'ghd claims its new £159 wave tool makes mermaid hair easy – here are my honest thoughts' (2025)

When the press release for ghd’s new triple waver promised beachy, tousled waves with less frizz and more shine, it was enough to make me want to sprint to the nearest plug socket.

Like many women, I’ve spent years forcing my straighteners into unnatural positions or panic-buying texturising spray the minute my feet hit foreign sand. The dream? Effortless, even, cool-girl waves that don't take age to create or leave me with crunchy hair.

In recent years, all the top-tier hair brands have jumped on the waver bandwagon, promising soft bends instead of tight, spiral curls. Unlike your classic curling tong, wavers tend to create subtle kinks that whisper 'surf muse', not 'prom queen'.

Now, ghd has followed suit, launching its first-ever triple barrel waver. But is it worth £159? Here's what happened when I put it to the test.

The ghd wave is the brand’s first triple barrel waver, and it arrives with the kind of minimalist, matte-black aesthetic ghd fans will recognise. It’s practical too, with a built-in stand to avoid singeing surfaces.

Powered by the brand’s consistent 185°C heat setting, the waver promises even styling for those S-shaped waves a smoother finish without pushing hair to its limits, plus it's said to deliver 2x less frizz and 30% more shine.

First things first: the ghd wave is refreshingly simple to use. With just one button and a single preset temperature (185°C – the brand’s optimal styling heat), there’s no need to fiddle with settings. Hold down the power button to turn it on, wait 40 seconds for it to heat up (a beep signals when it’s ready), and the same method switches it off. There’s also an automatic sleep mode – a thoughtful touch for anyone familiar with that mid-commute “Did I leave it on?” dread.

After washing and drying my hair, I prepped with texture spray for grip and heat protectant for safety. That said, I’ll admit to learning a hard lesson on my first attempt – quite literally. While clamping a front section, I accidentally touched the barrel to my forehead and ended up with a rather noticeable burn. Turns out I wasn’t alone; two other beauty editors confessed to the same mishap. I think this happened because the tool is larger than you expect. Precision is therefore key – especially near your face. You soon get the hang of it, but slow and steady wins the race.

You also need to leave the barrel clamped on each section longer than you might assume. Rush it, and the result is more 'collapsed kink' than wave. Having said that, for second-day hair the process felt much quicker, and you didn't need to leave in for as long because you've got more grit in the hair. Sectioning was everything, particularly when styling the back: bringing hair to the side made the tool much easier to control. Once I got the hang of it, I could style my whole head in 10 minutes flat. Not bad going.

I love the idea of mermaid waves, and I was genuinely impressed with the tool overall – but I think my hair is just a bit too short. No matter how much I played around with it, the ends never quite looked right.

If you have short hair, it's probably easier to use the smallest ghd styler to create a tousled effect. Since cutting mine into a bob (now more of a lob), that mini styler has been a total lifesaver.

For those with medium to long hair, though, the ghd wave is a great option – and I know I’ll be reaching for it the moment my hair gets past my shoulders. I don't have particularly frizzy hair, so can't say how it works to improve that bugbear, but I did notice lots of shine.

Once you’ve had a couple of practice goes, it’s genuinely easy to use and really cuts down on styling time. As for the price: yes, there are cheaper wavers out there, but ghd’s higher cost reflects the smart tech behind the tool – and the fact that it’s built to last for years.

Pros:

• Time-saving for long hair
• Kind to hair thanks to low temperature
• ghd is a name you can trust
• The style lasts through the day

Cons:

• Feels heavy
• Hard to use for the back of hair
• Takes a few goes to perfect your style

More hair stories this way:

• Your foolproof guide of how to curl hair with hair straighteners
• Does red light therapy for hair growth really work? Experts weigh in
• Almond oil for hair: what are the benefits of this haircare superhero?

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