Cold perm, digital perm or rebonding?
Cold perm adds springy curl. Digital perm adds a looser curl that falls naturally, especially when dry. Rebonding removes curl and leaves hair straight. They are not variations of the same thing, and picking the wrong one is the most common expensive mistake in a salon.
Cold perm
The traditional perm. Hair is wound onto rods and set chemically at room temperature — no heat. The result is a tighter, bouncier curl with visible definition, and it looks most alive when the hair is slightly damp.
- Best for shorter hair, and for anyone who wants obvious texture and volume
- Our preferred perm for gentlemen, because it holds shape well in short styles
- Time: around two hours
- At MANE: from $135 for gentlemen, from $140 for ladies
Digital perm
Heat is used to set the curl, which changes the result completely. Digital perms produce a looser, softer wave that is most defined when the hair is dry — the opposite of a cold perm. It falls rather than springs, which is why it reads as more natural.
- Best for medium to long hair, and for anyone who wants movement rather than curl
- Holds its shape through a blow-dry better than a cold perm does
- Time: three to four hours
- At MANE: from $150 for gentlemen, from $245 for ladies
Rebonding
The opposite treatment. Rebonding breaks and reforms the hair's bonds to leave it straight. Done properly it is not the poker-flat effect it had a reputation for a decade ago — a soft rebonding keeps some natural movement rather than removing all of it.
- Best for frizz, thickness that will not sit, or hair that fights a blow-dry every morning
- Partial options exist — fringe only, or fringe and sides, if the problem is localised
- Time: three to four hours
- At MANE: from $150 for gentlemen, from $245 for ladies
If you want to see your curl when your hair is wet, you want a cold perm. If you want to see it when your hair is dry, you want a digital perm.
Choosing between them
| If you want | Ask for |
|---|---|
| Volume and obvious texture, short hair | Cold perm |
| Soft natural movement, longer hair | Digital perm |
| Straighter, smoother, less frizz | Rebonding |
| Just the sides to stop sticking out | Down perm |
Things worth knowing before you book
Do not colour and perm on the same day. Both are chemical processes and stacking them stresses the hair badly. Leave at least two weeks, and do the perm first if you are doing both.
A treatment beforehand genuinely helps. Hair that has been prepared takes the chemistry more evenly, which shows in how consistent the result is from root to end.
Do not wash it for 48 hours. The bonds are still settling. Washing early is the most common reason a perm drops sooner than it should.
Block out the afternoon. A digital perm or rebonding takes three to four hours. Because our room seats two, that slot is held entirely for you — so please tell us early if plans change.
Book the room
Two seats, director-stylists only, by appointment. Both chairs can be booked together if you would rather not sit alone.
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