How to Care for Your Hair After a Perm

The first 48 hours: don’t wash

This is the single most important rule. Perming chemically restructures the bonds inside your hair, and those bonds need time to fully set after the neutraliser. Washing, wetting, or even heavy steam can disrupt the new shape before it locks in.

Avoid tying your hair up tightly for the first week too. Loose styles only. You want the curls to settle into their new natural fall, not be bent into the shape of a hairband for eight hours at a time.

Your new wash routine

Once you start washing again, switch to a curl-friendly, sulphate-free shampoo. Sulphates are harsh detergents that strip natural oils — exactly the oils your permed hair needs to hold its bounce.

• Use a sulphate-free shampoo designed for curls or chemically treated hair.
• Follow with a rich conditioner or a leave-in cream for curl definition.
• Once a week, use a deep conditioning mask to replace moisture lost during perming.
• Avoid washing daily — two to three times a week is plenty for most hair types.
• Rinse with cool water where possible to seal the cuticle and boost shine.

Drying without killing the curl

Air drying is always safest. If you need speed, use a diffuser attachment on a hair dryer at the lowest heat setting. Don’t scrunch aggressively — scrunch gently upwards, then leave the hair alone. Touching it too much is the fastest way to introduce frizz.

Avoid flat-irons and high-heat tools for at least a month after your perm. If you must use heat, always apply a heat protectant first.

Sleeping without crushing the shape

Cotton pillowcases absorb moisture and create friction, which leads to frizz and broken curls. Switch to a silk or satin pillowcase, or loosely pineapple your hair on top of your head with a soft silk scrunchie before bed.

When to come back

A healthy perm lasts anywhere from three to six months, depending on hair type, length, and how well you stick to the routine above. Longer hair holds the shape better because the weight works in your favour. Fine hair tends to drop first.

Book a conditioning treatment every 4–6 weeks to replace moisture and keep elasticity high. When the curl starts dropping noticeably at the top (usually around month four or five), book a consultation — we can often refresh only the regrowth rather than re-perming the full length.

When something feels off

If in the first two weeks your hair feels unusually dry, straw-like, or is shedding more than normal, come back in. We’d rather see you early and fix it than have you struggle through it at home. Small corrections are always on the house.

Considering your first perm?

If you’re thinking about a perm but haven’t booked yet, start with a consultation. Our Hong Kong trained specialists at Harbour Hair Salon in Leeds will assess your hair strength, discuss the exact wave pattern you want, and give you an honest answer on whether a perm will work for you — and how to care for it afterwards.