Two heated combs for bangs and the pieces around your face. One runs on a battery with three heat settings; one plugs in and keeps it simple.
Fringe days go wrong in the same place: the short, fine pieces at the front that a full-size straightener can't reach and a brush can't hold. ReFa's answer is a comb that heats. Comb through, and the hair is smoothed and set in the same pass.
There are two of them, newly in from Tokyo, and they look nothing alike. Here is how they differ, and which one suits the way you style.
The Quick Answer
If you want it cordless with a choice of heat: the ReFa HEART COMB IRON, rechargeable, at about 140°C, 160°C or 180°C.
If you want the lightest, simplest one: the ReFa HEART COMB IRON Aira, about 44g, one 160°C setting, powered over USB Type-C while you use it.
If you want smoothing without heat: the folding ReFa HEART COMB Aira.
The Two Comb Irons, Side by Side
ReFa HEART COMB IRON: the cordless one
Cap on, the HEART COMB IRON is a quilted pillar studded with small hearts. Cap off, it is a comb. It sits in a bag the way a lipstick does, and that is the point: it is built to come out with you.
Inside, ReFa's Heat Fit structure holds the hair while carrying heat evenly along the comb, so one pass smooths and shapes the front pieces together. Three settings, about 140°C, 160°C and 180°C, let you go gentler on fine hair or firmer on hair that won't sit. It charges over USB Type-C in about 2.5 hours and gives about 8 to 10 minutes of use, which is a few touch-ups through the day rather than a full styling session.
Best for: touch-ups away from home, and anyone who wants to set the heat themselves.
Limitations: the run time is short by design. If you style once at the mirror and want no battery to think about, the IRON Aira is simpler.
ReFa HEART COMB IRON Aira: the light, simple one
The HEART COMB IRON Aira looks like a comb and works like an iron. A heart sits on the handle, the teeth are black, and at about 44g you hold it like a brush. It heats to a single 160°C in about 2 minutes, so there is nothing to choose and nothing to adjust, and it switches itself off after about 5 minutes.
It runs on USB Type-C power rather than a battery, so keep a power source nearby. Bring a USB-C adapter or power bank, as one is not included. A pouch and cable come in the box, and ReFa says it can go in carry-on, though airlines differ, so check yours. Like the HEART COMB IRON, it is made for short, fine pieces such as bangs and face-framing strands, not full-head styling, and ReFa notes results vary with hair type.
Best for: a daily fringe routine at the mirror, and anyone who wants one setting that just works.
Limitations: it needs power while you use it. For styling on the go, the cordless HEART COMB IRON is the better fit.
Our comb iron picks: the HEART COMB IRON for your bag, the HEART COMB IRON Aira for your dressing table.
How They Compare
| HEART COMB IRON | HEART COMB IRON Aira | |
|---|---|---|
| Power | Rechargeable, USB Type-C | USB Type-C while in use |
| Heat | About 140°C, 160°C or 180°C | About 160°C, single setting |
| Run time | About 8 to 10 minutes per charge | Switches off after about 5 minutes; switch back on as needed |
| Weight | About 70g | About 44g |
| Size | About 152 x 33 x 26mm, cap off | About 206 x 30 x 22mm |
| Colours | Gold, Silver, M Pink, M Mint Green, M Purple | Gold, Silver, M Pink, M Mint Green, M Purple |
Both come in the same five colours, three of them from ReFa's M Collection. Our guide to the M Collection colours shows how they sit beside the rest of the range.
Finishing the Fringe
The irons do the shaping. These four small pieces, also new from Tokyo, take care of the rest.
ReFa AIRA MIRROR COMB
A comb with a glass mirror folded into the handle, engraved with a small "for you". The teeth are cut to catch a whole fringe in one pass and shallower at the sides for layered pieces, with an anti-static chrome coating. Smooth, switch your grip, check. It closes to about 121mm, with a case.
ReFa AIRA POINT KEEP
A brush-on styler in an 8mL heart tube, like a mascara for flyaways. It holds fine strands where you put them without stiffening them, with keratin and chia seed oil in the formula and a coating that helps against daytime humidity. The pairing for a comb iron is obvious: shape, then set.
ReFa AIRA CASE Jewel
A rhinestone case made for the HEART COMB Aira, with a ReFa logo charm that swings as you walk. It clips to a bag, and a suede-look lining protects the comb's teeth. An accessory first, a case second.
ReFa HEART NEW LOOK
A palm-sized heart comb, about 35g and 9mm thick, with tapered teeth that slip between strands and a smooth coating that reduces static. A small ball at the tip is for pressing on pressure points between styling. It comes in its own case.
SoJan tip: the irons and the AIRA pieces share the same three M Collection colours, so a fringe kit can be matched in M Pink, M Mint Green or M Purple. If you want a set in one colour, message us on Live Chat and we will confirm what is in hand.
Is a Comb Iron Worth It?
If your fringe is the part of your hair that decides the day, yes. A comb iron reaches the short pieces a flat iron clamps badly, and it shapes and smooths in one movement. It won't style your lengths, and it isn't meant to: both are built for bangs and face-framing hair, and ReFa says results vary with hair type.
Use on dry hair only, keep the hot pins off your skin, and keep it away from children. Wait a few days after colouring or perming.
For heat-free smoothing, the original ReFa HEART COMB Aira is still the one; our ReFa Heart Comb Aira review covers it in full. To see where every tool sits, read Every ReFa Hair Tool, Ranked.
Where to Buy ReFa
Our personal shoppers buy ReFa in person in Tokyo, and our team checks every piece before it ships. Free delivery available.
Shop the full ReFa collection →
Not sure which iron suits your fringe? Tell our Personal Shoppers about your hair on Live Chat and we will help you choose.
