How to Choose a Perm in Seoul: Root, Digital and Setting Perms

When you choose a perm, the first question is not which wave you want. It is what you want to change. If your crown falls flat, that is a root perm. If you only want the hair around your face to behave, that is a fringe perm. If the goal is to spend less time styling in the morning, you are looking at a digital perm or a setting perm. The perm menu at Eco Jardin Cheonho is organised along those lines.

Root perm — when the crown falls flat

This adds volume only at the roots rather than through the whole length. People choose it when their hair sits flat against the head, or when the parting always falls the same way. Because the length and the ends are left alone, it suits you if you want more body without changing your current style.

Fringe perm — the shortest appointment

This works on the fringe only, either sweeping it to one side or letting it fall naturally. It changes how your face reads without committing to a full perm, and it is often added to another service.

Premium, Royal and Diamond

Regular perms, digital perms and setting perms each come in Premium, Royal and Diamond versions. Which one suits you depends on the condition of your hair, and that is decided by looking at your hair in person, so we talk it through when you book or at the consultation. Prices also vary with your designer and your hair condition.

Digital perms and setting perms

A digital perm uses heat to form the curl, so the curl holds its shape clearly and comes back easily when you style it. A setting perm runs a straightening step and a curling step one after the other. It is the choice when you want the roots and mid-lengths smoothed but the ends turned under.

The men's and women's sets

Cheonho has two set menus.

• Men's set — a design perm together with a line-down perm. Movement on top, the sides brought down and tidied.
• Women's set — a root perm together with a slick magic treatment. Lift at the roots, smoothness below.

The sets are built so the two services flow into each other rather than being taken separately.

Why the scalp comes first

At Eco Jardin, cuts, perms and colour all sit on top of the scalp. A perm on a sensitive scalp is harder after the appointment than during it. If your scalp gets oily quickly or you can see flaking, we may suggest settling the scalp with a head spa first and doing the perm after.

Associate Director Junghwa Hong works to the idea that no style lasts if the scalp cannot hold it, and looks at scalp and design together.

Booking and timing

Perms take longer than cuts, so the last booking of the day for a perm is earlier than for a cut. If you have a time in mind, choose your designer and slot together on Naver Booking. The full menu is on the programme page.