Daegu hair salon iron perm for fine hair in 2 hours: With Me Hair

The weather's been all over the place lately, and my mom kept getting down about her hair — "it has zero volume, it just keeps drooping," she'd say. Her hair is naturally thin and limp, so at regular salons she'd often hear things like "the curl won't hold" or "your hair could get seriously damaged," which made her hesitant to even try a perm.

So this time I made it my mission to find a salon known specifically for caring for thin hair. That's how I came across With Me Hair, a hair salon on Dongseong-ro known for minimizing damage while still creating bouncy curls. I took my mom along for a little mood boost too. From parking tips to the recovery-ampoule iron perm that genuinely moved me, let me walk you through it all!

Where is With Me Hair, and where do you park?

With Me Hair is on the 3rd floor of a building on Dongseong-ro 4-gil in Jung-gu, Daegu. If you're driving, remember there are 4 parking spots at the building plus the nearby Dongin-dong parking lot. As parents get older, thinning hair and less volume around the crown becomes one of their biggest hair worries.

Regular roll perms fall out fast, but perm too aggressively and you risk frying the hair.

With that worry in mind, we visited With Me Hair, located on the 3rd floor. Climbing the stairs and opening the door, the owner greeted us with the brightest, warmest smile, and my mood lifted the moment we walked in. Honestly, I hate the feeling of people outside seeing me get my hair done, so being on the 3rd floor away from street view was a big plus.

Oh, quick parking tip before I forget! You enter through the alley next to the pharmacy, and that's where the building is.

There's room for about 4 cars at the building, but unfortunately it was full when we arrived. So we used the nearby 'Dongin-dong parking lot' instead — with a Kakao reservation coupon it was only ₩4,000 for 3 hours, super cheap and convenient. If you're driving, definitely keep this tip in mind.

Consultation for fine hair and the 30,000 won recovery ampoule

During the consultation, the owner of With Me Hair told us upfront that my mom's fine hair could get damaged during an iron perm, so we added a recovery ampoule for ₩30,000.

While examining my mom's hair during the consultation, the owner said honestly and kindly, "Her hair is really fine, so it could get damaged during the iron perm." So we decided to add a recovery ampoule to protect it.

The recovery ampoule add-on cost ₩30,000.

Before starting the perm, the owner neatly trimmed the length first, and after just a few snips the hairline looked beautifully tidy — I already felt reassured.

After the cut, during the softening step, she generously worked in the recovery ampoule to feed the hair some nutrition.

Honestly, daughters out there will relate — isn't it boring waiting around while mom gets her hair done? I usually tag along for cuts but tend to skip out on perms because they take forever. But here, the owner was so much fun that the wait flew by and was actually enjoyable. The coffee and snacks she set out were delicious too, haha.

How the iron perm went: three curling irons, about 2 hours

With Me Hair's iron perm used three different tools — a regular curling iron, a thick roll iron, and a thin roll iron — and a treatment that normally takes over 3 hours was finished in about 2. This was actually the first time I watched my mom's iron perm up close.

Wow, it involved way more hands-on work and care than I expected! I finally understood why people call iron perms a "handmade work of art by hairstylists."

After the softening step, she dried the hair first, then used heat to set the curls — and no fewer than three types of curling irons came into play.

A regular curling iron plus a thick roll iron and a thin roll iron — all three tools were used in exactly the right places.

She divided the hair into fine sections and wound each strand by hand to shape the curls. Watching from the side, her hands moved so fast and precisely I couldn't help but be impressed. My mom kept praising her too, saying "At other Dongseong-ro salons, iron perms take forever and my backside starts aching, but this owner's hands are really fast." Thanks to that, there wasn't a dull moment, and a treatment that usually runs over 3 hours wrapped up in about 2!

Right after the heat treatment, it looked almost too tightly curled at first, but she explained that because the hair is so fine, wrapping it that tightly is what gives the natural-looking curl once it's finished. Since she's clearly experienced and skilled, we decided to trust her and wait it out.

Gentle neutralizer for 15 minutes, foam around the face

With Me Hair's neutralizing step used a much gentler neutralizer, factoring in how fine my mom's hair is, applied for about 15 minutes. Even in this final neutralizing step after the curls were set, the owner's thoughtful attention won me over all over again.

Neutralizing usually takes about 7 to 10 minutes, right? But because my mom's hair is so fine and fragile, she chose a much gentler neutralizer to reduce irritation. She also used foam separately near the face instead of applying the neutralizer directly, since direct contact there isn't great for the skin.

Since the gentler formula meant more time was needed, she let it sit a bit longer — about 15 minutes — to make sure the curls set properly. Seeing her adjust both the products and the timing based on my mom's specific hair condition made it obvious: she really treats every client's hair like her own.

The finished crown volume, and why With Me Hair is worth a visit

The result of With Me Hair's iron perm was natural volume revived right from the crown. Once everything was done, she blow-dried it out smoothly, and honestly... wow.

It was hard to believe this was the same thin, drooping hair from before — natural, bouncy volume came alive starting right from the crown!

Thanks to the recovery ampoule, far from being damaged, her hair actually looked shinier and silkier than before the perm. I'm so glad we added that recovery ampoule, haha.

Seeing my mom check the mirror and smile so brightly, saying she loved it, made me so proud as the daughter who brought her along.

From the owner's kind smile to her quick hands and the fully personalized care tailored to my mom's hair condition — everything was perfect at this Dongseong-ro hair salon, With Me Hair!

Who should book an iron perm at With Me Hair?

• Anyone with thin, limp hair who's always hesitated to get a perm
• Anyone who wants a fast, skilled stylist because long treatment times feel like too much
• Anyone who wants to give their parents a beautiful volume boost and a mood lift

If you've been stressed over thin hair like my mom was, I highly recommend visiting once — you might just find the perm of your life!