Beauty Ulta Beach Waver Compared: B1 vs S1 Rotating Curling Iron
We compared the Beachwaver B1 with the Beachwaver S1. Both use 1 inch ceramic barrels and rotate automatically. The B1 keeps things simple with three heat ranges. The S1 adds adjustable rotation speed and a home button. Both make the same classic waves, but the S1 gives more control.
| Factor | Beachwaver B1 Rotating Curling Iron, 1 I | Beachwaver S1 Ceramic Rotating Curling I |
|---|---|---|
| Price (approx.) | Check price | Check price |
| Barrel size | 1 inch ceramic | 1 inch ceramic |
| Heat range | 290F to 410F, 3 settings | 290F to 410F, quick heat |
| Rotation control | Arrow buttons | Arrow buttons, Hi/Lo speed |
| Home button | No | Yes |
| Cord | 8-ft swivel | 9-ft swivel |
| Auto shutoff | 30 minutes | 30 minutes |
| Overall winner | Best value | Best control |
Our Verdict
Pick the B1 for simple, reliable rotating curls at a lower price. Pick the S1 for adjustable speed and pro-level control.
More Top Picks in This Category
Not sold on either of these two? Here are more bestselling options worth considering.
Best for: Loose waves on medium to long hair
Beachwaver S1.25 Rotating Curling Iron, 1.25 Inch, Classic Catwalk
- 1.25 inch ceramic barrel
- Dual rotation arrow control
- Digital temperature display
- Auto shutoff, dual voltage
Pros
- Larger barrel, softer waves
- Digital heat display
- Good for long hair
Cons
- Less ideal for short hair
- Premium price point
Want the Full Picture?
Rotating Iron vs Wand vs Clamp: Which Form Factor for Your Hair
Rotating curling irons like the Beachwaver automate the wrapping, but the form factor is not automatically best for every hair type. Fine, slippery hair benefits most from rotation, the motorized wrap creates even tension that slippery strands cannot maintain on a manual wand. Coarse, resistant hair often does better with a traditional clamp iron, where you control the tension manually. Beginners get the easiest start from a rotating iron, while experienced stylists may find it slower than a wand they already know.
The trade-offs nobody lists: rotating irons are heavier and bulkier than wands, which matters for long sessions. They also have more mechanical parts that can fail, the rotation motor is the most common breakdown point. A clamp iron gives the most control over curl direction. A wand gives the most natural, crease-free curl. The rotating iron gives the most consistent curls with the least skill required. The curling iron guide compares all the form factors side by side.
Barrel Size by Hair Length, Not Just Curl Type
Every barrel chart maps diameter to curl pattern, but hair length determines whether the barrel works at all. The 1-inch barrels on the B1 and S1 are the versatile middle ground, but on very long hair a 1-inch barrel means many slow sections, a full head can take forty minutes. On short bobs, the same barrel barely wraps twice, producing bends rather than curls. The 1.25-inch S1.25 suits long hair better, creating loose waves in fewer sections.
What goes wrong at the extremes: a large barrel on short hair produces almost nothing, the hair cannot complete enough wraps to form a curl. A small barrel on very long hair works but takes forever. For shoulder-length to mid-back hair, the 1-inch is the sweet spot both these models target. The Conair curling iron picks include more barrel sizes for length-specific buying.
Heat Styling on Color-Treated and Bleached Hair
Temperature caps for bleached hair are widely published, but nobody explains why color fades faster with heat. Heat opens the cuticle slightly with every pass, and each opening releases a little more artificial pigment, which is why vivid and blonde colors fade fastest on daily heat stylers. The Beachwaver's ceramic barrel distributes heat evenly, which helps, but the fade mechanism is about heat exposure itself, not hot spots.
The practical rules: use the lowest temperature that still forms a curl, usually 300 to 350F for bleached hair, and never more than one pass per section. A heat protectant is non-negotiable on color-treated hair. And the purple shampoo question: heat accelerates the fading that purple shampoo corrects, so expect to tone more often if you heat style blonde hair daily. The B1's three heat ranges versus the S1's finer control matters here, precise lower temperatures protect color better than jumping between presets.
The Second-Day Refresh Problem
Re-curling second-day hair is where damage accumulates silently. The safe approach: only re-curl the sections that actually fell, usually the front pieces and the crown, not the whole head. Use a lower temperature than day one, the hair is already heat-shaped and needs less energy to reactivate.
How many refresh passes are safe: one refresh on day two is fine for most hair, daily re-curling of the same sections without washing accumulates damage fast because product buildup plus heat is worse than heat alone. Dry shampoo at the roots on day two reduces the urge to rewash just for volume. The rotating mechanism is actually gentler for refreshes than a clamp iron, the even motorized wrap needs less heat to reform a curl. For straightening touch-ups between curl days, the flat iron guide covers tools suited to quick refresh work.
Do rotating curling irons damage hair more than regular wands?
Not inherently. Damage comes from heat plus tension plus time, and a rotating barrel can actually reduce the time each section spends on heat because it wraps faster. Keep the temperature at or below 380F for fine hair, never clamp the same section twice, and always use a heat protectant.