I tried the Mermade Pro Waver and it’s definitely worth the hype

I’ve always dreamed of a Disney-worthy mermaid mane. But I’ve since realised that perfect ‘I woke up like this’ waves will never come naturally for my long, thick, curly/wavy (and chronically frizzy) hair. And although I love a good blowout and have mastered curling my hair with straightener, sometimes a girl just wants to be Ariel for the day.

Enter: the Mermade Pro Waver. 

I’m not going to lie. When the package landed on my desk I was sceptical. I’d seen it all over TikTok, but most of the creators who swore by the tool had shorter, naturally sleeker hair than mine.

But hey, if it’s good enough for Sofia Richie, it’s good enough for me. So I decided to test it out and see if my hair would ever be compatible with mermaid waves.

What is the Mermade Pro Waver?

The Mermade Pro Waver (NOW $82 at Myer) is a hot hair tool that creates voluminous waves on demand. The device features three 32mm ionic ceramic barrels and promises to seal cuticles, infuse moisture, smooth frizz and boost shine. The brand also claims that the device waves your hair twice as fast as other wavers on the market.

It is suitable for all hair types, with multiple heat settings to help protect your strands from unnecessary damage. The clamp holds every lock in place so you can style and set your hair exactly how you want it, from beachy boho to bouncy glam waves.

Mermade Pro Waver review

If first looks are anything to go by, the Mermade Pro Waver certainly impresses. I’m quite literally obsessed with the colour pink, and Barbiecore is my dream aesthetic, so this waver fit into my hairstyling rotation effortlessly. I was surprised by the tool’s weight compared to my other hot tools, especially since I’ve been using the Mermade Interchangeable Blow Dry Brush, and found that to be ultra lightweight.

I’m going to be upfront here and say the first time I used the device, it was a total flop – which I’ve since put down to user error and lack of preparation. I’d let my hair dry naturally and used no product, and as anyone with thick or frizzy hair would know, it’s almost impossible to achieve a sleek, shiny finish without a fresh blow-dry and I ended up looking more like Jasper the doll than Ariel (IYKYK). But I wasn’t ready to give up.

Take two: after washing and blow-drying my hair using my usual leave-in treatment, I switched the Mermade Pro Waver on and began sectioning my hair. I’m always surprised by how fast the device heats up, reaching 180 degrees in less than a minute. This is the tool’s pre-set temperature, but the temperature settings range from 80 to 240 degrees, which allows you to customise the styling process according to your hair type.

I sectioned the top half of my hair off and doused the lower half with a frizz-blocking heat protectant spray. Starting at the root, I clamped a section of my hair, held for five seconds, and moved the waver down my hair. I repeated the process until I reached the ends of my hair and moved on to the next section. I love a bouncier, glam wave so I was styling a fair bit of hair in each section, but if you prefer a more defined boho wave, opt for smaller sections.

My hair tends to drop waves pretty quickly when it’s freshly washed, so I sprayed some lightweight wave spray to help set and hold the waves. I then repeated the process with the rest of my hair.

Styling took me around 20 minutes, and I was left with the shiniest, most mermaid-y waves I’ve ever had. They were a little more defined than I would usually go for, but honestly I wasn’t hating it. It’s the kind of wave I’d always imagined having after swimming at the beach and letting my hair dry naturally (jokes on me!).

I added some mousse for extra hold and raked my fingers through the waves to break them up a little, then finished with a shine spray. And honestly? I’m obsessed. Hire me, Disney!

The final verdict

So is the Mermade Pro Waver worth it? Well, as someone who always swore their hair straightener was the only hot tool they’d need, I have to say the device is definitely worth it. The waves stayed in place for hours. 

I can see this tool being a godsend for adding volume and texture to short styles and thin hair too. 

My only gripe is that the device is a tad bulky. But the waver is great for at-home styling and worth the investment if you too are looking to shake up your everyday hairstyle and add some texture and bounce to your locks.

Main image credit: Supplied

Want your waves to last even longer? These texture sprays will be your BFF.