Abstract: A curling iron has a barrel and a hair-clamping arm pivotally mounted thereon for movement between an elevated position in which it projects angularly and forwardly relative to the barrel and a lowered hair-clamping position in which it is disposed alongside the barrel. A sleeve extends around the barrel and can be rotated and/or moved axially to cause movement of the hair-clamping arm into its elevated position against the action of a spring biassing that arm into its lowered position.