Changwon hair salon thick-rod perm for a shoulder bob: Vivienne Hair

Why a thick-rod jelly perm for an awkward shoulder-length bob?

I'd been growing out my bob, but once it hit that awkward in-between length, the hair hitting my shoulders started bending weirdly and clinging to my face — total chaos!

I was debating just growing it out further, but my hair was looking so boring lately, and I wanted to change up the vibe before Chuseok, so I took the plunge and got a perm!

This time I visited Vivienne Hair in Sangnam-dong! I searched for hair salons in Sangnam-dong, saw recent reviews mentioning jelly perms, and booked a visit right away!

Vivienne Hair, Changwon

23 Danjeong-ro, 2nd floor, Seongsan-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do — basement parking is available in the building.

Booking a first visit at Vivienne Hair and the 20% discount

At Vivienne Hair, Changwon Sangnam branch, if it's your first visit and you don't have a designated stylist, just book under 'Vivienne Director'! And first-time visitors get a 20% discount too!

I went on a weekday afternoon, and since I'd already booked through Naver, I was seated right away without any wait. The inside was bigger than I expected. Everything was white-toned with floor-to-ceiling windows, so it felt bright and clean, and the seats were spaced out enough that it never felt cramped.

A cut to tidy the length, then a jelly perm on thick rods

My hair was thick and had been grown out completely straight, so the stylist trimmed the length first to suit the jelly perm.

Honestly the reason I'd avoided perms for so long was fear of ending up with frizzy ramyeon (instant noodle) hair from a bad perm — but I mentioned my worries beforehand, and the stylist used thick rods so the curl wouldn't come out too small or too strong. It looked kind of similar to a regular setting perm, but the technique was a little different.

Snacks and the self bar during the perm

While the rods were setting, I passed the time eating the snacks they'd prepared and scrolling my phone. Perms take a while so it can get boring, but having snacks on hand made it so much better. I properly polished off the rice crackers and chocolate cookies haha. I'd skipped breakfast so I was starving 😭

There was also a SELF BAR set up to one side. It had a water dispenser and a coffee machine, and the fridge was stocked with mango, orange, aloe, apple and other drinks, so there was fun in picking! I went with a cold orange juice while I waited.

How did the bob jelly perm turn out? Curl and volume

The jelly perm is finally done! This is my first-ever bob perm! Before, my hair used to droop down and cling flat to my face, but after the jelly perm it got noticeably more volume and looked so much lighter. A bob can look a bit stuffy if it just falls straight, but with the curl in there it's a little more lively without much styling effort, right? Haha. The whole vibe feels completely different now.

How to style a jelly perm: dry to 70%, then essence

It can look a bit messy, but apparently that just means you need to use more product! If you dry it all the way, the curl doesn't show properly, so I dried it to about 70% and finished with essence! Not the ramyeon-hair look I was worried about at all — the thick curls came out looking natural, and I'm so happy with it!

Vivienne Hair price list and menu

The price list was openly displayed in the salon, so I could check prices without having to ask — loved that. The menu was pretty extensive too, from women's general perms to setting/digital perms, magic straightening, volume magic, coloring, clinic treatments, and scalp care.

If you're growing out a bob and stuck dealing with that awkward in-between length, or if you're sick of hair that droops and clings like mine was, I'd recommend a jelly perm! I barely touched the length but changed the whole mood with curl alone — a very satisfying visit to this Sangnam-dong hair salon :)