Say "perm" and most people picture 1985. Small rods, uniform ringlets, the same set on every head in the room. That is the objection worth answering first, because it is why a lot of women who would love the result never book.
The chemistry has not changed much. What changed is how it is used. Rod size, sectioning and how far the curl is taken are choices now, and the choice most women make is a loose one: waves through the mid-lengths, lift at the root, hair that dries with a shape instead of hanging.
At Artistly it books as Women's Perm, from $130, about two hours, with Zahara or Navpreet.
What actually happens in the chair.
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01
The photo conversation
Bring one. "Wavy" describes about six different results, and that gap is the most common reason someone is disappointed by a perm they technically asked for.
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02
Condition, colour history, price
What is already on your hair and what state it is in. Length and density move the price off $130, so the number is settled here.
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03
Wind and process
Sectioned, wound, then processed under watch. Fine hair takes quickly and can over-process; coarse or long hair needs longer.
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04
Set, rinse, finish
The shape is locked in and rinsed out, then dried gently so the pattern shows. You leave seeing the result.
Which perm are you actually asking for?
All of these are the same booking at the same starting price. The difference is rod size and how the hair is wound.
A body wave is the most common request by a distance. Large rods, soft undulating movement, and the real payoff is volume — fine hair that used to go flat by lunchtime keeps its lift all day. It does not look permed. It looks like your hair behaved.
A beach wave perm is the looser cousin. Less pattern, more texture, the shape that normally takes a wand and twenty minutes every morning. It suits mid-length and long hair particularly well.
Defined curl is smaller rods and a tighter pattern. Same service, and worth asking for directly if that is genuinely the look you want.
What gets people the wrong result is not the chemistry. It is describing the look in words. Photos, before winding starts.
Coloured or highlighted hair, honestly.
This is the question that decides whether a lot of women can book at all, and it does not have one answer.
Coloured hair is often perfectly fine to perm. Highlighted, bleached or box-dyed hair is where it varies — not by rule, but by condition. The same service is safe on one head and a mistake on another, and the difference is not visible in a photo or over the phone.
So it gets looked at in person. The colour consultation is free and takes 15 minutes. If your hair needs a few months and a couple of treatments before it is ready, that is what you will be told — a perm on hair that cannot take it damages the hair and does not hold the curl. If you are also planning colour, say so, because the order the two run in matters.
Making it last.
A perm that drops early is usually a perm that got washed too soon. Give it 48 hours before water touches it, and keep it down and loose in that window — a tie, a clip or an ear tuck can set as a dent.
After that it is product and habit. Sulphate-free shampoo, a cream built for curly hair, scrunching instead of brushing, air-dry or diffuse. A brush through dry curl does not smooth it, it separates it into frizz.
Every few months a hydration treatment from $45 puts the moisture back. The main perms page covers the mechanics and the men's version.
Questions we get asked.
How much is a women's perm in Winnipeg?
A women's perm starts at $130. That is a starting point, not a flat rate — length, density and how many rods it takes to wind your hair set the rest. The exact number is agreed with you before anything is wound.
How long does a women's perm take?
About two hours. Winding is what takes the time, so long or very thick hair sits at the top of that. If your hair will need longer, you are told when you book rather than on the day.
What do modern perms actually look like?
Softer than the word suggests. Most women now book a body wave or a beach wave: loose movement, volume at the root, hair that dries with a shape instead of hanging flat. The tight uniform set people picture from the 1980s came from small rods used on everybody. Larger rods, wound differently, give a completely different result from the same chemistry. Tighter curl is still available at the same starting price.
How long does a perm last?
Three to six months, and longer hair tends to sit at the top of that range. The curl is set into the hair itself, so it does not rinse away, it grows out — new hair arrives straight at the root while the permed length keeps its shape.
Can I perm coloured or highlighted hair?
Sometimes, and it depends entirely on the condition of your hair, which is why nobody can answer it properly by phone. Coloured hair is often fine. Highlighted, bleached or box-dyed hair is where it genuinely varies, because the same service is safe on one head and a bad idea on another. Book the free 15-minute colour consultation and bring the question there. If your hair needs to recover first, that is what you will be told.
Does a perm damage your hair?
It changes the structure of the hair, so it is a real chemical service. On healthy hair, wound and timed correctly, hair comes out of it in good shape. Two things cause the horror stories: perming hair that was already compromised, and over-processing. Both are avoidable, which is why condition is checked first.
How do I look after a perm?
The first 48 hours decide how long it lasts. No washing, and nothing tied, clipped or tucked behind your ears, because pressure on hair that is still settling sets as a dent. After that, use a sulphate-free shampoo and a cream made for curly hair, and scrunch or diffuse it dry rather than brushing it.
Do you take walk-ins?
We do take walk-ins, but please call 431-844-5500 first to check availability before coming in. A women's perm holds two hours with a specific artist, so it 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.