You might be wondering what kind of a crazy person buys $450 worth of styling tools without knowing if they’re going to like them. Fortunately for anyone who has been debating getting one over the other, I’m that crazy person. 🤪
Why I purchased
I’ve seen a lot of girls rave about the T3 curling tools and I always ask myself if it’s worth the hype (and the $$$). I’ve had my black T3 straightener for a little over 2 years that I got from Costco when it was on sale and really don’t have any complaints about it.
Like with my T3 straightener, I also wanted to get a good deal on the curler if I was ever going to get it. What finally made me pull the trigger on it was Ulta’s Diamond and Platinum Appreciation Day Sale. I’ve been a Platinum member for a couple of years now and an overall Ultamate Rewards member since 2012, but never knew about this sale until last year (2020).
Ulta’s Diamond and Platinum Appreciation Day Sale
In order to reach Diamond status, you have to spend at least $1,200 at Ulta in one calendar year (January – December). To qualify for Platinum status, that amount changes to $500 in a year. During this Appreciation Day sale, Diamond & Platinum members can receive 5-10x the points on the purchase of items from certain brands. This year, the brand T3 was part of the “10x the points” category and I took full advantage of that. If you want to take advantage of this sale too, I think they’re pretty consistent about doing it each August.
So, if you think about the numbers, that’s 3,000 points for the wand set and 1,500 points for the curling iron (not including any base points). That’s equal to 4,500 points which is worth $267.50 when you redeem your points at Ulta. For this exact purchase, I received 4,576 points.
I usually bank all my points until I really need something or for when the holiday season comes around. And take note, the more you save your Ultamate Rewards points, the more they’re worth. Above is a guide on what your points would be worth, straight from their website.
What I used before
When I started curling my hair at around age 14, I used a curler with a clamp. Then around 15 or 16, I got my first wand (the Chi Orbit) and liked it way better. Later on, I never went back to using a curler with a clamp but considered it since I felt it was quicker and easier with using mainly just one hand.
I’ve also owned the Conair Double Ceramic 1″ Curling Wand, which costs around $15 and it was one of my favorites while I had short hair, but as my hair grows out longer I prefer a larger barrel for looser curls. The most recent curler I’ve used before the T3 is the Lange Ondule 32mm (1.25″) Curling Wand in Tourmaline White Ceramic. The size of the barrel is perfect, but it doesn’t have any heat adjustment settings and the curls don’t stay in very long.
T3 Trio Wand Set vs. T3 SinglePass Curling Iron
Back to the T3 tools- which one is better? It depends on what you like and if you have more experience with one type of curling iron over the other.
Here are some pros and cons I came across when using each one:
Trio Wand Set
Pros:
- Three barrel sizes (if you’re like me and like changing the size of barrel as your hair grows then this is perfect)
- Twist-to-lock interchangable barrels so there are no worries about it coming apart
- 9 ft cord (seems longer than others I’ve had)
- Curls stay in for SO long
- You save around $100 by getting the set instead of buying the barrels and handle separate
- Fast-heating
- 5 different heat settings
- Glove and storage bag included
- Works well on my thick hair
- Pretty color (white/rosegold) and good quality finish
Cons:
- One of the sizes I really wanted was the 1.25″, but they don’t make this size in the wand
- Leaves hair smelling funky (might just be since they’re new)
- I had a little bit of trouble adjusting from heat setting 4 to 3
- The price has gone up by $25 since I purchased mine
- Button to turn on/off (I don’t like accidently pushing the button while I’m curling my hair)
- Takes a while to cool off after turning on so if you change your mind about the barrel and want to change it, you’ll have to wait a while. I tried using the glove included but the barrel surface was too smooth.
What the curls look like before and after: Tapered Wand
What the curls look like before and after: 1″ barrel
What the curls look like before and after: 1.5″ barrel
These were all taken on different days, with no product in my hair. For all of these, I showered the night before and blow-dried my hair before going to bed with the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer & Volumizer Hot Air Brush.
SinglePass 1.25″ Curling Iron
Pros:
- Comes in the size I wanted (1.25″)
- Half the price of the Trio Wand Set
- Fast-heating
- 5 different heat settings
- Easy to adjust the heat setting with the SmartTwist Dial
- No push button to turn on/off so no worries on pushing it while in use
- Pretty color (white/rosegold) and good quality finish
Cons:
- Leaves a crease on hair where the barrel was (maybe it’s just user error)
- Curls don’t look as nice as with the wand (in my opinion)
- Still expensive for what it is
- Curls don’t hold as well as with the wands
- Leaves hair smelling bad
What the curls look like before and after: SinglePass 1.25″ Curling Iron
Summary
When I first used the SinglePass, I wasn’t in love with the results. If you look closely at the side profile view with the curls, you can see the indent I mentioned before from the clamp. Maybe it’s just my lack of experience with using this type of curler, but that was a huge downside for me.
As far as the wand set goes, there are some days when I like one barrel more than the others. I think it probably depends on what I’m doing that day and what style I’m going for, but I definitely like the results I get from all 3 barrels. I’m still waiting for the funky “new” smell to go away when using it. Hopefully, after a few more uses it’ll be gone.
With all that being said, which one is worth the hype and money? It really just comes down to personal preference and hair type, but if I had to recommend one over the other, I would 100% say to go with the T3 Trio Wand Set over the T3 SinglePass.
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