Why The ‘Invisible Perm’ is Your Shortcut to Effortless Soft Waves
A modern perm is all about tousled texture, not corkscrew curls.
There was a time, back in the 80s, when a ‘poodle perm’ was the height of style.
“Everybody had a frizzy little rounded thing, but it went really out of fashion in the 90s and 2000s,” says Zoe Rodgers, artistic director at Paul Edmonds London. The rise of hair straighteners hastened the demise of the classic permanent curl treatment, but now modern perms are making waves once more and have become a huge hair trend for 2026.
“With the soft perms nowadays, clients don't want that poodle look,” Zoe says. “They want a very undone beachy waves look, but if they’ve got straight hair, it's hard to achieve. For example, I recently did two beachy perms on Asian hair.”
Because of the evolution of the perm process, it’s easier to create an ‘invisible perm’ that will have people saying, ‘Your hair looks amazing, what did you do?’ instead of ‘Did you get a perm?’
“You can't see the perm – you feel it,” Zoe says. “The client can feel the texture and movement. It's good for the hair because you don’t have to style it as much, and it really adds a lot of softness to the face.” That’s why a loose wave perm is a brilliant option for women who want natural movement and a chic, luxurious look without spending hours on styling.
Here, Zoe explains everything you need to know about modern perms for women, how they can help you achieve natural-looking waves, and how to style a soft perm.
WHAT DEFINES A MODERN PERM?
The perm has come a long way since its heyday in the 1980s, both in terms of style and technique.
“Back then, a lot of clients wanted a curl just to hold their blow-dry so they could style it at home, and the hair was a lot bigger, whereas nowadays perms are a lot softer,” says Zoe.
Poodle perms used a single roller size, but now hairdressers use a variety of sizes to tailor the waves and create lots of movement. “Clients want their hair to look tonged, so we use really big rollers to make the waves a lot softer, create more volume and hold the desired look and shape.”
It also helps that the chemicals used in the modern perm process are less harsh. “They're a lot softer on the hair and less likely to make it frizzy. Plus, we now have a protective cream we can put on any damaged bits whilst doing a perm.”
WHAT KIND OF PERMS ARE ON TREND IN 2026?
While the overall aesthetic for invisible perms is soft, lived-in waves, there are several ways to achieve that look and tailor the perm to the client’s needs.
“A lot of clients have perms because they've got fine hair,” Zoe says, so the ‘blow-dry perm’ is used to add volume. “We use mixed rollers, some smaller and some really big, so the waves aren’t uniform, to create that natural, slightly undone, tonged feel.”
This technique works best on medium-length hair. “It can't really be done on long hair because it creates a kink. It works well with a bob that’s shoulder-length and above.”
The ‘partial perm’ involves only treating some of the strands. “Some clients’ hair texture is uneven. They may have curly hair at the top and straight underneath or vice versa, so then I would advise a perm on the bits that need to match the rest of the hair.”
Another option for the understated luxury look, ‘texture mapping’ means looking at the wave pattern in one part of the hair and recreating it throughout. “You use the existing wave pattern as a guide, but you still vary the waves around the head so it won’t look like an obvious perm.”
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE GETTING A PERM?
Before getting a perm, it’s important to understand how the process, which takes around one to two hours, can impact your hair.
“Because you wind the hair on a roller, then put the perm solution on, it molecularly changes the structure of the strand,” Zoe says. “Then the next step, the neutraliser, sets the wave so they last until the hair grows out.”
However, frequent washing, especially in the first couple of weeks after the perm, can loosen the waves, which is why Zoe always asks about a client’s lifestyle during a perm consultation. “I ask if they swim or wash their hair a lot, if they’ve had a perm before, and do they know how to look after it, then we talk about how wavy they want it, and hopefully they'll show me inspiration pictures.”
An allergy test isn’t necessary for a perm, but people with bleached or coloured hair can’t have perms, Zoe says. “It's not advisable because that's two chemical services, so the hair would go really dry and frizzy. If a client’s hair is naturally very dry, I wouldn't advise it either.”
On the other hand, a perm can actually help to control frizz, because it uses the same chemical process as a straightening treatment, but with rollers. “I would advise somebody with naturally slightly frizzy hair to have a soft perm. Putting a larger roller through slightly frizzier textured hair will change the structure to make it softer and more manageable.”
As for when to get your hair cut alongside a perm, Zoe says there’s no hard and fast rule. “It could be before, it could be after, or it could be a week later. Sometimes I say to clients, ‘See how you feel. Give it a few weeks, then if you want it shaped, come back in.”
HOW DO YOU STYLE A SOFT WAVE PERM?
The washing and styling advice for soft wave perms isn’t the same as that for curly hair.
“You don't necessarily need to use a curling shampoo or conditioner because some might be for frizzy hair, and that could weigh the perm down,” Zoe says. “If the client has fine hair, I would still recommend a shampoo for finer hair followed by Shu Uemura Tsuki Shape or Izumi Tonic spray for extra thickness.”
To create softly defined beachy waves on thicker hair types, apply a curl cream on damp hair after washing. “I use the Davines Love Curl Controller Cream a lot, and the Kérastase Curl Manifesto Cream. Those are great for diffusing and air-drying.”
For blow-drying long hair, combine volumising spray at the roots and a serum such as Shu Uemura Essence Absolue Nourishing Oil in Cream on the length and ends, Zoe advises. “It's just about taming the waves a little bit and making sure they’re well maintained.”
For all hair types, Zoe’s modern perm styling secret for second-day hair is Iles Formula Curl Revive Spray. “You don't want to be overwashing a perm, so Curl Revive Spray is great because you just need to spray a little bit and scrunch it in.”
Why Paul Edmonds London is the best salon for a modern perm
It takes a skilled hairdresser to create perfect beachy waves using the invisible perm technique, and with decades of experience under her belt, our resident perm specialist Zoe is second to none.
From blow-dry perms to texture mapping, Zoe knows how to create luxurious, natural-looking waves expertly tailored to each client.
Want to make beachy waves a permanent fixture? Book a perm consultation with Zoe at Paul Edmonds London.
