Why Hair Perms Are Making a Stylish Comeback | Hair Salon Boston
Hair perms are back—and not in the way you remember them.
After decades of being associated with tight, dated curls, today’s perms are softer, more natural, and fully customizable. At any hair salon Boston clients trust, we’re seeing a renewed interest in texture—especially from clients who want effortless waves, added volume, or movement that lasts beyond daily styling.
While the process still involves rolling and chemical processing, the results have evolved. Modern perms are designed to create looser, more wearable curls that complement your natural texture rather than overpower it.
What makes this comeback even more exciting is the ability to customize the result even further. We can match your perm pattern to high-quality, virgin hair extensions—creating a seamless blend of natural hair and added volume that looks intentional and polished.
If you’ve been thinking about adding texture or breaking away from flat, hard-to-style hair, the new generation of perms offers a completely different experience than the ones you may remember.
Why Perm Your Hair?
Permanent waving allows for fullness and waves like no other. Many client's are tiring of their limp hair and desire the ease of styling that a perm offers. You can have a wash & wear look!
So many naturally curly haired clients are embracing their curls which has created a trend for those of us with straight hair.
Types of Perms
There are 2 types of perm acid & alkaline, Many with color treated hair prefer acid wave to alkaline. This is often a stylist's choice, leave it to a professional to choose the right perm for your hair, it's condition, and your lifestyle.
Products For Perm
Moisture inducing products are best for permed hair to keep it supple and shiny. When a perm is applied properly, dryness should not be an issue. We use the Matrix Biolage Perm and give our clients a take home perm care package.
Type of Wave
Body Wave - With the use of larger perm rods or spiral perm rods, we can create a very loose perm which gives a wavy style & root lift. Perm rods are color coded by size.
Tight Perm - A smaller rod will create a tighter curl, keep in mind the length of the hair is also a factor in determining proper perm rod size. We can also use 2 perm rods per section of hair (Piggybacking).
Root Perm - Concentrating the perm solely gives the roots a lift. The rest of the hair stays void of perm solution.
Spot Perm - Works especially well on curly/wavy hair with different texture through out the head. It allows your stylist to focus waves in different areas of the head creating a balanced look.
Conclusion
One of the most important things to understand about perms is that they are truly a long-term commitment. The result is beautiful, lasting texture—but as your hair grows, maintenance and proper planning become essential.
That’s why experience matters. Perming is a highly technical service that requires the right approach, formulation, and application to achieve soft, natural-looking results without compromising the health of your hair.
At Noelle Salon Boston, our stylists have years of hands-on experience working with modern perm techniques, allowing us to create customized texture that complements your natural hair and blends seamlessly—even with extensions.
If you’re ready to add lasting movement and volume to your hair, it’s time to book a hair perm appointment with a stylist who understands how to deliver results that are both beautiful and long-lasting.
