Perms & smoothing · Subiaco & Fitzgerald

Perms, smoothing & straightening

Four chemical services that change what your hair does rather than how it is styled — from the tousled modern perm everyone is asking for, to QiQi smoothing that takes humidity out of the equation. Perms are our Subiaco salon only.

Book onlineWhere do I start?

Perms from $285 · Keratin relaxing from $525 · QiQi from $625

Circles of Hair editorial model with long, glossy dark hair, Perth salon

x7Salon of the Year
4.6★2,000+ Google reviews
30+Years in Perth
2Perth salons
Where do I start?PermsQiQiKeratin relaxingStraighteningCompareThe appointmentFAQs

Why this page exists

Changing what your hair does, not how it is styled

Find the right one

Everything else we do works with the hair you have. These four services change it. A perm adds texture that was never there; QiQi and keratin take texture away. They are the only services on our price list that keep working after you leave the salon, which is why they get their own page rather than sitting at the bottom of the treatments list.

Perms have come back properly in the last couple of years, and men’s perms are a big part of that — loose, lived-in movement rather than the tight uniform curl the word still makes people picture. Those are done at our Subiaco salon only, by the stylists who do them often enough to be good at them.

Every one of these starts with an honest read of your hair. If what you are asking for is not safe on your hair today — and on heavily lightened hair it often is not — we will say so, and tell you what would need to change first.

Where do you start?

Tell us what your hair actually does

Nobody walks in asking for a disulphide bond treatment. Find the sentence that sounds like you and it will point you at the right service — the full detail on each one is underneath.

“I want that tousled, textured look — the one everyone has right now”

A modern perm. This is the one people are coming in for at the moment, and a good half of them are men. Loose movement through the top and sides that dries messy on purpose, rather than a set curl. Subiaco salon only.

Perms — from $285

“It goes frizzy the second I step outside”

QiQi Hair Controller. It reshapes the texture rather than coating it, so humidity stops being the thing that decides how your hair looks. No downtime at all — wash it, tie it up, swim, colour it the same day.

QiQi — from $625

“My curl grows differently on each side and I’m sick of fighting it”

Keratin relaxing. It genuinely loosens the curl pattern for three to five months, then softens out rather than leaving a line where the treated hair stops. Bookable online.

Keratin relaxing — from $525

“My hair is flat and won’t hold anything I do to it”

Also a perm, but a much softer one — body waves that give fine hair something to grip. A consultation and strand test comes first, because fine hair is exactly where a perm can go wrong.

Perms — from $285

In detail

The four services

Prices are starting prices — hair length and density move them, and your stylist confirms the final figure before anything is mixed. Nothing on this page is a surprise at the counter.

Modern perm with soft movement and texture, Circles of Hair Subiaco Perth

From $285

Perms

Best for: Texture and movement in hair that has none — and the tousled men’s perm.

Modern perming is a long way from the eighties. Most of what we do now is soft body waves and lived-in texture, or evening out a curl pattern that grows differently on each side. Men’s perms are a big part of this — loose movement through the top that you can push about with your fingers and leave, which is why they have taken off. A consultation and strand test comes first so we can see how your hair responds before committing to it. Perms are done at our Subiaco salon only — Fitzgerald St does not offer them, so book Subiaco for this one.

Subiaco salon onlyConsultation first2–3 hours

QiQi Hair Controller smoothing treatment result, Circles of Hair Perth

From $625

QiQi Hair Controller

Best for: Frizz, humidity, and anyone who wants to stop fighting their hair every morning.

QiQi softens the disulphide bonds using acidic actives, letting us reshape your hair’s texture with heat. Safe on all hair types including coloured and chemically treated hair — and the restrictions you expect from a smoothing treatment do not apply here. Colour the same day, wash the same day, tie it up, work out, swim. It is the most expensive thing on this page and the one people repeat most often.

Book onlineNo downtimeColour same dayHalf day

Keratin relaxing treatment softening curl pattern, Circles of Hair Perth

From $525

Keratin Relaxing

Best for: Curly or coarse hair where you want the curl genuinely loosened, not just smoothed.

Softens and loosens the curl pattern for three to five months, then grows out gradually rather than leaving a hard line. You can book it online directly — your stylist confirms it is the right call for your hair at the start of the appointment, before anything is applied.

Book online3–5 monthsHalf day

Permanent straightening sleek smooth result, Circles of Hair Perth

From $500

Permanent Straightening

Best for: Very curly or coarse hair, where you want it straight for good.

Restructures the hair permanently — the hair we treat stays straight, and your regrowth comes through in its natural texture. We do very few of these, and most people who ask about it end up better served by QiQi or keratin relaxing. Starts with a consultation either way.

PermanentConsultation firstHalf to full day

Side by side

Which one is which

The four things worth weighing up before you book.

Service Where How long it lasts What it does Booking From
Perm Subiaco only Grows out with your hair Adds texture & movement Consultation first From $285
QiQi Hair Controller Both salons Softens gradually over months Removes frizz, keeps movement Book online From $625
Keratin relaxing Both salons 3–5 months Loosens the curl pattern Book online From $525
Permanent straightening Both salons Permanent on treated hair Straight, for good Consultation first From $500

Full pricing sits on the price list. A perm and a haircut are usually booked together — see haircuts.

What actually happens

From consultation to the first wash

These are longer appointments than most, and the aftercare matters more. Here is the shape of it.

01

Consultation and strand test

For perms and permanent straightening this is a separate appointment before the day itself. We look at your colour history, feel the condition, and on a perm we test a small section so we know how your hair reacts before we commit the whole head to it. QiQi and keratin relaxing skip this — your stylist checks at the start of the appointment instead.

02

The service

Perms run 2–3 hours. QiQi and keratin relaxing are half-day appointments. Permanent straightening is half to a full day depending on length and density. Bring headphones and something to do — these are not appointments to squeeze into a lunch break.

03

Walking out

You leave finished, and your stylist tells you exactly what to do for the first few days. This part matters more here than on any other service — the aftercare window is where results are made or lost.

04

The first week

QiQi has no restrictions at all. Keratin relaxing and permanent straightening do, and your stylist will be specific about them on the day. Perms want a gentle first wash and a curl-friendly product, which we will have picked out for you before you leave.

Before you book

Perms and smoothing, answered honestly

Do you do men’s perms?

Yes, and a lot of them — it is one of the fastest-growing things we book. The look most men ask for is loose texture through the top and sides that dries messy rather than a defined curl, so it works with a short back and sides rather than against it. It starts with the same consultation and strand test as any perm, and it is Subiaco only. If your hair is very short on top there may not be enough length to wrap, which is exactly the sort of thing the consultation is for.

Which one do I actually need — QiQi, keratin or straightening?

Short version: QiQi if the problem is frizz and humidity and you want to keep your movement. Keratin relaxing if you want the curl itself loosened for a few months. Permanent straightening only if you want it dead straight for good and you have accepted that it does not grow out. Most people who come in asking for straightening leave having booked QiQi. Call 1300 160 198 if you would rather talk it through than guess.

Can I colour my hair on the same day?

With QiQi, yes — that is the main thing that sets it apart. Keratin relaxing and permanent straightening need colour separated out, so book the two appointments with a gap and mention both when you book so we can sequence them properly. A perm and a colour are never done on the same day.

Are perms damaging?

A perm restructures the hair, so it is a real chemical service and it is not risk-free — which is why we insist on the consultation and strand test rather than taking the booking blind. On hair in good condition that has not been heavily lightened, a modern perm is far gentler than its reputation. On hair that is already compromised we will tell you no, or map out a plan to get the condition right first.

Why are perms only at Subiaco?

Perming is a specialised skill and the stylists who do it well are at our Subiaco salon on Hay Street. Rather than offer it at Fitzgerald St and have it done by someone who does two a year, we keep it in one place. Everything else on this page is available at both salons. See the Subiaco salon.

How long does a smoothing treatment last?

QiQi and keratin relaxing typically run 3–5 months, softening gradually rather than stopping at a hard line. Permanent straightening is exactly that — permanent on the hair treated, with regrowth coming through in your natural texture. A perm grows out with your hair; how long it looks good for depends on your cut, so we usually plan the two together.

Not sure which one you need?

Call 1300 160 198 and a stylist will talk it through, or book a consultation and we will test your hair properly.

Book onlineSee the price list