I've made a decision...

agirlinwinter · Sep 17, 2013

...to get my hair permed. I have the straightest hair ever, it will just not hold a curl. Even if I wet set overnight with setting lotion, the curl lasts until about lunchtime. I'm going to ask my hairdresser for a looser curl on larger rollers so I don't get the Shirley Temple effect. Hoping to get it done on Wednesday next week. Wish me luck...

Alice~ · Sep 17, 2013

Good luck! I've heard a few people say a perm made their hair much easier to curl. Let us know how it turns out!

Smokering · Sep 18, 2013

Good luck!

I've just come to the same decision... maybe. I henna, which can interfere with how the perm takes. Went for a consultation today armed with photos of Lauren Bacall, and the hairdresser snipped off some hair to do a strand test. I'll find out tonight or tomorrow morning if it worked.

I hope it does - like you, my hair doesn't hold a curl. I got a foot and a half of my hair cut off so I could wear vintage styles, and now I never bother because the curl slips out after half an hour! This is my drastic solution... very out of character for me, as I'm a bit of a hippie and never so much as blow-dry my hair or use commercial shampoo and conditioner! And here I am planning to fry it with chemicals. Oh well, I'll baby it up afterwards with argan oil and honey masques and stuff.

Alice~ · Sep 18, 2013

Smokering said:
I hope it does - like you, my hair doesn't hold a curl. I got a foot and a half of my hair cut off so I could wear vintage styles, and now I never bother because the curl slips out after half an hour!

I know that feeling! My hair used to be very long and totally un-curlable, so I cut it the shortest it's ever been, thinking it might help... and it's still an absolute pain! Very interested to see how yourself and agirlinwinter's perming experiences go. Would love to be able to keep a nice hair style for more than a few minutes!

Smokering · Sep 19, 2013

I'm getting quite excited about the prospect. The hairdresser didn't ring back last night, and I rang twice today, only to be told he was rushed off his feet and would call me back in half an hour, tops. It's now 6PM.

Not that it really matters - I wasn't planning to book my session until next Tuesday in any case - but I'm now insanely curious to find out what happened with the strand test! Did it curl? Did it fizz? Did it blow up? Did it turn green? I begged the guy who answered the phone "Just tell me if it worked", but he was all "I'm not qualified to comment on that; the stylist said he wanted to talk to you about it personally." Which sounds pretty ominous, dunnit?

Stray Cat · Sep 19, 2013

agirlinwinter said:
...to get my hair permed. I have the straightest hair ever, it will just not hold a curl. Even if I wet set overnight with setting lotion, the curl lasts until about lunchtime. I'm going to ask my hairdresser for a looser curl on larger rollers so I don't get the Shirley Temple effect. Hoping to get it done on Wednesday next week. Wish me luck...

Good luck, dear. :cheer2:
While ago I had mine permed - and it made it easier for me to handle.

epr25 · Sep 19, 2013

I have also thought about getting a perm. My hair holds curl really well. My hair type would be the super fuzzy weird hair everyone had in the 70's. Not really straight but not really curly either. We are embarking on a house renovation project int he next month or so that will be taking up a huge majority of my time until spring or so. I wondered if getting a perm would be good? I would LOVE to be able to wash and let my hair dry and not look like a wild woman. Are there any other permers out there?

Smokering · Sep 20, 2013

Aww man.

The hairdresser finally rang back this evening. Apparently he tried it twice, first with regular-strength perming solution and then with stronger stuff for 'resistant' hair... and it had absolutely no effect.

Darn. I was getting quite chuffed at the prospect of being permanently curly. The guy did recommend an 'alternative', some device that makes nice glamorous curls that can last as long as - gasp! - three days. I said no thanks. Grrr.

I'm not entirely averse to the idea of swapping my henna-red for a cooler brown, but I'm not about to cut it all off or grow it out. Hmmm.

Gingerella72 · Sep 20, 2013

This might help you have an idea of what to expect doing vintage hair after a perm....

http://bygumbygolly.com/2013/09/week-with-first-permanent-wave/

Alice~ · Sep 20, 2013

Oh no Smokering, I'm sorry to hear that!

You must have very strong hair - beautiful to look at but so difficult to work with!

You could try to find a stronger setting lotion or experiment with different hairsprays and pomades. Or perhaps try some vintage updos, play around with rolls etc that can be pinned and rely less on products?

agirlinwinter · Sep 27, 2013

I had my perm on Wednesday...and it had no effect at all. My hair is still completely straight. I give up. My hair just doesn't want to curl.

Stray Cat · Sep 27, 2013

agirlinwinter said:
I had my perm on Wednesday...and it had no effect at all. My hair is still completely straight. I give up. My hair just doesn't want to curl.

Darn.. that never happened to me.. quite the opposite - my hair would over-curl. :doh:

scarlett · Sep 27, 2013

Oh no, that's horrible. Sometimes we just have to deal with what we got. My hair is also straight and the last time I tried to get a perm (a long time ago) it didn't take. I've tried layers, perms, wet sets, heat sets - everything is temporary. Setting lotions and potions seem to make it worse and just weigh the hair down for faster drop. The curls drop out very quickly and if I'm lucky I'm left with a nice wave. I feel your frustration a girl in winter. Hair flowers and cute up-dos help ease it a little bit.

sheeplady · Sep 27, 2013

I know nothing about perming- except I know there are different size perm rods. Are there different chemicals you could try, or a different perm rod size?

I'm really sorry, that must be a huge disappointment.

agirlinwinter · Sep 28, 2013

Thanks everyone. I am really disappointed. My hairdresser had asked me to pop in so she can check how my hair looks. She will decide whether it's worth having another go using stronger lotion and smaller perm rods. However, she said she doesn't want to ruin the condition of my hair.

I feel pretty down about it really. I don't know whether I should go on with a vintage inspired look. I make my own clothes from 40s sewing and knitting patterns, I can do the make up, but it doesn't look right with modern hair. I'm useless at victory rolls - I can't do them at all. Should I give up and go back to looking 'normal'?

vintageTink · Sep 30, 2013

I'm sorry to hear that!

Did he try leaving it in longer? My hair ALWAYS takes longer than normal.

sheeplady · Oct 1, 2013

agirlinwinter said:
Thanks everyone. I am really disappointed. My hairdresser had asked me to pop in so she can check how my hair looks. She will decide whether it's worth having another go using stronger lotion and smaller perm rods. However, she said she doesn't want to ruin the condition of my hair.

I feel pretty down about it really. I don't know whether I should go on with a vintage inspired look. I make my own clothes from 40s sewing and knitting patterns, I can do the make up, but it doesn't look right with modern hair. I'm useless at victory rolls - I can't do them at all. Should I give up and go back to looking 'normal'?

Really, I think if it's at the point where you're that desperate, I'd say try anything. The worst that happens is your hair is destroyed (which won't be that bad and won't that that long to grow out) but you will know either way. Personally, I'd always wonder if trying something else would have worked.

I've been in a place where I have been almost bald (after having to loose hair long enough I could sit on it) and it's not that bad. I can't imagine damaged hair that still exists would be any worse than that by a long shot. I know it seems pretty bad to damage your hair and have to live with it, but really, hair grows quickly.

Is your hair long enough to do any other up-do's? Like a nice french twist or a bun? Although they don't scream vintage, they might help with your "look" to be more vintage-y- particularly with some vintage inspired flowers or scarfs.

vintageTink · Oct 1, 2013

Hair grows quickly? Not on my planet! LOL

Hey, at least if you went bald, you could buy a nice wig and have curly hair.

scarlett · Oct 2, 2013

No, don't give up on your style. Experiment with snoods, scarves, flowers and up-dos. Not everyone is blessed with cooperative hair, we just need to find inspiration and ideas for straight hair.

sheeplady · Oct 2, 2013

vintageTink said:
Hair grows quickly? Not on my planet! LOL

Hey, at least if you went bald, you could buy a nice wig and have curly hair.

Although wigs are horrific hot icky things I'd never wish on anybody...

I bet in the winter they are nice though...

I've got about a quarter of an inch of hair right now, and I think it's growing about a quarter inch a month. That makes me ecstatic- I don't care if it's slow or fast, thin or thick, it's there.

To the OP: have you tried doing victory rolls wrapping your hair around something like a hair clip? That's the only way I've ever been able to do victory rolls with straight hair.

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