A breakdown of the 11 different types of perms
WORDS BY KAYA MARTIN
Consider this your dictionary of perm terminology.
When you arrive at the hair salon, it’s game time. You’re sitting in the chair with the cape draped over your shoulders and your stylist pops the big question – “So, what are we looking for today?”. That quick convo before you get down to business is crucial. It can mean the difference between leaving the salon feeling like a million bucks or secretly crying in your car on the way home.
If you’re anything like me (meaning terminally ill-prepared), you’ll usually end up muttering something like, “Oh, whatever you think looks best!” and leaving it up to chance. When it’s just a cut, it’s not so bad. Hair grows back. But this, my friends, is not the move you want to make when considering permanently altering the structure of your hair.
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To avoid the sad fate of an imperfect perm, we’re giving you the full rundown – from perming methods to hairstyles. Hopefully, this will have you armed and ready for your next trip to the stylist.
Perming methods
The way your perm is done won’t really have too much of an impact on the way it looks, but it will affect a whole host of other aspects, including how much you pay, how long you sit in the chair, how long it lasts and the types of chemicals you’re exposed to.
Cold perm
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When you think of a typical perm, you’re probably thinking of a cold perm. In this process, the hair is curled around rods, an alkaline solution is poured on top and after around 20 minutes of waiting, a neutraliser is added and the hair is rinsed. It’s relatively quick because it uses stronger chemicals and lasts around two months.
Hot perm
Hot perms are similar to cold perms, but they use an acidic solution. After it is applied, your stylist will curl your hair using a heated rod, similar to how you would at home. The chemicals are weaker than in a cold perm, which means the process takes around two hours to complete, but it tends to last longer and look a bit more natural.
Digital perm
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A digital perm is a high-tech version of the hot perm that is gaining notoriety in the beauty world. It uses a specialized machine developed in Korea to heat the hair to just the right temperature. It’s one of the pricier options, but the results speak for themselves and can last up to six months.
Perming styles
It’s not all tight, uniform curls anymore (although they’re definitely still out there if you want them). Pretty much any type of curl can be permed these days. Perms can also help achieve other effects, like adding volume or making one section of hair match with the next.
Braid perm
Do you love the way your hair looks when you take your braids out after a long day? Do you wish that it would stay like that forever? With a braid perm, it can. This style has become a trendy choice for loose, beachy waves. Your stylist will French braid your hair before applying the cold perm solution.
Spiral perm
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A spiral perm will give you a head full of tight, bouncy curls. We’re not talking about subtlety here. If you take a look through your family photo album, you’re pretty much guaranteed to find a picture of your mum or aunt with this hairdo back in the day.
Root perm
A root perm actually won’t make your hair curly. Only the top two inches of your hair are permed, which will give it a noticeable boost in volume. This makes it a great option for those who like their hair texture but want to add a little height.
Multi-texture perm
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This look is achieved by using large and small rollers to create both tight and loose curls. A multi-texture perm can look a bit more natural than your usual style, where the curls are all the same size.
Body wave perm
If you’re looking for something a bit more gentle, the body wave is a good choice. Your hairdresser will most likely use soft, swishy rollers rather than the usual hard plastic ones to achieve this look. If done correctly, it should give you large, loose waves that no one would guess were made by a perm.
Spot perm
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Also known as a partial perm, the spot perm focuses on just one area of your hair. It might seem strange, but there are many reasons why someone might want a spot perm: to cover a certain area, create a unique look, or make sure that the hair texture is uniform for those with uneven natural curls.
Stack perm
Great for adding dimension to your hair, the stack perm is a mixed style. The roots are left alone and hair is permed using different-sized rods to add volume to the middle and bottom of the hair and create the look of layers.
Straight perm
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Okay, not exactly your traditional perm, but the process for permanently straightening curly hair is similar. A solution is applied, and hair is straightened with a heated tool before being rinsed.
For more on the different kinds of perms, head here.
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