How TikTok made perms cool again

These days, you can spot a Zoomer by his Broccoli perm.

The haircut, which features loose curls pushed forward on the head, has become a generation-defining look. Popularized by TikTok stars like Noah Beck and Bryce Hall, the Broccoli perm is meant to be floppy and effortless, even as young boys sit for hours-long perm sessions.

The Broccoli perm isn’t exactly new: Earlier iterations to hit the mainstream include the K-perm and the boy perm. Through a cycle of renaming, perms have gone from internet fad to grooming mainstay. Their popularity shows, yet again, just how influential TikTok has become on all facets of our society.

An evolution of trendy perms

TikTok perms first blew up in 2020, in the early days of the pandemic. Of course, perms (short for “permanent wave”) aren’t new; rockers in the ‘80s sported excessively coiffed hair, teased inches above their scalp. But the perms of 2020 took on a different, altogether more suave aesthetic. These new iterations—many of which were done at home during lockdown—were combed forward and patted down. They also frequently featured side fades, leaving only the top puffed.

In 2023, the trend was reframed around the growing K-pop sensation. Wanting to look like their favorite member of BTS or Stray Kids, people starting aiming for more of a new-school boy-band look. And while the K-perm was a tad smoother than the boy perm, the overall trend remained the same: Gen Z boys were rolling up their locks and buying up the sea salt spray. 

The Broccoli perm (also called the Zoomer perm or the birds-nest cut) is the most aggressive version yet. The curls are all pushed forward on the head, forming a makeshift florette to hang over the forehead. For older generations it’s maybe a strange look (some have derogatorily referred to the style as “fboy haircut” and “alpaca cuts”), but it’s clearly caught on: Major influencers like Jack Doherty can now be spotted rocking the look, and even Superman has gotten in on the action.

Are TikTok trends just renamings?

Platforms like TikTok promise expansive varieties of content; every For You Page is different, and new microtrends sprout in different communities. How, then, did perms take over a whole generation so dominantly, and for so long? Much of that comes down to branding. 

Consider some other internet trends: In 2023, TikTok emphasized the “clean girl” beauty idea, which was not unlike the 2010s ">“makeup no-makeup” look that blew up on YouTube. In 2015, kids were dangerously plumping their lips as part of the “Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge”; these days, teen lip fillers are all the rage. The perm is just another iteration of trend recycling, where an old fad gets a new name. It’s proof, once again, that social media can quickly make the old new again.

https://www.fastcompany.com/91178328/how-tiktok-made-perms-cool-again?partner=rss&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss+fastcompany&utm_content=rss