EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PERMS

If you’ve always dreamed of bouncy curls or effortless beachy waves getting a perm could be the answer. It’s true that perms are synonymous with dubious 80s fashion, but perming techniques have come on leaps and bounds in previous years - and modern perming methods are the last word in gorgeous, touchable volume.

Perms are a two-stage chemical treatment which alter your hair’s natural texture - they work on a molecular level to react with your hair’s proteins and produce curls. Hairdressers generally use a range of rods and rollers with varying sizes to avoid creating a head of curls with uniform sizes, which can look dated and unnatural.

There are generally two types of perming techniques used by the stylists - cold perms and hot (digital) perms.

Cold perms - also known as traditional perms - are generally more suitable for coarser hair, as the alkaline solution used permeates hair more effectively and produces tighter, voluminous curls. If you’re having a cold perm, your stylist will wrap your hair around rollers or rods, and then apply an alkaline solution to your hair. This solution will react with the keratin in your hair and create the curls and waves. After a set amount of time (normally 20 minutes, but this can vary), your stylist will apply a neutralising solution to stop the alkaline solution working, and ‘set’ the shape of your curls.

Hot perms are also known as digital perms, and they’re suitable for finer, thinner hair, despite this technique using a heating process. Hot perms create long-lasting, silky waves - ideal if you’re after a beach wave look. This perming method uses a weaker chemical solution to curl your hair, and your stylist will roll your hair in heated rollers and rods to help the perming solution work. As the chemicals aren’t as strong, this process can take up to two hours - so bring a good book to the hairdresser.