Textured curls are still the hair trend du jour. But don't be mistaken—that 1980s perm is still best kept in the past. "Perms have not improved much since then," says celebrity hair colorist Rita Hazan. "We still have the same issues; too much damage and no longevity." Besides, according to Hazan and fellow stylist Ursula Stephen, those tight, chemically-induced coils are no longer popular.
"A looser wave is more in style," says Stephen, Rihanna's go-to coiffeur. "I haven't done a perm in so long. A lot of people aren't really getting them any more." Instead, Stephen and Hazan recommend using a curling- or flat-iron to achieve natural-looking waves like those seen at the Ralph Lauren spring 2009 show. Especially since, in the hot tools category, there have been improvements. "Flat irons today have ceramic plates, which are more moisturizing than the old-style irons," says Stephen. "They push moisture back into the hair and the heat is not as harsh—it's not as dry."
