To provide a composition which is used for permanent waves and allows excellent permanent wave treatments without damaging hair, especially excellent permanent wave treatments even for the hair which has a high damage degree and is difficult to permanently wave the hair.

This composition for permanently waving hair is prepared by ageing an aqueous composition comprising a ceramide compound and cysteine at 30 to 40°C. The ceramide compound and the cysteine are preferably contained in a ceramide compound/cysteine weight ratio of 1/300 to 1/50 and in amounts of 0.01 to 1 wt.% and 1.5 to 7.5 wt.%, respectively. The composition for the permanent waves may further contain a phospholipid. A method for permanently waving hair comprises washing the hair with a shampoo containing a ceramide compound, coating the hair with a treating agent containing a ceramide compound, coating the hair with a mixture of the composition for the permanent waves with a treating agent, winding the coated hair, and then coating the hair with the above composition for the permanent waves.