A men's perm is a texture service. Almost nobody walks in asking for curls. What they want is movement through the top, volume where the hair sits flat, and something for it to do other than lie there.
The mechanism is the one used on long hair. The top section is wound onto rods, a solution softens the bonds holding the hair straight, a neutraliser sets the new shape. On shorter hair that means a smaller area, larger rods, and a result that reads as texture rather than curl.
It books as Men's Perm, from $100, about an hour and a half, with Zahara or Navpreet.
What actually happens in the chair.
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01
Your hair gets looked at
Length on top, how fine or coarse it is, and what has already been done to it. This is where you find out whether your current length will take the look you want.
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02
You choose how much curl
Loose wave or defined curl. Rod size decides it, and rod size cannot be undone, so it is settled before winding starts.
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03
Wind and process
The top is wound and the solution goes on, watched as it works. This is the slow part of the ninety minutes.
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04
Set, rinse, and how to wear it
The shape is locked in and dried off gently. Ask for the two-minute styling version — it is not the routine you have now.
Texture, wave, or actual curl?
All three are men's perms and they look nothing alike. Rod size decides which one you get.
A textured perm is the usual ask. Large rods, a soft irregular wave, body rather than pattern. Flat hair stands up and fine hair stops collapsing by noon. It looks like your hair on a good day, not like a different haircut.
A wave perm goes further — visible S-shaped movement through a longer top, usually paired with short or faded sides so the volume has a clean edge. That is the look behind most of what gets tagged as a wolf cut perm.
Defined curl is the smallest rods and the tightest result. Fewer men ask for it; same service, same price.
Bring a photo. "Wavy" means about five different things.
Will it work on my hair?
Length. Hair has to wrap around a rod for the curl to form, and how much length that takes depends on how tight a curl you want — a soft wave needs less than a defined one. Rather than publish a number that would be wrong for half the men reading it, your artist confirms in person whether your current length will hold what you are asking for. If it will not, the answer is to grow it out and come back.
Condition. Bleached, heavily coloured or heat-damaged hair may not take a perm, and forcing it means damage and no curl.
Both get answered in the free 15-minute consultation — listed as the colour consultation on the booking page — or on the phone at 431-844-5500.
Book the cut with it. A perm changes the top of your head; the sides and the outline are what make it read as a deliberate haircut. Separate bookings, separate time, so ask for both. Men's haircuts start at $35. The main perms page covers how perming works and how the women's version differs.
Questions we get asked.
How much is a men's perm in Winnipeg?
A men's perm is from $100. That is a starting price — how much hair there is to wind moves it, so a long, thick top costs more than a short one. Your artist confirms the exact number before anything is wound.
How long does a men's perm take?
1 hour 30 minutes. Most of that is winding and processing, and neither can be hurried without costing you the result. A haircut in the same visit adds its own time, so ask for both when you book.
What does a men's perm actually look like?
For most men, texture rather than ringlets: a loose wave through the top that gives flat hair volume and gives straight hair a direction to fall in. Tighter curl is the same service, decided by rod size. Say which one you want before winding starts.
Will it work on my hair length?
You need about four inches on top. That is the working minimum for hair to wrap around a rod and hold a curl. Shorter than that and there is nothing to shape, so the honest answer is to grow it out first and come back. If you are close to four inches and not sure, call 431-844-5500 or book the free 15-minute consultation and your artist will tell you either way before you commit to the appointment.
How long does a men's perm last?
Usually three to six months. The curl does not wash out, it grows out, so the root comes back straight while the permed length keeps its shape. On a short cut it can look like it is going sooner, because every haircut takes some of the permed hair with it.
Does a perm damage your hair?
It is a chemical service, so it is not a neutral thing to do. On hair in decent condition, processed for the right length of time, it comes out fine. The risk sits with hair already compromised by bleach, colour or heat, and you are told to wait if your hair is not ready.
Should I get a haircut at the same time?
Most men do. A perm is a top-of-the-head service, so the sides and the outline are what make it read as a deliberate cut rather than hair that has gone curly. They are separate bookings with separate time. Men's haircuts start at $35.
How do I look after a men's perm?
Leave it alone for 48 hours — no washing, and nothing pressed flat on top of it, cap or toque included. After that, wash less often, use a sulphate-free shampoo, and finish with a light cream rather than a hard wax. Scrunch or diffuse it dry, and put the brush away.
Do you take walk-ins?
We do take walk-ins, but please call 431-844-5500 first to check availability before coming in. A men's perm holds an hour and a half with a specific artist, so it very rarely fits a walk-in slot without notice.
Perms at Artistly are done by Zahara, whose work is hair, colour and brows, and Navpreet. You choose your artist when you book.
Every service and starting price is listed on the booking page. Nothing is "price on request", and your exact price is confirmed in the chair before work starts.
567 St Anne's Rd, Unit 2, Winnipeg — in St Vital, minutes from Southdale, Windsor Park, Island Lakes and St Boniface. 431-844-5500
Monday 10–7 · Tuesday to Saturday 10–8 · Sunday 10–6. See directions and hours.