Should I get a perm? Advice please.

[Stray Cat]

Kamikat,
you're fast!

OK.. here goes:
I already have a perm, but it needs touching-up. Soon..
And, I have colored my hair AFTER the perm. Once.
(right now I'm light brown.. trying to become red-hair)
So "the perm solution will strip your color"?! :faint:

Meaning: perm first, color later?
I was thinking of Garnier Color sensation, in Copper red.
..right now I'm brown-ish.
Can I make it happen? (I've got strong hair.. it survived two rounds of perming.. and a coloring)

I know.. :crazy: ..confusing.

 

[kamikat]

I would not recommend permanent color. Do the perm, then do a semi-permanent color, something like Clairol Natural Instinct, L'Oreal Healthy Look.

 

[Stray Cat]

I get it: semi-permanent color.. I think I can manage to find something like that.
Thanks!

 

[countessed]

Hello ladies! Bringing this thread back, since I have this intense impulse to perm my hair.. (The last time I had such an impulse, I chopped off my waist length hair to above my shoulders and never looked back!) I really don't think I'll get over it, but when I contacted my hairdresser (who does go by "Vintage Hair Salon" and was familiar with the middy cut when I first came in to her) she noted that she always tries to steer clients away from perms due to the damage they cause on hair.. A discouraging moment.

From what I understood, however, perm technology today isn't as harsh as, say, the 80s And after reading this thread, I didn't hear much mention of damage and more mentions of a shift in hair texture - thicker locks rather than the overly dry, brittle locks I would imagine. My hair is very straight, sleek, and fine but I have a lot of it. Though my hair is not at all greasy - I can go a week between washes - I wouldn't necessarily mind a change in hair texture because such smooth and straight hair doesn't DO anything! I can BARELY go a day without setting my hair, and to be honest it is getting totally exhausting. I don't like my look now without set hair, but daily sets... it's a little ridiculous. I find it hard to imagine that EVERY woman in the 30s, 40s, 50s, etc set their hair EVERY night!

So a few questions:
-Do any other ladies here have my hair texture with good perm results?
-Is there anything specific I should ask/look for when getting my perm (in terms of technology, chemicals, rod sizes, etc etc)?
-Would I be better off going to an "old lady" salon, where they do perms regularly, rather than my seemingly "vintage" hairdresser? My only concern with the old lady salon is that they typically do perms in a much different style than I would be looking for (bigger, looser curls)... but if I DID go to one, I could go get a perm at the same time as my 88 year old grandmother :eyebrows::thumb:

I guess I'm just looking for a bit of clarity and advice here before I make such a big jump, but I really feel like I need to do it! Thank you to everyone in advance!