What is Shadow Perm?
Shadow perm is a very unique kind of perm that is different from typical, well known Korean perms. It first brings the front hair down so it covers your forehead and provides volume to the upper part of the hair through curls. People often confuse Shadow perm with Hippie perm. They are basically the same except for the curl strength. Hippie perm has a stronger curl making the hair look more puff and the curl itself is more circular, while Shadow perm’s curl allows the hair to fall more naturally.
Let’s take a look at some pictures to see the difference.
This is Shadow perm:
This is Hippie perm:
As mentioned, hippie perm has more curl in the hair compared to shadow perm.
What kind of looks does Shadow perm give?
Shadow perm gets its name from bringing shadow to the person’s face. I am assuming the shadow comes from the increased upper volume of the hair. It gives off a dandy yet little edgy vibe. Dandiness comes from the hair covering the forehead which makes you look more youthful and neat. The edginess comes from the stronger curl in Shadow perm compared to Karma perm(learn more here) or Edge perm(learn more here). So if you are going for a more tsundere vibe this perm might be it.
What facial shape fits best with it?
Egg shaped face – you are blessed if you are with an egg shaped face. Almost all Korean hairstyles work if you have an egg-shaped face.
Long shaped face – Shadow perm is a great choice because it makes your face look much smaller by covering your forehead. Even if you may have a long face due to long nose to chin ratio, the volume from the perm distracts other’s eyes from looking at your chin.
Edged shaped face – it can tone down the sharp, serious look that you can give off with edged face shape by the roundness of the curl. However, if you want to show off the edges of your face more, but also want to have the perm, then have See-through shadow perm, where the front hair is cut more thinly so that your forehead can be more visible.
What facial shape should avoid it?
Round shaped face – since it gives off volume to the top it can make your face less round, but because it also covers up your forehead it can make you look horizontally wider, making you fatter. If you really want a the perm even if you have a round face, try getting see-through Shadow perm where they will cut the front hair more thinly so that the forehead is more visible, making your face look less wider.
How much does it cost?
I have called around 10 places in California and it costs around $100 for the perm. More expensive if you go higher end ($150). Make sure the cost includes the cut for the hair since some places charge them separately.
How to Properly maintain it after getting it
Maintenance Score – Medium.
Drying – using cold air, dry back hair first, then front hair, then top of the hair.
Product – use perm cream and apply it to your hair after drying. You can shape the hair as you like after applying the cream.
It does take some work to do these steps, so if you are not super diligent in taking care of your hair then it may not be for you.