We’ve all been there—our hair fried from the ends to the roots, sticking straight out and straight up, leaving us looking like the Bride of Dracula. You probably swore off home perms for good after that. The problem? It’s expensive to get perms in a salon. Depending on where you go, a perm can cost anywhere from $40 to over $200. If your hair is in good condition, you buy quality perm products and you follow directions precisely, you can give yourself a home perm. Here’s a tip: You can find beauty supply stores that sell perm products to the public. With these professional supplies and a little know-how, you can achieve flawless home perms.

How Perms Curl Your Hair
Before you decide to do a home perm, you should understand a bit about how perms work. It may seem unimportant, but, if you know a little about the chemicals you’re using and how they work, you are much more likely to get a good result.

Your hair has its natural texture and shape due to a network of chemical and physical bonds. The perm solution breaks those bonds so your hair can hold new shapes, which are created by the rods you wrap your hair around. Finally, the neutralizer re-forms the bonds so the new shape lasts.

Two types of perms are available, and it’s important to know the difference so you choose the best formula for your hair. First up are alkaline perms. Alkaline perms contain ammonia, usually called ammonium thioglycolate. You want to use an alkaline perm if your hair is resistant to styling, if your perms tend to relax too soon or if you want a tight, strong curl.

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