Table of Contents
Introduction
Korean perms are popular in the beauty world today. They are both affordable, unique, easy to maintain, and long-lasting. The Korean perm stays beautiful and in place for as long as twelve months or more. It is more fashionable and natural-looking than many other traditional hair perms like the body perm, and spiral perm. In this article, let’s discuss all you must know about the Korean perm, and why it is the rave of the moment.
What is Korean Perm?
Ever seen Korean movies? If your answer is yes, then you must be conversant with the soft and natural-looking curly hairdo worn by Korean actresses. Yes, those are simply Korean perms. Korean perms are bouncy with waves that add beauty to the face with their softness and fullness.
History of the Korean Perm
Perm was first introduced in Korea in 1937. Perms were the object of envy among women. Records are mixed for the first woman to have a perm, including actress Lee Wol-hwa, novelist Kim Myeong-soon, and Ewha Hakdang graduates Maria Moon and Ae-sik Jeong, but they had in common that they were mostly new women. Perm costs 5-6 won. It was expensive enough to buy two sacks of rice.
In the early 1940s, the ban on luxury goods affected perm, saying it was a Western decadence. However, perm has spread like a fad, centering on wealthy women. It is said that there was even a fight between the wife and the concubine at Oh Yeop-ju’s ‘Hwasin Beauty Salon’ (1933), which was first opened in Korea. The perm style was to the extent of using an iron to bring out the curls.
In the 1950s and 1960s after liberation, the ‘charcoal perm’ appeared, which applied heat to the hair by putting charcoal on it because of a lack of electricity. It was a method of heating perm tongs with charcoal, attaching a piece of silver foil, and inserting it into the head.
For this reason, there were cases where charcoal powder fell off during perm, causing holes in clothes or burning hair. “Then, poor general women had their perms are done for six months or a year, so they asked for it to be as loose as possible,” said Lee Ion-suk, 73, a hairdresser who has been working as a hairdresser for 52 years. This is how the so-called ‘Ajumma Perm’ was born.
Famous places like ‘Azalea Beauty Salon’ in Yongsan Haebangchon had to stand in line for several hundred meters from dawn until late at night. Meanwhile, in the 1960s, a style that inflated the crown as much as possible was popular. That is the hairstyle of the late Yuk Young-soo.
The 1970s were the heyday of Kurt, but after the mid-century, so-called ‘wind hair’ (perm hair that stretches outward) became a sensation in popularity. As women’s advancement into society has increased, they prefer active and easy-to-groom styles. It was in the 1980s that perm reached its heyday in Korea. Whether the hair is long or short, put a wave on it. Beauty products such as hair mousse, gel, and spray were also distributed with the perm.
Many women dyed their hair in different colors.
Famous hair designer Park Jun said, “There is no trend of perms from the late 1990s until now.” It is said that there is an overflow of desire to create the style that everyone wants. The perm that appeared was the ‘straight perm’. Straight perm turned curly hair into semi-permanently shiny straight hair.
In particular, ‘Magic Straight’, which appeared in 1999, was a revolution with long hair. This is because he straightened his hair as if ironing it in the era’s atmosphere that emphasized the natural look. What is the secret of the popular perm for 70 years? Leeon-sook said, “Perm is the basis for freely creating the hairstyle you want.”
Types of Korean Perm
The two types of Korean perm are the S-curls Korean perm and C-curls Korean perm.
C-Curl Korean Perm
C-Curl Korean perm produces a natural look with c-curls used at hair strands where the curls invert inwards. The bob-like effect enhances contouring effects on the jawline, suitable for most facial types and shapes.
S-Curl Korean Perm
S-Curl Korean Perm has tighter and more spread-out curls to establish natural curly hair. This creates volumes in the hair and suits those who want low-maintenance hair.
4 Secret Korean Perm Hair Routine
Scalp Detoxification
It is the basis of the Korean hair routine. It all starts with a healthy scalp. In hairdressing salons, it is very common for Korean women to undergo a treatment called “scalp scaling”: This is an exfoliating treatment that helps to remove the oils and particles accumulated on the scalp that cause excess sebum breaks the hair and prevents it from regrowing. At home, if you don’t have a specific scrub for the scalp, the expert suggests using salicylic acid products to make it look new. She also recommends those based on panthenol, a derivative of vitamin B5 that helps boost hair growth at the root while keeping them soft.
Rehydration through Deep Cleansing
After having purified the scalp, it is now necessary to rehydrate the hair fiber. This is an essential step in keeping hair silky and healthy, according to Korean women. They apply a conditioning shampoo, rinse their hair and then apply a mask: Ideally, this should be done once a week. It is always best to leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes so that it can really absorb and nourish the hair properly. The two major ingredients used in Korea for their restorative properties are organic pumpkin seed oil and argan oil.
Maintaining a Balanced Scalp pH
A balanced pH is essential for having beautiful, healthy skin: it protects the lipid barrier against damage caused by environmental stressors. The same goes for the scalp! If it is not balanced enough, you may have dry, scaly scalp skin or oily roots. Charlotte Cho recommends doing a few vinegar rinses in the shower after your mask or conditioner: Just run some vinegar on your scalp and hairline. Wait about three to five minutes and rinse your hair thoroughly before getting out of the shower. Repeating this ritual every week should be enough to regain a healthy scalp and nourished length.
Application of Little or No Heating Devices
In Korean beauty, the concept of layering treatments works both on the skin and on the hair. The layering-style skin hydration ritual has a natural impact on hair care. Masks, serums, mists, and hair oils are very popular in Korea. Rather than styling their hair with heated tools, Korean women prefer to use daily hair “day creams” that give them shine and prevent frizz. Apply the oils and balms only on the ends to avoid the loss of volume and the accumulation of product.
Conclusion
One reason Korean perm is trending is because of its low-cost maintenance. Haircare is necessary, but not as much as when you are carrying a traditional perm. When you care for Korean perm, its curls will remain intact for as long as twelve months because relaxes as time passes.
Let us conclude by outlining how to maintain your Korean Perm:
- Wash your hair and split it into sections. Depending on the thickness of your hair, consider fewer layers if your hair is very thick, and more if it’s thinner.
- Twist the sections so that when your hair dries, it will follow the spiral shape you gave it by twisting and prolonging the life of your curls.
- Ask your stylist for recommendations of shampoo and conditioner that will help maintain your curl and repair the damage caused by the perm chemicals.
- use your fingers to comb through your hair, or a wide-tooth comb if possible.
- Avoid using a brush or rubbing your hair dry after you take a shower. Instead, pat it gently with a towel.
- Park your hair up in two buns on the side of your head while you sleep so your curls won’t flatten while you sleep.
