Bruno Mars is known for having a unique style, both when it comes to fashion and music. It’s more unique for the time he’s in, as, in large part, the fashion and music are revivals from decades ago. He’s bringing back a brass sound to his music and fresh, cool look. Is he bringing back old-school hairstyles? Doe Bruno Mars have a perm?
Bruno Mars doesn’t have a perm, he has naturally curly hair, which can be more noticeable depending on the length, and how he has it styled. He may not have a perm, but he has been bringing back some hairstyles of past years, including the bouffant, Jheri curls, and a natural afro.
Whichever hairstyle he chooses for the day, it takes some work to get it looking that good, but he’s always prepared. Mars’ natural hair comes from his multi-racial background which includes Puerto Rican, Filipino, Jewish, and Spanish ancestry.
Uptown Funk
Rumors about Mars having a perm may have come from the release of his music video for Uptown Funk, in which a section was recorded with him, producer Mark Ronson, and an unknown female, with curlers in their hair, under a dryer.
The aesthetic of the scenes fit in with the video as a whole, that was throwing off vibes of the late 1970s and early 1980s. During that time, men often did get their hair permed. But neither Mars nor Ronson were actually getting their hair permed for the scene.
History of the Perm
Officially called a ‘permanent hairstyle’, the term has been shortened to permanents or just perms in most cases. Not all perms are curly, there is also a straight perm. The term means a style set into the hair that will last for a long time, generally months.
The perm was first produced in 1872 by heating tongs over a gas or alcohol flame then applying them to a woman’s hair to produce a wavy kink. The method of testing the appropriate heat of the tongs was to test it on a newspaper, if the newspaper browned then the temperature was just right.
Over the years many experiments were performed trying to find the right balance between the physical curling of the hair, and the chemical reaction needed to keep it long term. The first chemical solutions were too caustic to be used one people’s heads, so many used to have wigs permed, and then would wear those.
The cold wave method, which was the precursor to perms today, was invented in 1938 and was less harsh on the wearers hair and scalp. Though it didn’t eliminate the harshness altogether. Even today, perms still need to use harsh chemicals and can cause damage to hair.
Straightening perms originated in the 1890s but became popular amongst African American men and women of all ethnicities in the 1950s. The main difference between a perm and a straightening perm is that instead of using tight rollers, either straight irons, or large rollers are used to achieve the look.
In the 1980s the Jheri Curl, named after its inventor Jheri Redding, became popular with African Americans. It was a quick alternative to perming that gave the hair a sleek, tightly curled look. Bruno Mars has been seen quite often with the style.
Changing Hairstyles
Hairstyles have changed throughout the ages and some will continue to come back around, while others will hopefully die for good. I’m looking at you Mullet. One style that has seemed to last through the ages is the braid, which can be traced back thousands of years.
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