Credit:
Bondi Boost / Reviewed / Monica Petrucci
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Having naturally wavy hair is a real wild card. Some days I wake up blessed with defined curls and uniform-like waves all over my head; other (read: most) days, it’s a chaotic blend of straight strands and semi-curls. So when I came across the highly rated Bondi Boost Wave Wand on my Instagram feed with its promises of soft, natural-looking waves in seconds, it was lust at first sight.
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What is the Bondi Boost Wave Wand all about?
The Bondi Boost Wave Wand consists of three curling wand-like barrels.
Before discovering this wand on social media, I had never heard of Bondi Boost. The Australian beauty brand specializes in hair products—like shampoos, serums, and vitamins—with a focus on high quality ingredients for healthy looking hair. (I.e., the brand claims to leave out controversial ingredients thought to harm the hair, like sulfates and parabens.) Plus, Bondi Boost says its products are never tested on animals, and the company donates annually to Aussie children in need. (As if I needed more convincing to fork over my money.)
The brand’s Instagram-famous wand is kind of like the crimping iron that '80s and '90s kids grew up with, but modernized. The wand itself is made up of three large barrels, each of which resembles a curling wand, with the barrels and their corresponding contoured plates alternating and the center barrel opening with the clamp. The temperature is adjustable between 80°C and 210°C (176°F and 410°F), and it heats up in just 60 seconds. Insulated barrel tips and an included heat-protected glove should keep your fingers safe from burns while styling.
The technology behind this product has one simple goal: to create natural-looking waves throughout the hair with minimal effort. “Whether you have short or long locks; thick or thin, the heated ceramic produces negatively charged ions that create soft, shiny waves without any frizz,” the website claims. With all these promises for quick, convenient, and one-of-a-kind results, I was eager to put it to the test.
What’s it like to use the Bondi Boost Wave Wand?
Before using the Bondi Boost Wave Wand, I blow-dried my hair to smooth it.
I wanted to start with a smooth, combed-out base, rather than let my hair air-dry and take some unpredictable frizzy form. So, after showering, I applied the Amika Brooklyn Bombshell Blowout Spray heat protectant spray, and blow-dried my hair with the Conair 1875 hair dryer with a concentrator nozzle attached.
The Bondi Boost's product description and web reviews suggest sectioning off hair pieces depending on your desired curl: smaller bits for defined waves, larger ones for a tousled look. My technique landed somewhere in the middle—with my medium-thick, semi-curly hair, I figured the waves would hold without taking the extra time on minuscule strands. Finally, I fired up the wand.
The toughest part of using this wand was figuring out how to maneuver it without burning myself (which I did … a few times). For folks with small hands like mine, holding this wand, which is heavier and bulkier than most styling tools, while opening and closing the clamp isn’t easy—you can expect accidental burns on your first few tries. I tried using the heat protectant glove, but that made the wand feel slippery in my hand. To add to these challenges, the on/off button is in a somewhat inconvenient spot—below the clamp handle—and I accidentally turned it off as I was curling once or twice. The longer I used it though, the more I got into a groove, and handling it became much easier.
I clamped each section for the suggested 10 seconds and moved down the hair shaft once or twice to cover the length of my hair. Each result was a soft, subtle-yet-defined wave that my natural hair could only dream of producing on its own. But waving my entire head from start to finish took about as long as any other curling wand would, despite Bondi Boost’s promise for a shorter curling experience. My hair is long at almost nine inches past my shoulders, which had me working about 45 minutes.
The back of my hair before (left) and after (right) using the Bondi Boost Wave Wand.
After waving each layer, I spritzed a little bit of the Paul Mitchell Freeze and Shine Super Hairspray to maintain the waves. And when I finished my whole head, I ran a pea-sized amount of John Frieda Frizz Ease Secret Weapon Touch-Up Crème through my hair to minimize any remaining frizz and emphasize the shine. The result? A look that evokes mermaid-level magic, with defined, effortless-looking waves.
Is the Bondi Boost Wave Wand worth it?
The Bondi Boost Wave Wand gives me effortless-looking waves.
I would buy this wand all over again, despite the minor burns and longer-than-expected time commitment. The style of wave I can achieve with it is different from any other wand or crimper I’ve used in the past. It gives a natural, post-beach look, and allows you to choose how intense of a curl you want to achieve.
It’s great for full-head styling or touching up small sections on low-effort hair days. If you’re looking to or add some texture to your straight locks or up your natural wave game, I recommend investing in this wand. As for me, I’ll never settle for my hair’s natural chaos again.