Keratin-Straightening or Perm Treatment at Off The Boulevard (47% Off)
Appointment required. Subject to availability. Limit 1 per person, may buy 1 additional as gift. Valid only for option purchased. Valid only with Farideh. Extra fee for hair longer than mid back. May be repurchased every 30 days. Price for longer hair negotiable for perm and keratin straightening.
Keratin treatments soften and straighten locks, while perm treatments add waves and curls
Extra fee may apply for hair longer than mid back.
Choose Between Two Options
- $115 for a keratin-straightening treatment ($220 value)
- $68.50 for a perm treatment ($120 value)
Some hair-straightening products that claim to be formaldehyde-free include aldehyde compounds, which are similar to the carcinogen formaldehyde. Side effects may include nosebleeds, headaches, vomiting, and respiratory problems, among others. Learn more about the health risks here.
Perms: If Nature Didn’t Do It, Science Can
How exactly do perms change hair’s texture so thoroughly? Find out with Groupon’s examination.
If you wanted to get a perm 100 years ago, it was a good idea to bring along a very big book. Using a process patented in 1909 would require 10 hours at the salon under an unwieldy, electrically heated machine. Eventually, the process became more streamlined, and around the height of the style’s popularity, beauticians reported giving approximately 36 million permanent waves in 1936. Today, stylists may use several different (much improved) formulas, but all follow the same chemical principles.
Hair is 95% keratin, a protein rich in the amino acid cysteine. The bonds between molecules of cysteine are called disulfide bonds, and the arrangement of these bonds will determine whether hair is straight or curly. To make hair curly, the key step is to break those bonds with one of several chemicals, which stylists choose based on your hair type. Ammonium thioglycolate (thio), a salt, is what powers most perms, though because of the damage it can cause, it’s usually recommended for non-treated and thicker hair. As the chemical slackens the hair’s disulfide bonds, the hair is free to be molded into a new shape, such as a pretty ringlet or Vincent Price’s profile. To do this, the stylist wraps the hair around rods or curlers of the desired curl size. Afterward, a hydrogen peroxide solution neutralizes the hair, locking it into its new, curly, "permanent" shape. The effects will last until the hair grows out.
Besides thio, other solutions may be recommended for thinner, color-treated, or damaged hair; the acid perm, for instance, is gentler on hair than thio, though it tends not to last as long. Stylists will also often use an intensive conditioner to help hair stay healthier after the treatment.
