Images & Advertisements for permanent wave machines & related products
With the creation of the Permanent Wave Machine in 1905, a woman could have “permanent” curls, lasting up to six months for $1 a curl. Many women initially shied away from the machine, becoming discourage by the 110 volts of power attached to their wet scalps. But in 1910, the machine’s creator Charles Nessler (German hairdresser also known as Karl Nessler and founder of the Nestle Company), convinced Miss America to get a perm. And then, everyone had to get one!
- Hair was wrapped in a spiral around brass rollers, treated with an alkaline solution (like borax or sodium hydroxide), and attached to electrically heated metal rods suspended by overhead counterweights, creating uniform curls from top to bottom.
- The heavy, complex process took up to six hours and carried risk of scalp burns.
- Remained popular from 1910 through the 1950s & were replaced by heat-free cold waving chemicals perms.
- The Croquignole Permanent Wave innovation wraps hair starting from the tips and rolled flat or horizontally toward the head, creating stacked layers of hair over itself. This creates tighter, more voluminous curls at the ends that graduate to looser patterns closer to the scalp. This became the standard for modern day perms as it is suitable for all hair lengths.
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NAHA 2025
As the industry’s most coveted award, PBA NAHA honors the artistry, innovation, and bold vision shaping the future of beauty.
