I Got A Korean Digital Perm — & It’s My Most Complimented Hairstyle Yet

I've wanted a perm for years now, but with the amount of damage my hair went through with multiple bleaching sessions (I had a pastel pink phase), I had to wait until I had a full head of virgin hair. When I told one of my best friends I was finally about to get a Korean digital perm, she was horrified and said I would probably regret it. Look, I get it. The perm is controversial. You probably instantly think of giant fluffy '80s hairdos or tight ringlets. But unlike traditional perms, the Korean style uses heat technology to create softer curls, which appear more natural.

My hair is naturally straight with a slight wave that becomes more obvious the shorter it is. I also have incredibly thick and heavy lengths, so when I use a curling iron, I have to douse my hair in hairspray to ensure the curls don't fall out. As somebody who's always wanted curly hair, getting a Korean digital perm was an easy decision. Both my older brother and sister have perms, so I was confident going in. I went to my hairstylist Chloe Choi at Chloe Hair & Beauty, but Korean perms are becoming more popular in salons worldwide. Together, we discussed what could be done while looking at some photos I'd brought along for inspiration. She confirmed that my hair type is frizzy with a slight natural wave, and we settled on a direct digital perm to create some tighter curls.

There are a handful of benefits to a Korean perm: "Normal perms mean sometimes you can't see definition in the curls, but with digital perms you can," said Choi, who used to work at a salon in Myeong-dong, South Korea, before moving to Sydney. Before we started with my perm, Choi recommended starting with a Japanese Tokio Treatment, which helps repair hair from the inside out. By replenishing it with keratin, it strengthens, moisturizes, and smooths each hair strand. "A lot of people really like this brand," Choi explained. "It's a repairing treatment, and it adds moisture to your hair. Some people will come back after their perms get dry and then have another Tokio Treatment," she told me.

Choi started by washing my hair and applying the Tokio Treatment, before setting up an additional hot steam treatment to help hydrate each strand of hair. The steam "opens" up the hair cuticle, allowing moisture and products to absorb. After getting a small trim where Choi enhanced my layers, my hair was rewashed with a pH-balancing shampoo. She then followed this with a Korean product that protects the hair from the typically harsh perming chemicals used to break and reset the protein bonds in the hair. It's this which results in a curl or wave.

Next, Choi placed the digital perm lotion directly onto my hair and rolled sections tightly into curlers to take shape, then plugged each curler in, allowing them to be set by heat. Choi told me that my hair was "strong", so we had to wait over 20 minutes before it started to set. Then we headed back to the basin where my hair was washed with a neutralizer, snapping the protein bonds back into place. Et voilà! I was now a member of the curly hair club.

To style my hair, Choi gave me a slight side part, which created a more voluminous look from the scalp. She added some curl cream to define the waves and recommended investing in some good products. Her top tip? "If you have frizzy hair and you want to style it while it's dry, mix curl cream with a little bit of water in your palms before using it on your hair," she said. "This helps get rid of the frizz and also hydrates it."

Styling a digital perm at home isn't too difficult, either. I have a sensitive scalp, so I've purchased some sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner. Sulfate-free products will also prolong the perm's results. I wash my hair with lukewarm water in the shower before scrunching up the curls with a microfiber towel. Next, I add curl cream to define my curls and continue to scrunch them upwards, before using my Laifen Hair Dryer (a Dyson dupe) with a diffuser to blow-dry the perm in place.

Your stylist will let you know how long you should go without washing your perm à la Legally Blonde. For me, I had to wait a minimum of 48 hours before washing my hair after getting my digital perm.

A digital perm uses chemicals that alter your hair structure and heat to set it in place, so most hairstylists recommend doing it on virgin hair. They also recommend steering clear of perms if your hair is bleached, chemically straightened, or very fine. Bleach in particular weakens the hair by breaking its bonds, which means perm solutions don’t interact well with it. Ultimately, the hair often lacks the strength to hold a set shape, making the process more likely to fail.

Getting a perm might increase frizz if your hair is prone to it. This is because when the chemical process weakens the hair, it also lifts the cuticle. I'd recommend investing in a silk pillowcase or a silk bonnet to help keep the frizz to a minimum. Also try a moisturizing leave-in hair product like K18 Biomimetic Hairscience Molecular Repair Hair Oil, which contains peptides, avocado oil, and squalane to help smooth and repair the broken bonds that lead to frizz.

Doing your research and choosing a properly qualified expert is key. I would also recommend bringing reference photos so your stylist can see which kind of curl you are after. It's also important to discuss your hair health and type, and whether a perm will cause extra frizz or breakage for you.

I can safely say that having a digital perm has led to more conversations about my hair than I've had in years — and it looks much healthier than my pastel pink or purple-silver combo. I'm able to wake up with voluminous hair ready to go, and if I need to style it a little bit, I can just use some curl cream, which also helps hydrate my hair. It's less maintenance than colored hair, so I'm convinced I'm a perm girl for life.