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Original poster

Too embarassed for work tomorrow

79 replies

cakedup · 07/11/2018 21:15

I've just had an 'organic perm'. Nothing like what I expected and it's way more obvious than I'd hoped.

And I have that same horrible feeling as I did so many years ago when I'd be embarrassed to go to the school the day after a bad haircut!

Probably the first thing people will say is something along the lines of "WTF, have you had a perm?" (in a large open plan office) and I just don't want to admit that I have even though it's obvious.

Any advice or bad hair stories welcome!

OP posts:

bearcub1 · 07/11/2018 22:28

I had a perm done about a year ago. I was really nervous about going into work the next day and people asking me about it. However, most people didn’t even realise that it was a perm and thought it was my natural hair. I’m sure it is much better than you think. I’m considering my next one in a couple of months time now.

Myimaginarycathasfleas · 07/11/2018 22:35

Could you try dampening and then setting on rollers? If you don’t have any, roll around your fingers and secure with a grip.

I had a disastrous fringe perm (it was the eighties!). My DM showed me how to do this. It worked a treat, took all the frizz out and tamed it right down.

ohello · 07/11/2018 22:37

Even the "bad" photo doesn't look bad, it's probably just very different from what you are used to! I'm sure you look fine OP.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Beauty

SuperstarDJ · 07/11/2018 22:38

If asked, you could just say that your hairdryer or straighteners are broken and it’s just your natural hair which you’re going to embrace for a few weeks as it makes a nice change.

PolkaDoting · 07/11/2018 22:41

Heated rollers are your friend here.

Your hair needs to be bone dry.

Lovely swooshy waves.

goingtotown · 07/11/2018 22:41

DD is a hairdresser, she says that a perm takes 24 hours to neutralise.
Washing with a colour protecting shampoo & conditioner will relax the perm if done within this time.

Honeyroar · 07/11/2018 22:44

Don't wash it out, sleep on it, put it up for work if need be and go with your treatment that brought out your natural curl story. Perms are always a bit of a shock initially. You might feel differently in a couple of days?

peachypetite · 07/11/2018 22:46

Call in sick

deste · 07/11/2018 22:49

Can you use straighteners on it?

LaurieFairyCake · 07/11/2018 22:50

Look utterly baffled and say 'I just didn't spend as much time straightening it this morning'

Then people will think your normally less curly head takes work - and when it drops, voila you're back to looking like you spend time on your hair !

BettyBooJustDoinTheDoo · 07/11/2018 22:50

Sorry OP but your poodle comment cracked me up, I am sat here trying not to laugh at your awful predicament because I do really feel for you, it’s bad enough going into work with a new do at the best of times even if you like it as it draws attention to yourself so even worse if you hate it. Can you show us a picture of someone who has hair like you before the perm of doom? How much of a change is it?

WhipItGood · 07/11/2018 22:53

This reminds me of the time I was 13 and my mum did a home perm on me and then having to go into school .

Frazzled2207 · 07/11/2018 22:59

So have you washed it and any joy? If it really does look like the second photo and you asked for the first then I'm surprised you paid.

OrigamiZoo · 07/11/2018 23:03

I have that same horrible feeling as I did so many years ago when I'd be embarrassed to go to the school the day after a bad haircut!

I remember one or two such bad haircuts I persuaded my mum to let me stay home so I could get used to it fervently hoping it would grow in that short time I'm amazed looking back she let me!

I would pin it back/ wear a headband and let the curls relax and it will be amazing in two weeks. I don't think the be off sick and rock into work with a perm will be believed...

Original poster

cakedup · 07/11/2018 23:13

Thanks everyone. I thought I was feeling much better about it until I just looked in the mirror and I was like "WOAH"

I had to get some stuff done this evening and now I'm so tired I don't think I bring myself to wash it...also a part of me is just hoping it will settle in a couple of weeks and I really don't want to undo ££££ worth of hair for the sake of a couple of weeks. Same reason I don't want to use straighteners/heated appliances on it. However, moments before I enter the office tomorrow I am sure I'll be wishing I'd washed it and straightened the fuck out of it.

Thanks Honeyroar I am hoping this will be the case.

OP posts:

ItsAndTarts · 07/11/2018 23:16

£160 to look like a clone of Deirdre Barlow in the 80's? Why????

PlainJane007 · 07/11/2018 23:19

When my dd was 2 she had beautiful blonde hair. My hairdresser suggested a bleach blonde for me and I decided if it worked so well for dd, surely it would suit me too. So I let her loose on my mousey brown hair. It was hideous and extremely dramatic. I sat in the car park for an hour before getting up the nerve to walk into work. I will be honest, the initial reactions were hard work. I hated it, so didn't believe anyone who said anything positive... And I could see it on their faces. But, ultimately its just a hairstyle and once I got over the initial embarrassment everyone moved on and I had it dyed back to brown. Once you get over the first interactions you will be fine. I'm sure it will be lovely when it settles (if it's even as bad as you think which it might not be)

Original poster

cakedup · 07/11/2018 23:22

BettyBooJustDoinTheDoo This is kind of what my hair was like before - the pic on the right/stripy top

OP posts:

BettyBooJustDoinTheDoo · 07/11/2018 23:31

Having looked at that picture I think you can bluff you way through it, your hair clearly has a natural kink/curl you won’t have to say you have had a perm just say you have let your hair dry naturally or have used a diffuser, so long as your hair has not come up too short I think you can front this one out.

Seaweed42 · 07/11/2018 23:57

If you put a scarf in it - hairband style. You'd be surprised how how few will notice. You may even be disappointed at the lack of anyone noticing.

itsabitwearing · 08/11/2018 00:02

I have naturally very curly hair (almost as curly as the bad picture) and it has taken me decades to accept it and stop torturing it into submission. I now feel I need to get the straightners out

Op. I think a PP had the right approach. If you have a wave in your hair, just tell people that you have decided to go natural for while.

MrsGarethSouthgate · 08/11/2018 00:10

Is it long enough to tie the sides back in a low clip at the back? As this would mask the curl somewhat.

Vitalogy · 08/11/2018 00:13

Not read the whole thread but has washing it and using hair straighteners been mentioned.

Original poster

cakedup · 08/11/2018 17:44

I didn't wash it. I'm hoping it will improve and want to give it a chance. However woke up this morning to find a full on afro. No curls just frizzy wonky strands of hair. However, my hair has always gone a bit weird after drying with hairdryer so am really hoping it will fare better when I leave it to air dry. I scraped it all back in a bun and flattened it as much as I could with hair product. Looked like a dick but no one noticed or said anything!

Am in two minds whether to wash it tonight or not. But I want to follow hairdresser's instructions and if in 2 weeks it still looks like shit then I can go back. I can't even bare the thought of a scraped bun for more than a few days so hoping there will be a lot of improvement after washing.

OP posts:

britnay · 08/11/2018 18:40

Can we get to the more important point.... OP, you HAVE to watch Legally Blonde!!!!!

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