PB ESCAPE: 5 MUST-TRY BEAUTY EXPERIENCES IN SEOUL

5 Must-Try Beauty Experiences in Seoul

South Korea’s capital city is a bucket-list destination for beauty enthusiasts. Revered as a hub for its foreigner-friendly treatments and vibrant shopping scene, Seoul does not disappoint, writes Amy Hadley.

1. Clinical treatment

Visiting a beauty clinic in Seoul was like going to my doctor’s office. Bookings are highly recommended, but even then, you’ll have to be patient. The process went like this: check-in, wait, consultation, payment, numbing, wait, cleanse my face, wait, put my bag in a locker, wait, move to the treatment room, wait, then have my treatment with an English-speaking practitioner. Although there was minimal after-care and had an assembly line feel, the low-touch customer service is part of what helps keep treatments affordable and accessible without compromising on effectiveness.

I tried Shurink Universe - a Korean high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) technology. The practitioner delivered 800 ‘shots’ under my eyes, around my cheeks, and along my jawline to provide a smooth, tightening, and lifting effect. With numbing applied, it felt like nothing more than gentle heat. As promised during the consultation, the results became visible after a week and should last for about five months.

Try: Lienjang (Myeongdong Branch), Jung-gu District.

2. Traditional body scrub

I arrived at a women’s only 24-hour jjimjilbang (communal bathhouse) quite prepared. Having experienced onsens in Japan and a Korean-style body scrub in Sydney, I mostly knew what to expect. Strip. Shower. Soak. When it’s time for the scrub, avoid sliding off the plastic-coated bed as I’m lathered, buffed, and hosed.

When the woman performing my treatment wasn’t sloughing my skin with a heavy-duty exfoliating cloth, she was repositioning my limbs or catching me before I fell off the slippery bed. Compared to a similar scrub I’d had in Sydney, this was far more rigorous than relaxing – and my nude body flailing in a room full of other women didn’t help ease my mind. However, it was worth it to feel (and see) every trace of dead skin being scrubbed away. By the end, I felt energised, silky smooth, and accomplished from not landing on the tiles.

Try: Spa Lei, Seocho-gu District.

3. 15-step head spa

The longer I spent in Seoul, the more I realised many ‘Korean’ beauty experiences exist for tourists. Lengthy hair washing appointments don’t seem to be a regular thing for most people, so perhaps it wasn’t the most authentic experience. However, I kept my appointment to see if a 15-step head spa treatment would live up to the hype seen on social media.

The hairdresser took magnified before-and-after photos of my scalp, showing how the steaming, exfoliating, cleansing, nourishing, and massaging steps rejuvenated my scalp. This treatment also included the famous ‘waterfall’, trickling warm water over my head while a full-body massage chair squeezed and kneaded me. It felt a bit gimmicky, but I left with blow dry-styled hair that was undeniably softer, bouncier, and felt clean for days. If you look forward to going to your hairdresser primarily for the head massage, this is for you.

Try: Park Jun Beauty Lab (Myeongdong Branch), Jung-gu District.

4. Colour analysis

No trip to Seoul is complete without receiving some well-meaning feedback about how you look, whether from a sales assistant or service provider. The philosophy seems to be if you ask for someone’s advice, they will give it to you straight because you value their opinion.

My colour analysis appointment was only slightly humbling, as the colour expert flicked through swatches to find my ‘personal colours’. She shook her head and grimaced at some: a definite no. She demonstrated how ‘good’ shades added brightness and vibrancy to my face, whereas ‘bad’ shades had a dulling effect. The process gradually trained my eyes to see the difference for myself.

I left my appointment with valuable knowledge about which clothing and cosmetic colours to look for, down to the exact shade.

Try: COCORY Color Inc, Seodaemun-gu District.

5. Shopping

With over 1,200 Olive Young cosmetics stores across South Korea, I barely had to search to find one. Though some stores are far bigger than others, they all have an impressive range of brands, many of which would be familiar to K-beauty fans.

There are also plenty of unique beauty shopping experiences in Seoul, from pop-ups to concept stores. My favourite was Amore Seongsu, which is Amorepacific’s flagship store. Set in a converted industrial space, it features stations to create custom serums, lipsticks or foundations, plus masterclasses and themed exhibitions.

The five-storey 3CE Stylenanda Pink Space Hotel, SKIN1004 concept store, and Beauty Play promotion centre were also fun to visit while exploring the Myeong-dong shopping district. Head to one of the city’s many mega-sized department stores or Garosu-gil in Gangnam for upmarket shopping.