Ask any woman what she needs to feel pulled together on the go - whether it’s for business or pleasure - and she’s likely to answer that travel curling irons are a must! There are many reasons why travel curling irons are the perfect styling tool to toss in your suitcase or carry-on, and why they’re preferable to regular curling irons if you have a trip on the horizon. Travel irons have the following qualities:

• Lightweight. Travel irons are lighter than their regular counterparts, so they don’t add much heft or bulk to your bag.
• Fold in half. Most travel curling irons can be folded (as shown in this picture) for greater portability. You can even toss them in your purse!
• Dual voltage. If you’re traveling overseas, you can find a travel iron with dual voltage capabilities so you don’t have to buy a separate voltage adapter!
• Come with a heatproof carrying cases. Curling iron holders are a necessity, and most travel irons come with a heat-resistance pouch to protect your iron (and the rest of your belongings) in transit.

Do you have a favorite travel curling iron? What do you reach for when you’re on your way to the airport?

I started using a curling iron when I was eleven years old.  It was the early 90s and having big bangs sprayed into submission, standing straight up and curled back were all the rage.  I have no idea what we were thinking.  But we sure did feel cool.  These days I still use a curling iron but to create much more natural and flattering looks - at least I hope so!  My go-to hairstyle is creating soft waves all over that compliment my natural wavy hair.  The end result is having hair that looks like I just woke up that way - but we girls know better!  For my job I have to travel a lot and checking a bag is never an option.  Usually I’m gone for less than two nights and I have a meeting that I have to rush to as soon as I get off the plane - who has time to wait for a checked bag to come through?  With packing lightly and efficiently in mind, I got a travel ceramic curling iron that is compact and has its own heat resistant case so that I can style my hair and throw it in my bag without worrying about burning my new suit jacket.  I still look polished at meetings on the road - nary a starched bang in sight!

I have to travel all the time for work.  A lot of overnight trips that require very economical packing.  For so long I just wore my hair in a bun anytime I traveled because I knew there was no way I could fit my regular professional curling iron into my carry on.  No matter how much I wished I could, my laptop always trumped my sense of style.  I was complaining about this one night over the phone to my friend back at home.  I was on a business trip and there was a cute guy working at the hotel and I just felt so insecure since I couldn’t fix my hair how I usually do.  I barely talked to the guy and he must have thought I was uninterested.  When I got back my friend had a gift for me:  A travel curling iron.  I didn’t even realize they made these!  Mine is a mini sized version and it comes with its own thermal sleeve to be packed in - perfect for when I’m curling my hair right before I need to check out and pack up.  The next time I had to travel to the hotel with the cute guy working, you better believe I chatted him up this time!  I felt like Gisele with my beautiful curly hair.  Talk about confidence!

As an aspiring actress, I never know where my day will take me.  I can think that I have no auditions for the day and my agent will call me for a last minute casting.  You can’t ever turn down an opportunity so I have no choice but to be ready whenever the phone rings.  I don’t always leave my house with my hair and makeup ready for auditions though.  That is why I had to invest in a travel curling iron.  I didn’t even know that they made travel curling irons but one day I was telling my friend an embarrassing story about how bad my hair looked at a last minute audition and she looked at me like I was crazy.  “Why don’t you have a travel curling iron in your car?” she asked.  Well, the answer was simple:  I didn’t know any better.  Turns out you can get a travel curling iron that is battery powered and it will heat up and be ready to fix your hair whenever you need it.  I can’t tell you how many times my travel curling iron has come in handy–and it’s as good as any of the best curling irons!  I can freshen up my look between auditions, in my car, in the Starbucks bathroom - wherever I can find a mirror!  And sometimes even when I don’t have a mirror.  No matter what, my hair always looks more polished and presentable when I have my travel curling iron ready to go.

Your wedding is sure to be one of the most important days of your entire life, and as the bride, you’ll want to look completely gorgeous. That includes the dress (of course!), the makeup - and the hair! If you want to have perfect hair at your wedding, from the moment you walk down the aisle till the second you leave for your honeymoon, you should check out travel curling irons.

If you’re planning to curl your hair for your big day, whether you’re dreaming of pretty spirals or sexy waves, you should make sure someone keeps a travel curling iron nearby for last minute touchups before the ceremony begins. Even the best laid beauty plans can hit some last-minute snags, and it pays to be prepared for something as monumental as your wedding!

As you walk down the aisle with your perfectly coiffed, cascading curls, all eyes will be on you. Give your friends, family and future husband an image to remember by investing in a high quality travel curling iron. You never know when it might come in handy!

Beyonce always looks fabulous, no matter where she is

Going on vacation is a great opportunity to get away from your normal, boring, everyday routine. You can forget about work, chores, obligations, (ahem) your diet…but in my opinion, going out of town is no reason to give up on having amazing hair! That’s what travel curling irons are for! Just look at your favorite celebrities - I guarantee that they swear by travel curling irons to keep their hair fabulous. I mean, Beyonce has made a name for herself by always looking incredible. (Okay, she can sing, dance and act as well…but that’s beside the point!) How do you think she does it? Do you think she just steps off the plane in whichever exotic locale she’s jetting to at the moment with lush, wavy hair that is perfectly styled? No! She has a little curling iron tucked away in her luggage…or a team of stylists with little curling irons. But whether or not you can afford to keep a cadre of hair experts on hand to make your hair look perfect, you can definitely afford a travel curling iron. A lot of them fold in half, so they don’t take up much room in a bag or suitcase, and they come with heatproof cases so you can just toss them in your bag without waiting for them to cool down first. I love my travel curling iron - it’s a lifesaver! So don’t take a vacation from awesome hair…buy one of these and look your best wherever you go!

2010 is the year of the weddings.  Ironically enough, I have ten weddings to go to this year and I am a bridesmaid in seven of them!  And, of course, I have to travel for all of them…yikes!  It is hard being such a good friend - ha!  It is a good thing I love traveling.  I have been building a battle plan for these travels and I have resolved to only pack carry-on for all ten weddings.  I won’t have the time or patience to worry about lost luggage.  And, unless I’m flying Southwest, I have to pay to check my bags.  No, thank you!  So this takes serious strategizing…

I’ve been stocking up on all things “travel-size” and one of my favorite finds was a travel curling iron.  What a perfect space-saver!  I prefer my hair to look curly and romantic at weddings - since they are the most romantic of all events.  Every bit of space I save makes a difference, especially when I have to worry about packing shoes, makeup and sometimes even gifts.  Already the first wedding I’m in, the girls are all asking me about where I found my travel curling iron.

PS - Taylor Swift’s hairstyle in this picture is what I will be creating on the road with my travel curling iron.  Pretty, right?

Should you bring your travel curling iron on your next plane trip?

If you’re looking at travel curling irons for your next trip, you may be wondering whether or not you’re allowed to bring curling irons on an airplane. National airline safety regulations have placed a number of restrictions on seemingly harmless items, and it stands to reason that curling irons could be fair game as well. So what’s the deal with travel curling irons and airplanes?

By and large, there are no rules that prohibit travelers from packing curling irons in their luggage, be it checked or carry-on. However, if your travel curling iron runs on butane, you may not be able to bring it on the plane if the butane cartridge is removable. Standard battery-powered or electric curling irons, however, should be just fine. If you have any concerns, you may want to simply pack your curling iron away in your suitcase to be checked later, but placing it in your carry-on bag should not be a problem.

Airline regulations are constantly changing, however, so your best bet is to ask your specific airline what the policy is before you even reach the airport. You don’t want to be surprised by a new rule that would force you to leave your beloved curling iron behind! Check it out beforehand and you should be good to go.

Many stylish and beautiful women rely on travel curling irons to help them look just as polished and pulled together when they’re on the road as they do when they’re at home. For these women, travel curling irons are a lifesaver, allowing them to jet all over the world while looking flawless. You may be wondering whether or not you should invest in a travel curling iron of your own. Of course, not everyone needs this kind of styling tool, so it’s important to ask yourself a few questions before you open your wallet.

First, how often do you curl your hair? If you rely on your regular curling iron on a daily basis, or you pick it up several times a week, you should absolutely buy a lightweight, compact travel model that you can take anywhere. If you never use styling tools to curl your hair, on the other hand, it’s safe to say that you can do without!

You may also want to consider what your plans are for your next trip. For example, if you have an important meeting or a romantic night out and you want to look your best, a travel curling iron could help you achieve that goal.

Finally, if you’re considering simply taking your regular curling iron along on your next trip, think again! Standard curling irons can be heavy, bulky, and difficult to pack, not to mention the fact that travel irons generally have shorter heating times and dual voltage capabilities to make your life a little easier. When in doubt, choose a travel curling iron for your trip.

Travel curling irons that fold in half can free up space in your suitcase.

If you regularly use a curling iron as part of your daily beauty routine, it would be a shame to abandon your signature hair style just because you’re traveling. Similarly, if you have a trip planned and you think you may want to style your hair for a special night out, then travel curling irons are the answer! But if you’ve never purchased a travel curling iron before, you might be unsure about what you need from your new styling tool. Here are a few questions to ask yourself before purchasing a travel curling iron:

• Is it lightweight? You don’t want something that is going to weigh down your luggage more than is necessary. The best travel curling irons weigh in at only a few ounces!
• Is it compact? Look for a curling iron that folds in half in order to maximize space in your carry-on or suitcase.
• How does it run? Travel curling irons may run on batteries, butane or electricity. If you choose an electric iron, consider whether it’s dual voltage or if it will require a separate adapter for use in different countries.
• Does it heat up quickly? Most high quality travel curling irons have faster heating times than conventional irons, which makes them perfect for ladies on the go.
• Does it come with a heat-resistant carrying case? Naturally, you’ll want to make sure that your iron is completely cool before packing it away, but a heat-resistant case can provide much-needed additional protection.