STYLE : LOOKS : Making New Waves

If you want one of the hairstyles of the moment, you may need a perm. Yes, a perm. Not the tight spirals made trendy by Nicole Kidman and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. The ‘40s-inspired looks require a relaxed permanent wave. Think of Annette Bening’s soft curls in “Bugsy,” and you get the idea.

“We’re giving more body waves,” explains Allen Edwards, owner of an eponymous chain of hair salons. “Look at all the top fashion models, and you’ll see they have their hair set with rollers. If the hair is fine, perms are a necessity to enhance this look.”

New perm formulas offer heightened control and conditioning. Aveda’s Quat H-K Permanent Waving System, available at the Dean Rhoades Salon among others, “is extremely mild and contains natural oils to protect the hair. Plus, it has a nice aroma,” Rhoades says. Redken’s TRUST Permanent Body System, found in numerous salons, promises that it won’t flatten in a week or leave that objectionable post-perm scent. Zotos’ Bain De Terre Recovery Complex Wave is another salon favorite because it moisturizes hair and can be used with roller-like Body Curlers for a subtler, looser wave than traditional perm rods. Last but certainly not least among the reasons to consider the new perms, manufacturers claim they’ve made frizzing, overprocessing, plus hair and scalp damage, things of the past.