seen sporting the iconic pink tri-barrel tool alongside their perfectly coiffed, Disney princess hair.
Launched last year, the $89 tool is the brainchild of Australian beauty entrepreneur Tara Simich. In less than a year, it graced the vanities of beauty lovers everywhere.
But as with everything that sweeps the social media channels, I began to wonder if it could possibly live up to all the hype. So, with my new Rapunzel vibe thanks to isolation haircut bans, I decided I needed to try this baby out.
The Mermaid Hair Process
My first impression is that it’s a lot bigger than my old hair curler, thanks to its signature triple-barrel design. It’s kind of like three curlers in one! The idea is that it will take way less time than other curlers because you can clamp down and create three waves instead of one. It’s also meant to be way easier and less fiddly than traditional curlers. “Simply hold and release to create long-lasting and defined waves in an instant” the instructions say.
So I take a small section of my hair and clamp down close to the root, holding for about ten seconds before releasing and repeating down to the tips of the hair section.
And the result is pretty darn cute for my first waves. I repeat the process until my whole head is done.
The Verdict
The results of this handy tool are gorgeous on my long hair. I use my fingers to separate the waves a bit more, for a messier look and set with hairspray.
I really like this tool and I can see it becoming part of my regular going out routine, once we’re allowed to do all the fun things again.
There are a couple of things to note: firstly, this isn’t much quicker than a normal curling wand but it is EASIER which is important. Set aside 20 or so minutes for a full head of hair. Secondly, it works better when the hair has a bit of texture to it, so I recommend either using a prepping spray or doing it a day or two after a hair wash.
In her spare time, she likes long walks down the makeup aisle and performing in Brisbane theatre. You can follow her adventures on Instagram and TikTok @thebeautypalate.
