What tool is primarily used for creating curls in styling hair?

The primary tool used for creating curls in styling hair is a curling iron. This tool is specifically designed to curl hair by using heat to shape locks around its cylindrical barrel. When heated, the curling iron effectively alters the hair’s structure, allowing stylists to create various types of curls, from tight ringlets to loose waves, depending on the size of the barrel used and the technique applied.

Blow dryers are primarily used for drying hair and can be utilized in the curling process when combined with brushes or techniques like diffusing, but they do not create curls on their own. Hair brushes assist in smoothing and detangling hair, while flat irons are designed to straighten hair by pressing the strands between heated plates; they do not possess the functionality needed to create curls like a curling iron does.