7 Tips for Maintaining a Curly Perm ...

1. Don’t Wash It during in First Three Days

Umm…yeah…it kind of sucks but the fact that it is a one-time thing makes it a bit easier to cope with. Worry not, as this is one of those tips to maintain a curly perm your stylist is going to mention once your perm is done, so you’ll know exactly how long not to wash it. Be patient and try not to bend this well-known rule because the point of it is to give your new texture enough time to set so your curls would look great and last long.

2. Don’t Straighten It Too Often

If done too often, blow drying and flat ironing will mess up your curls, causing them to wave and frizz rather than coil, giving your hair a very weird uneven texture that will most likely drive you crazy. You can afford to go for that sleek, glamorous look here and there but do try to leave your heated tools aside and not touch them unless you need a completely different, special occasion hairstyle. Now, I know mentioning this as a tip to maintain a curly perm will earn me a lot of frowns from you ladies but think about it –what’s the point of getting a perm done if you are going to end up fighting it?

3. Condition Well

Damaged hair looks pretty bad regardless of how you choose to style it, although I must admit curls are probably the worst choice for rocking seriously beat up tresses. The solution? Condition well and often and don’t give your hair a chance to get damaged. Maintaining a curly perm will be relatively easy in case you don’t dye your hair and are willing to invest in a good quality perm that won’t fry your hair, because a regular conditioner and a deep conditioning treatment are all you’ll need. In case you’re afraid the combined effect of dye and perm will damage your hair, you should definitely throw in a monthly hot oil treatment or two. Girls who have had a bad experience with those old, super strong “granny” perms that smell like the last 30 kilometers of highway right before Thessaloniki really ought to give intensive overnight natural oil treatments a shot as these really can do wonders for super damaged hair!

4. Detangle Carefully

Whether natural or permed, curly hair really needs to be dealt with gently and carefully! Which leads me to this next curly hair maintenance must titled “tools and techniques”! Hop to the nearest beauty supply store and get yourself a wide-toothed comb and a soft paddle brush! Use the comb to detangle wet hair prior applying curl cream and letting it air dry or to work through major knots and tangles when you hair is dry. Follow up with a brush once hair is mostly smooth for a perfect dry-detangling result, then run wet hands though hair a couple of times to reactivate curling products and get your by now frizzy, fluffy curls to look well defined again. Give it a shot – I’m sure you’ll find this technique very useful! And keep reading, of course, as I have a few more tips to maintain a curly perm to share!

5. Style for Best Results

A lot of people (my Mom included) get a perm thinking, “Great, now I won’t have to do anything to my hair!”. Well…not exactly how it goes but okay, to each their own. If you want to get the max out of it, I would advise you to invest in a few products and commit to more than a simple wash and go routine. Curl cream will help your locks look their best, anti-frizz serum will give them shine and enhance their texture even more while a volume mousse applied to roots only makes maintaining a curly perm much easier later on, when flat “roots” start showing. Choose wisely and these three products will be everything you need to have a gorgeous –looking curly perm that can hold up and look absolutely flawless up to six months (and even more if your hair is naturally wavy or curly)!

6. Trim It Regularly

It may sound a bit counterproductive but regular trims really are the key to bouncy, better defined curls! As tips to maintain a curly perm go, this may easily be the simplest one in the book! But why, oh why, some of you may wonder. Well, ladies, it’s actually quite simple – trims will help you maintain that ideal shape and avoid periods in which hair seems to be puffing up in all the wrong places as well as get rid of split and damaged ends that have lost their curl pattern. Trimming is like a conditioning treatment and mini perm all in one – it makes hair look ten times healthier and curls ten times fresher!

7. Let It Air Dry

Curly perm maintenance is basically curly hair care plus one! But let me try to explain it a bit better. You see, both natural and permed curls look best when air dried, then there’s the whole issue of hair health and damage one can avoid by staying away from heated tools and, lastly, the plus one – the fact that, unlike naturally curls, permed ones tend to gradually lose their shape when exposed to too much heat. You can, of course, use a diffuser, but not before your hair is at least 80% dry. It might seem like too much of a hassle but, trust me, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that air drying is a win-win situation. And all you’ll need to do in order to enjoy frizz-free, beautiful, long lasting locks is to remember to wash it on time.

Any other tips helpful to maintain a curl perm you lovelies care to share? Do tell! I’d love to know how important curly perm maintenance is for you and which perms have proved to be best and least damaging!

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