To Jewish girls, straight hair is like the Holy Grail. From age 12 on, we fight our waves and curls with blow dryers and flat irons, trying in vain to get perfect, straight locks. (They don’t call it a Jew-fro for nothing.) I’m no different. I would estimate that I spent about an hour every single morning drying and straightening my hair to remove its natural frizz.

Then I discovered a process called Japanese Hair Straightening. It’s basically a reverse perm - instead of making straight hair permanently curly, it makes curly hair permanently straight. Pin straight, to be exact.

I got my first Japanese Straight Perm three years ago and it changed my life pretty substantially. My morning routine was reduced to 15 minutes (including shower), since I could literally just wash and go. No more blowdrying required. My hair dried perfectly smooth and straight on its own! I recently got my second Japanese Straight Perm this week and couldn’t be happier. Between my job and my toddler, the last thing I have time for is fussing with my hair.

The only drawback is the cost. Japanese Hair Straightening isn’t cheap. I paid $250 for mine and that’s on the low end of the range. Prices go all the way up to $800, depending on the salon and the length and texture of your hair. I think the price is worth the convenience. The results last about a year (or until it grows out).

My final comment is if you’re considering getting a Japanese Straight Perm, find a salon with lots of experience. I’ve had the best luck with Japanese salons where the hairstylists received their training in Japan. Here, the fanciest salon in town might not do the best job (and will likely overcharge you as well).

If you have questions about this process, please leave a comment or send me an email. I’m so happy with this and want to share it with other women!