UP · Wavement Cold · for men
A men's perm. Not the 80s. Promise.
Texture put into hair that has none, so the crop has shape, the clay has something to grip, and it doesn't give up by eleven.
- 1.5–2.5 hrsevery rod wound by hand
- Texturenot curl, unless you ask for curl
- 2–3 monthsyour cuts shorten it; it softens, never drops
Straight hair, all his life
Straight 1 to curl 5 on the Zoltan tecSture Scale™: Wavement Cold, up 4 levels. Same client, no filter.
Watch on YouTube →The looks men ask me for
- Textured crop: top only, big rods, sides left completely alone. The most common one, and the answer if you wear a fade.
- Curtains: top and front, wound so it falls away from the parting instead of sitting flat on your forehead.
- Soft waves: all over, for a grown-out crop or mid-length. This is the one that reads as naturally wavy hair.
- Tight and deliberate: small rods on top, short sides. It's a current look, not a mistake, and if that's what you want, say so plainly.
I get it. I've done it for years.
I've been doing this on men since 1991: every hair type, every problem. I've done so many that I usually know what you want before you've started talking.
You've probably seen it on someone else and thought: I want that. You've probably also told yourself it'll look done, it'll smell, it's for women, your mates will notice, you haven't got the time. I've heard every one of those, more than once. None of them should stop you.
It's easier than you think. You sit down, you tell me what annoys you about your hair, I sort it, and you get on with your day.
Where the rods go matters more than how tight they are
This is the part almost nobody explains. Two men can have identical rod sizes and walk out looking nothing alike. What dates a permUP is not tightness; it's the same rod used everywhere with no thought to where it sits.
Which way each rod is wound decides whether the hair falls forward, sweeps back or lifts away from the face. Same rods, same placement, opposite direction: a completely different haircut. Bring a photo. It stops us agreeing on a word that means two different things.
It gives product something to grip
Fine straight hair is slippery. There is no texture for clay, paste or the cut itself to hold. Putting a bend into the hair fixes the cause rather than fighting the symptom every morning.
Most men use less product afterwards, not more. The hair is doing the work the product was failing to do. The end of hair that lifts for an hour and gives up by eleven.
What it costs your hair
A permUP breaks bonds and reforms them around the rod. On short hair that matters less than you would think, because your haircuts remove the treated hair within a few months.
Bounce needs healthy hair. Bleached hair takes a curl and drops it within weeks, and the hair pays for the attempt. So colour history comes first, before anything else.
In the chair
Read and design
Pattern, damage and history, then rod size and placement against your cut. Most of the result is decided before anything is applied.
Wind
Each section wound by hand at even tension. The longest part, and the part that decides whether it looks deliberate.
Process and rinse
Checked rather than timed, then rinsed thoroughly on the rods.
Neutralise
This is where permsUP are ruined. Rushed, and the texture drops within days. It is never rushed.
Finish
Rods out, dried the way you will dry it: with your hands, not a brush.
Cold, always
On men I permUP cold: Wavement Cold. No heated rods. It suits short hair and a natural finish.
What it costs
Men's Wavement ColdUP
- Top only, short£139.95
- All over, short£169.95
- All over, 4–8 in£219.95
- All over, 8–14 in£279.95
Before you book (optional)
- Online consultation (questions and photos, then I call you)£9.95
- In-person consultation£74.95
- Consultation in the chair on the dayIncluded
Prices come straight from the online booking system.
Questions men ask
Will it look like an 80s perm?
No. What dates a permUP is the same rod everywhere. I place rods for your cut: texture, not curls, unless you ask for curls.
How long does it last?
Around two to three months on a short cut. It softens as your cuts take it out.
Can I choose how curly?
Yes. Bring a photo. Big rods give movement, small rods give defined curl.
Do you do a hot perm on men?
No. On men I perm cold, with Wavement Cold.
My hair is bleached. Can I have a perm?
Maybe not. Bleached hair takes a curl and drops it. That's a conversation first.
Straight talk before you book
- A permUP smells on the day. It fades.
- Bleached hair is a conversation, not a booking.
- It is curliest wet and relaxes as it dries. That is normal.
- Your first wash waits. I tell you exactly how long.
Don't cook your hair.
More for men
As seen in
All press →Not ready? Fair enough.
Online consultation £9.95 from anywhere, or in person £74.95.
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