Kali McCue Hair

After doing perms for a while now, I’ve learned from experience that you always roll one size smaller.
Whether it’s a strong hold perm or a medium hold perm, rolling one size smaller has never let me down.

Even when I got my first CURL CULT perm on myself, not being able to style it the next day makes you wonder what it will look like going forward. After that first wash you’ll learn the power of a refresh and you’ll be feeling good as new!

….. and if you’re not, reach out to your stylist for more tips on how to style it! I always want you to be feeling like your best self! Whether your curls are natural or supernatural!

Consultations are so important! That’s why they’re included with every service. I want to talk to you about your lifestyle and the health of your scalp and hair before we dive into anything. Before we start we will talk about the ins and outs of having curly hair to make sure this is even something that you’re the right fit for! Want to come in for just a consultation? That’s an option too! Find more frequently asked questions at kalimccuehair.com

With a custom perm, we can help create a more consistent curl pattern from top to bottom so your curls actually work TOGETHER.

You don’t need to struggle I’LL HELP YOU!

🚨 NOT EVERYONE IS A PERM CANDIDATE AND THAT’S OKAY.

As much as I LOVE creating curls, sometimes the best thing I can do for your hair is tell you no… or recommend a different route.

Here are a few situations where I may suggest something else or flat-out decline a perm:

❌ Hair that has had a straightening treatment or relaxer
❌ Heavily bleached or overly processed hair
❌ Frail, brittle, or significantly damaged hair
❌ Hair that simply isn’t strong enough to safely handle a chemical texture service
❌ Someone wanting the absolute MAXIMUM amount of curl aka the “poodle” perm

Perming is a chemical process, and healthy hair gives us the best canvas for beautiful, predictable results.

My goal isn’t just to give you curls. It’s to give you curls that make sense for YOUR hair, your lifestyle, and the condition your hair is actually in.

Sometimes that means we perm.
Sometimes that means we wait.
Sometimes that means we choose a completely different service.

And honestly? I’d rather lose a service than compromise the integrity of your hair.

If you’re wondering whether your hair is a good candidate for a perm, let’s talk about it!

What’s my biggest tip for your perm looking natural? ITS STYLING! We all hate excessive frizz and we want you to look as natural as possible. So get yourself a misting water bottle, a microfiber towel, some leave in conditioner and let’s get to work.

Modern perms have come a long way! You don’t need to go to Korea to get the style you want! I would be happy tackle a challenge like a cowlick or bangs that won’t lay the way you want! Is your hair flat, straight or boring? Let’s do a loose wave perm!

🚨 GOT A BAD PERM? WHAT NOW? 🚨

Think of it like breaking a fingernail.

You can put a Band-Aid on it. You can use a nail strengthener. You can baby it while it grows out… but eventually, once that damaged part reaches a certain length, you’re probably going to want to cut it off.

Hair is similar.

Once hair has been chemically altered by a perm, there isn’t a magic product that can completely undo that chemical change and return the hair to its original state.

BUT that doesn’t mean you’re helpless!

This is where products like OLAPLEX can be helpful. They’re designed to support and rebuild disulfide bonds within the hair, which can help improve the condition and strength of compromised hair.

Think of these products as support systems for damaged hair.

The ultimate goal is to protect the hair, baby it while it grows, and gradually remove the compromised length through trims.

Talk to a professional who understands chemically treated hair and can help you figure out what your hair can realistically handle next.

Sometimes the best hair move is patience.

Shoutout to my mentor & friend Courtney O’Neal for the great analogy

“But how will that perm grow out?”

Well… here’s your answer!

This perm was done back in July, and now we’re in September. You can actually see how her naturally straight hair has grown in while the previously permed hair still holds its shape and movement (even clean and unstyled)

For her next appointment, she wanted more a more voluminous wispy finish, so instead of perming her entire head again, we only permed the TOP section.

I clipped the underneath hair away and made sure that section was rinsed after each step to keep it protected and avoid unnecessarily reprocessing hair that didn’t need another perm.

✨ The result: more volume and movement exactly where she wanted it, while keeping the underneath hair untouched.

For styling, I used Curl Cult Magic Spell and Paul Mitchell Super Sculpt Gel on soaking wet hair, scrunched with a towel, then diffused.

This is one of my favorite things about modern perming: we don’t always have to do a full-head perm every time. We can customize the placement, amount of curl, volume, and overall shape to what YOUR hair needs.

So… would you get a perm like this?