Hello there 🙂
When you think of the word "perm", visions of massive curls from the 80s are probably going through your head. At least that's the version of the perm that ran through mine a few weeks ago when I had my hair dyeed at the Kazumi salon in Beverly Hills and my hairdresser told me that perm is one of the most sought after treatments this year. But as hairdresser Yukari Yoshizawa quickly explained, the 2020 version of perm is not the tight curls of the 80s that I was thinking of. Today's popular perm treatment is one of the loose beach waves that I create for myself every morning with a curling iron.
It sounded too good for me to be true, so I had to know everything about the process and the results right away. Yukari explained that this special perm treatment is not comparable in that it is relatively quick and minimally harmful and can produce beautiful beach waves that even your curling iron cannot keep up with. You can even request vegan treatment if this complements your lifestyle.
If this sounds like a dream treatment, it is because it is so. The only downside to this treatment is that if your hair is bleached (or has been bleached in the past and has not yet fully grown), you are not an ideal candidate because the perm would be too damaging to your processed hair. This is sad news for me, but if you want to learn more about the beach wave perm, I let Yukari outline every step in the following process.
"I like to prepare the customer's hair with shampoo and conditioner to clear the hair and open the cuticles for the process," says Yukari. This perfectly prepares your strands for treatment and ensures that you go in with clean slate.
"Since the hair is still damp, I use chopsticks of different sizes to create the perm and texture that the customer has in mind," explains Yukari. "Depending on the condition of the customer's hair, I can apply PPT (a protein treatment) to the customer's hair ends as additional protection." This is one of the reasons why the new perm damages the hair significantly less than in previous decades.
"After I wrap the customer's hair in chopsticks, I offer some solutions that depend on the desired end results and the condition of the customer's hair. For example, a milder solution is recommended when working with a customer who has this I had a perm a few months ago and am just looking for a fix. I also offer vegan perms for my customers on a plant basis, "says Yukari. "The whole process takes about 15 to 20 minutes and no heat is needed. I personally like to put a shower cap over the bars to avoid moisture loss during the process."
"After testing a few strands of hair to determine if additional time is required to achieve the desired effect, we will rinse thoroughly, followed by applying PPT (Protein Treatment), which stays on for 5 minutes," explains Yukari . "Then a neutralizer is applied to the hair and left in for 8 to 10 minutes to end the perm process."
"We will then finish off with the chopsticks, a final rinse, and further use of conditioner or hair treatment, depending on the condition of the hair," says Yukari. "I personally recommend my customers to avoid shampoos for about two days after the perm. Curling irons, irons, ponytails and hairpins are also not recommended in the first two days after the perm."
So there you have it – an updated perm process that delivers dreamy, loose waves with minimal damage to your hair so you can drop your curling iron once and for all. The phrase "I woke up so much" is now much easier to achieve.
Next: I hate washing my hair, so I rely on these 21 dry shampoos.
