Perm

[BlackAlys]

My hair is so desperately lank, thin, and devoid of any body whatsoever.

It's chest length and for work reasons, I always wear it up or in a messy low bun.

When out, I make an effort to dry it and curl it or straighten it but it NEVER lasts.

If left to dry naturally, it is all of the above plus it's straight on the sides and curly in a hideous z shape at the back. It's not even consistent.

Tell me about your perms? I had one in the 80's (Thanks Mum) and it turned me into a social pariah overnight.

I long for a surf beach babe look - even if my body is a bit past it

Hopeful bump

I had a perm for a few years until last year, I absolutely loved it. Takes a lot of looking after, constant need for moisture but it always looked beautiful. No one believed it was Permed. Was very short Bob length and I just wanted mad curls.

I buzzed it all off at the start of COVID as I had o wash my hair after every shift at work and it couldn't cope.

I had a perm about four years ago (similar reasons: very thin hair, lank; I wanted waves or curls that didn’t drop out within an hour). With the perm, my hair stayed curly for three days before needing washing and restyling. I loved it at the time and had it re-done every six months for a couple of years, but eventually got bored of having crispy hair in terrible condition, in spite of all of the conditioning treatments I was using all the time. Also, it still needed lots of styling. Without me using my curling tong, my hair looked like a frizzy 80s-style perm (which it was). I’ve learnt to embrace my dead straight fine hair over the past year or so, and although I miss the curls, I don’t miss the faff.
Also, the smell of the perming chemicals is utterly rank.
All in all, I wouldn’t recommend a perm. But if you’re anything like me, you’ll ignore this advice and do it anyway!

I ended up aged 20 looking like Dierdre Barlow!!!

Loving these answers although they're not helping me decide, but I am 🤣 at the Deidre look.