Sali Hughes: digital perms

I have had a perm. There's a sentence I never expected to write. Not since one Monday morning in 1986 when I crept into double history, head hidden behind a lever-arch, only for Robert Anderson to point and shout, "It's Tina bloody Turner!" as I turned puce. Perms were woeful back then – so bad that by the millennium fashionable salons had removed them from the menu altogether. Perms were for cauliflower-haired grannies only (increasingly a thing of the past as modern nans aim more for Helen Mirren than Phyllis out of Corrie).

But perms are back. Only now, they've gone digital. A "digital perm" is a Japanese invention now available here. Unlike a traditional perm, it can create any curl: surfer girl locks, movie star waves – basically, if you can do it with tongs or rollers, you can mimic it with a digital perm. It uses heated rollers, regulated by a digital temperature panel, and is pricey (around £250). It's not ideal on all hair (like baby-fine or bleached), but lasts for between four and six months, so if you're someone who goes for lots of blowdries, it's worth it. I simply add volumising lotion, blow-dry my sweepy fringe and leave the curls to dry naturally. I'm delighted. Robert Anderson can read this and weep.

Digital perms, from around £180 – find your nearest salon at hairexpertdistribution.com
I went to Eleven Hair in Mayfair and it was marvellous.

Redken Extreme Shampoo, £10.10, feelunique.com
My digital perm technician says this is a must, as protein keeps curls in shape. I like it lots.

Redken Body Full Light conditioner, £10.05, lookfantastic.com
Never weighs down my curls or roots, but still makes everything soft and tangle-free.

Pureology Pure Volume Blowdry Amplifier, £14.28, gorgeousshop.co.uk
Great for volume and control. Work a small blob through roots and ends.

Babyliss 3 in 1 Diffuser, £4.50, hqhair.com
Attach this to most hairdryers for a much gentler blow-dry that keeps curls curly, minus frizz.

John Frieda Frizz-Ease Curl Reviver Corrective Styling Mousse, £5.29, boots.com
If you're prone to frizz, put this on wet curls and leave to dry, for shinier, smoother curls.