The best salons in Melbourne offering perms
PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMELIA J DOWD
WORDS BY KAYA MARTIN
Curls galore.
If the messy shags and bouncy coils plastered all over your Instagram feed have finally won you over, we’re here to help. Though it used to be common practice for salons to offer perms, they’ve fallen out of favour in recent years.
A hairstylist recently let me in as to why this is the case. Perming was once a mandatory part of the hair school curriculum, but after the eighties came and went, it was demoted to an elective. This means fewer stylists know how to perform the notoriously delicate procedure, which is bad news for those celebrating the perm revival.
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Luckily, there are still a few stylists with the knowledge and expertise to give you the effortless waves of your dreams, if you know where to look. Though beautiful if done correctly, a perm can go pear-shaped pretty quickly, so you want to make sure you’re putting your hair in the right hands. Once you’re all ready for curls galore, head to one of these top Melbourne salons.
Aery Salon
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If you’re looking for the type of perm that could be mistaken for airy blow waves, this is the place for you. Tucked away on Collins street, this sleek and comfortable studio is breathing new life into lacklustre locks. Its digital perms, starting at $250, look so natural that people won’t believe you when you tell them your secret.
Ellie and Frank
At Collingwood salon Ellie and Frank, stylist Ellie specialises in bright, vibrant colours and out-of-the-box styles, while co-founder Frank has designed the space to have an art-centric feel. A perm for extra long hair can take up to four hours, but your time in the chair at this salon is sure to be enjoyable.
Toni&Guy
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Sit back and relax at one of Australia’s most beloved hair salon chains. Each salon is different so call first to confirm, but we know the South Yarra location has a perm person who can guarantee you a fuss-free experience.
Sua Hair
Perms have been a K-beauty craze long before we got the memo in the West, so you’ll see many Asian-influenced salons featured on this list. Sua Hair in Chadstone shopping centre is one of the best. Principle stylist Steve J Hwang has 20 years of training in South Korea, Japan and Australia, and is known for serving up perms of all varieties: spiral perms, wolf perms, loose shags and the like.
B.olume Hair
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Curls aren’t just for the girls. The men’s perms at this city hair salon are simply chef’s kiss. Trained in Korean techniques, B.olume Hair offers traditional perming styles, but also more niche choices such as a fringe perm to give you sweet face-framing waves, and a root perm to provide lift and volume.
Luxm
Luxm is a self-care epicentre, with three salons throughout the CBD and Docklands. Its award-winning haircare team specialises in East Asian hair and does both cold and hot perms. Its other services are hard to resist as well, with massages, skin treatments and charm-studded manicures on offer.
Miss Gertrude
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With a commitment to eco-conscious haircare and contemporary styles, this leafy brick salon has a very Fitzroy vibe. Its friendly and dedicated team of stylists is all about inspiring confidence, and they will work with you to achieve your hair goals. If it’s a perm you’re after, make sure to ask for Jens, the resident curl king.
Madame Rouge
Located in South Yarra, this laidback salon does both classic cold perms and digital perms. It uses Australian-made natural haircare products, and also offers a wide range of other services including facials, eyelash extensions and alternative therapies that you can tack on to your hair treatment for a full day of pampering.
For everything you need to know about getting a perm, head here.
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