Do it Yourself: Clampless Curling Iron

I don't know if you all have noticed the recent hair trend of mermaid-ish, wavy hair. Well, that style is created with what's referred to as a conical or clampless hair iron. They're basically your average hair curler, minus the clamp. Many say this the new, clampless iron is better because it doesn't cause ridges from the clamp, nor does it make your hair look crunchy. I've seen countless YouTube videos with gurus using this new type of hair curler and I have to admit, the curls look amazing. The only drawback? These clampless irons cost a fortune! The lowest price I could find is about $40. Higher end models reach the upper 100s and into the 200s, depending on brand.

I really would like to buy the clampless hair iron but, frankly, it just costs too much money. So then I got to thinking after looking at my normal hair iron with the clamp...can't I just take off the clamp part and thus, make a clampless iron? Well, I tried it and I'm here to tell you, you can make your own clampless iron without having to buy a new iron!

How does it work? It depends on your current curling iron. Most lower end irons have two side screws that hold the clamp in place. Simply obtain a screwdriver that will fit the screw and take them off. Voila, you can now have your own clampless iron. Yes, it really is THAT easy!

What if you don't have an iron with screws? Try to study the model and see if the springs that hold the clamp will slide out of place. If not, you can always buy a cheap curling iron with screws and unscrew it.

The best part about this DIY tutorial? If you're not satisfied with the way your hair looks after using the iron without the clamp, simply screw the clamp back on! So easy!

Here are some pictures to show you how my curling iron came apart.