I see posts about ladies wanting straight hair and I wonder if they mean straight hair for a day or permanently straight hair. I prefer the latter. Although Asians typically inherit straight, silky hair, I was born with genes from both parents who carried the curly variety. Me and my sister struggled with curls our entire lives. (And it wasn’t the nice kind, it was basically messy frizz mixed with random twists and turns.) We blow-dried it straight constantly, starting from JHS. And then the Japanese Magic Straight Perm came along and everything else is history.

I can honestly say that I was one of the earliest test subjects for this new magic potion. I got my first Japanese Magic Straight Perm in 1998! I clearly remember walking into the salon, like I faithfully did every couple of months to get a regular straight perm (it made it easier to blow dry). The stylist told me about a trade show she recently attended and this new product that’s supposed to make your hair straight forever, or until it grows out, whichever is shorter. I didn’t really buy it, but hey, I’m always down for a new straightening gimmick. Go right ahead!

This was by far the WORST hair experience of my life. It made my hair straight all right. But the chemicals were so strong that it literally burned my hair right off. My hair was cut off (one inch long) in random areas all over my head from the strong chemicals. Needless to say, I was scared straight! I never touched Japanese Magic Straight Perm for the next 5 years.

Fast forward a couple of years and all my friends started experimenting with it. It blew up all over Asia and stateside. Some of my friends, who happened to be blessed with the most beautiful straight hair, were getting it just to enhance their silkiness factor (gag). So I decided to give it another try. And it worked like a charm — SOMETIMES.

I found it so odd. I am very, very careful with my hair. I don’t color treat and I only get Japanese Magic Straight Perms once a year (sometimes even once every 18 months). What I couldn’t understand is that sometimes it came out perfect, other times it came out mediocre, and once in awhile it didn’t even work. I have gotten Japanese Magic Perm many times now (well over 10, because at first I used to get it every 6 months). The best part is I found out the secret.

It’s called Shiseido Magic Perm Formula. Often imitated, NEVER duplicated! They say knowing is half the battle right? Time to experiment. Ever since I found out that the Shiseido formula is what makes the magic perm come out like magic, before I go to a salon, I ask them, “Do you use the Shiseido formula?” If they say something along the lines of, “No, but we use a Japanese brand that’s just as good,” I quickly dismiss them and it’s on to the next one.

I have had the same perfect results ever since. So if you’re going to straighten your hair for good, do it the right way, and only give your hair the very best treatment.

Lovelies, would you ever get a Japanese Magic Straight Perm? What was your experience?
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