YOUTHFUL WINTER WITH YSL

Hands up if you can't leave home without your skincare!

Before I headed off to Korea, I checked with some friends in the beauty arena about what they would use on their trips there.

Staff from YSL recommended using their FOREVER YOUTH LIBERATOR NIGHT CREME in the day to nourish and protect my skin from the drying winter air. So a bottle was sent to me. What comes next is how it has been a blessing to me.

Weather: Winter 1°C
Skin type: Dry and clogs easily
Skincare I use in the day and night: YSL FOREVER Youth Liberator Serum with YSL FOREVER Youth Liberator Night Creme.

My Experience
On cold winter days, the scent of this wonderful skincare keeps my relaxed and happy with its pleasant scent warm floral whiff. The cream leaves a light veil on my skin protecting it from the drying winter breeze as I explore the city. I also love the glow that radiates through my CC Cream. So here you have a radiant and happy tourist.

Of course I won't step out of the hotel without smoothing on my CC cream and enhancing my features with light makeup, I'm after all in a city with the highest percentage of plastic surgery done per capita in the world.

And at night, after a thorough cleansing, I make sure I slap on this anti-ageing serum and moisturiser (a little less than the day's portion) so that my skin is nourished and moisturised during my rest. The scent of the range is said to enhance to sleep and slept well I did till day break. Bliss.



Tip: For those of us living in the tropics, the general recommendation is to use night cream from our existing skincare range in the day when travelling to destinations experiencing colder climates. This is because the drier winter or autumn air requires a richer moisturiser to keep skin from becoming dry, tight and uncomfortable in the cold.

The Good Derived from Glycobiology
This anti-ageing skincare range is made possible as a result of Glycobiology, leading to the discovery of Glycanactif complex, which makes this range all the more important to use in drying climates. As we know weather changes and dry air cause our skin to age faster and I wouldn't want any new fine lines to appear on my skin. 

Why is YSL FOREVER Youth Liberator great?

According to L'Oreal laboratories, the three glycans in the complex boost skin regeneration (also think more collagen being produced), leaving skin firmer and more youthful with reduced visible lines and wrinkles. 

Want to know more? Try to follow me through this science maze:

Glycans exist naturally on cells surface and between cells in the human body, but diminish with age. So pertaining to skin, the younger one is there are more glycans in skin, which explains its youthful firmness and smoothness. This means that skin becomes dull and, lines and wrinkles start to appear when the quantity of glycans in skin drops as one ages. So with YSL FOREVER Youth Liberator range, the Glycanactif complex content boosts skin's youthful functions.  

Still with me? Here's what you'll want to know:
Within the range, YSL FOREVER Youth Liberator Serum has the highest concentration of the potent Glycanactif complex to rejuvenate skin intensively. It will help you see results faster. Maybe that is why my skin glows the moment I smooth one the serum and even more so with the cream :) 

The Scent: On smoothing the serum or night cream, I detected discreet floral and woody notes. They are from ingredients like red tea, cherry blossom, gray amber and white musk which soothe and calm the senses and perhaps promote relaxation.

If you wish to see less obvious wrinkles, use the range for at least a month to see if it works for you. YSL laboratory research reveals that using the serum and cream for a minimum of one month would leave skin smoother, firmer with less obvious lines. Check it out for yourself.

WHY BLOG ABOUT SKINCARE FOR WINTER?

On one of my trips in autumn, my skin felt extremely tight after stepping out of my hotel room. That was when I realise I could no longer get away with an emulsion in dryer climates. Since then packing the right skincare that not clog my skin for my travels becomes a first thought. 

Note also that when skin is not adequately moisturised, cold wind can cause windburn leaving skin irritated and sometimes itchy with bumps. Makeup can't conceal that. 

So for this trip to Seoul, I brought two sets of skincare to try out and give a report.


So what do you nourish your skin with in dry and cold climates?

All comments on use of YSL product are purely from using the product. Product information are from L'Oreal and YSL websites.

NOTE: ANY MISTAKES MADE IS PURELY ACCIDENTAL AND UNINTENDED.

Travel Seoul - Food

Seoul Food (sorry can't resist the pun) I just can't get enough of Korean Food. Have I shared with you how gracious and hospitable Koreans are? At least my hosts (Mr and Mrs Lee) are extremely hospitable. 

Feast 1

Thanks to my hosts, a few hours after we touched down we treated to a huge feast at a local family restaurant. This restaurant is known for this delicious stuffed duck

(please see picture below). With this dish are also many other dishes which are just too many to capture as it is really disruptive to the lunching atmosphere. But I swear they are simply lipsmacking :)

Feast 2. Home Dining

Before we flew back home, Mr and Mrs Lee graciously invited us to their humble abode for dinner. And again it's a big affair. The whole table was packed with so much food (for 6 of us) I just didn't know where to start. Being a small eater my hosts must have gotten the wrong impression as I didn't eat a lot. But I really love the food -- if only I can eat them over a few meals :p

Sorry I captured the spread only midway through the feast as I just too tired by the 1 hours bus ride from town. But I guess you can get a good idea from here.

Feast 3. www.marushabu.co.kr

Here is another great place to dine at near Ilsan (outskirts of Seoul)

Marushabu is known for fusion cuisine. The ambience, food and view are all great here. This time, Mrs Lee and her colleague Matilda surprised me with this set meal. I'll leave you to enjoy the pictures of a few of the nice dishes I managed to capture while minimising meal disruption by my trigger happy moment :p 

View Captured with panorama feature in Samsung Galaxy SIII

A few of the tasty dishes from the set meal.

FOCUSSED MEAL
I was pleasantly surprised that this barbecue restaurant is very focused. Our choice was pork. We barbecued three servings of pork with free flow of salads and side dishes were more than enough to fill my belly.

 

Snacks

Each time I passed by this truck of titbits I was tempted to buy something. And finally on the eve of our departure came the chance. Don't be deceived. The truck may be simple, but the wafer biscuits we bought taste as good as those from Swensen's. We can have a mix of any two kinds of wafer of our choice for 4,000kr. There is also a variety of nuts like ground nuts, almonds etc. They are sold separately from the wafer.

Side Dish Shop

Shops offering dumplings and Korean noodles are a common sight in Ilsan (outskiets of Seoul).

This is Spicy Beef Soup served at a higher end eatery in Seoul.

 

Street Food

Below are a couple of local dishes loved by locals

(top) rice cake in spicy-sweet sauce; hot soup to warm your stomach

Yummy Barbecue Chicken (or satay, Singaporean term)

This store was one of the many dotted around Korea. We passed by this one when we were in the Ehwa Womans University. Notice how Koreans crowd around the store to finish their food before going off on their way. It is considered not very elegant for one to eat as one walks.

When the temperatures dip to below 10°C, having some hot food from stores like these is not only a treat, but also a necessity to warm up the body. 

Sugar coated Fruits (at Ehwa Womans University)

1,000 kr for a string of sugar coated fruits. We bought the strawberries which were the only option available that day.

Travel Seoul - Real Live K-Drama Link

Now for some real-life links to Korean Drama

Ear Muffs 5,000kr each. Leave me a message by end of this week, if you are keen on getting the orange muffs  from me.  Both are unused.

Character from Samsaengi wearing ear muffs similar to those I bought . (top and below)

1. Props
I bought these ear muffs at 5,000kr each pair. I later found them retailing at 3,900kr at a few of the shops near Ehwa Womans University. Don't they look the same at the ones this little gal was wearing in the KBS World drama Samsaengi?

Tip: At 1 degree Celsius and with some breeze, we were soon thankful for these to keep our ears warm.

2. Korean Lunch

Posters next to the door with evidence of the filming done a few years ago.

 

We had quick lunch at a Myeongdong food outlet where a drama was once filmed.

It was packed during lunch hour. We had the beef soup served with rice and kimchi. If you do not have much time, this is said to be the best choice. Ask again before confirming your order. 

Location: 
next to Bee Cheng Hiang Barbeque Pork standalone store at Myeongdong. This store was opened in 2010.
(http://www.timesdirectories.com/hotel_restaurant_catering/news/Seoul%20far%20so%20good%20for%20Bee%20Cheng%20Hiang/668337)

They serve great tasting food here.

SEOUL-FUL HAIR COLOURING

Clockwise from top left: Entrance; wash area where the poster was hung on far right and a client on the left; The Lucy Hair sign at the side of the building; and the TWorld Mobile store next to The Foot Shop on the ground floor, below Lucy Hair. 

As I found salon hair colouring service is the same as in Singapore. Lucy Hair is recommended by an English-speaking blogger working in Seoul indicating that a cut costs only 30 000kr. Sounds affordable? Well, as it turns out hair colouring is not priced as low, but is of good quality. I requested for a root colour touch up and for my greys to be coloured. It ended up a jaw-dropping 120 000kr (at least it was my husband's jaw that dropped) and 30 000kr for trims. Reason is that he still needs to blend the colour with the existing shade. There goes my cost savings plan.

Negotiation: The head stylist sat me down at the nearest chair and asked what I wanted done to my hair without discussing the costs. Tip: Make sure you agree on the price before allowing the stylist start with any procedure or cut. You wouldn't want to feel trapped should you disagree with the price once work as started. The stylist was not at all apologetic about the costs when I commented that it is expensive. I was glad he threw in a mini-hair steaming to condition my hair after the colouring at my request. Friends who frequent reputable salons in Singapore however noted that this is a reasonable price.

Wash: Don't expect the extensive back and neck massage that we experience in selected hair salons in Singapore and Malaysia. The scalp massage is done when the stylist has applied conditioner, after the shampoo. The masssge is concentrated at the temples and the scalp using the finger tips. Bonus points for not ruining my makeup during the rinse.

Cut: My existing cut has long layers. Left it to the stylist to cut or trim as much as he deems fit and it turns out he only trimmed off dry ends at the back by an inch. Probably felt that there isn't a need to layer the hair anymore.

Mini Steam: The stylist applied some KMS Hair Protein, which he picked up once with his left hand before putting me on the steamer. If it were a proper steam a lot more hair mask would have been applied.

Styling: I've had stylists in the various countries blowdrying and styling my hair differently. My stylist in Singapore uses a special hair dryer attachment to get the curls in place without brushing my hair straight. At Lucy Hair the stylist blows it straight with a brush before curling it with a pair of curling tongs.

VERDICT

The stylist at Lucy Hair has good styling skills. I am amazed that he merely twisted the tongs once at mid-length and at the ends. By the time I arrived at my hotel an hour away, my hair was curlier than when I left the salon, and much curlier the next day. My new Korean friends who met me the next day only had praises to sing with my new K-pop curls and flattering lighter hair colour which left me more youthful looking. Bliss.

L'Oreal and Wella professional hair colouring products are only available at approved hair salons all over the world, so the colouring skills can't be too far off. Only one of the two Lucy Hair staff on duty could string complete sentences in English. I'm fine by it, as at least someone understands me fully.

I know the stylist did his best to suit my colour request - I don't wish to get any darker. So he chose the best shade to match existing shade and makes less obvious the contrast between the greys and  healthier strands. This also means that my greys are tinted and not covered completely. Fine by me. 

The next time I would give a shot at any salons bustling with business (spotted on near my hotel on the day of my departure). Caucasians having hair colouring and cut in an Asian country should still go by word of mouth by a fellow Caucasian.

Two Caucasians just had either blonde streaks or whole head blond colouring done when I was there. So I guess Lucy's main clientele are Caucasians?

Noted that most other hair salons I passed by during my week there were not busy, except for one shop on a Sunday at Hyundai Mall, Ilsan. It was bustling with clients and the price list was placed outside the shop for your scrutiny.

Read what the hair colourist said after looking at my hair three months after this Korean experience at Xpect

ATTIRE
Wear button down sweaters that can be easily removed. As it turns out you will need to wear robes that protect your clothes from accidental splattering of hair dye. Plus, it is common for salons with very few clients to not to switch on the air conditioner in a bit to keep the room warm from the cold winter.

I nearly fainted from heat stroke when the colourist started applying the hair dye. Reason? I forgot to remove the extra layers of clothing before wearing the 2 robes.

LOCATION AND DETAILS
Ehwa Womans University, subway station).    
Color dye 120,000 long hair touching the waist (L'Oreal Majirel or Wella colour)
Including a light steam treatment.
Cuts or trims are priced about 30 000kr.      
                                               

LUCY HAIR

Phone/address:  02-325-2225/6, 2F, 30-10, Changcheon-dong, Seodaemun-gu
Directions: Take Line 2 to Sinchon Station. Take exit 1. Walk straight n turn right at Natuur Ice Cream and look up on your right. The shop is on 2nd flr, above TWorld Mobile shop n The Foot Shop. (see attached picture)
                             
Decor:  It is a western style salon.  The decor is minimalistic - cement wall with glitter and beech wood panels stretching from a wall across the ceiling. Warholesque posters hung near the washing area.  English ballads are played in the background.

Links:

Thanks to blog.aclipse.net and frostedsnow for guide on hair colouring in Korea.

blog.aclipse.net/teach-in-Korea/bid/84600/Did-you-get-a-haircut-in-Seoul-Korea
www.lucyhair.com

Travel - Seoul (Ewha Women's University) 1

Seoul (Ewha Women's University)

Weather
Season: Winter (January when Korea is experiencing one of its worse wintets)
Temperature: Day's temperature was predicted to drop to as low as
-1ºC.

Attire
3 layers if heat-tech stockings and quilted wrap skirt (above knee). All from Uniqlo Singapore
1 Uniqlo long sleeved heat-tech inner wear, long sleeved tee, thin thigh length knitted top
1 thigh length down jacket

Note: could still feel the chills when it gets windy. Need thick gloves to keep kands from becoming numb.

Ewha Womans University
Stores offering unbranded goods such as clothing and footware, and various Korean skincare brick and motar stores line the streets outside the famed Ewha Women's University. It is Korea’s first educational institute for women.

Clothes: there are winter wear aplenty at prices as low as 10,000kr.

Surviving Winter

Seoul Ewha Womans University Shopping Area

Weather
Season: Winter (January when Korea is experiencing one of its worse wintets)
Temperature: Day's temperature was predicted to drop to as low as -1ºC.

Attire
3 layers of heat-tech stockings and quilted wrap skirt (above knee). All from Uniqlo Singapore
1 Uniqlo long sleeved heat-tech inner wear, long sleeved tee, thin thigh length knitted top
1 thigh length down jacket

Note: Could still feel the chills when it gets windy. Need thick down gloves to keep hands from becoming numb in the cold.

Ewha Womans University - Korean Beauty Brands

There are many Korean beauty brands in Korea. Close to Ewha Womans University alone are a few. (please see pictures attached)

Food On The Cheap

Escape For Affordable Brekkie

Today we shall deviate from makeup and skincare and talk about wonderful brekkie one can find in JB.

The customs clearance was quick and fast, although the traffic cameras showed a line of cars waiting in line before Woodlands customs. Within 15mins we were driving on Malaysian road and heading towards Taman Melodies.

I love the fishball kway tiao served here at a small hawker place in JB. The food is tasty and cheap. For once I am not overwhelmed by a bowl full of carbo and a few slices of fish cake. For RM4 the portion of dry kway tiao and a bowl of fish cake slices and fishball was proportionate.  I love the springy texture of the kway tiao and tasty sauce.

We also had a plate of delicious fried carrot cake for RM3.

A low cost meal as good as  this always makes my day.

Surprise Grocery Shopping
While trooping over to our car we spotted a wholesale shop (Grand Meltique) retailing frozen ingredients for Japanese and Korean cuisine. The items were slightly cheaper than what we saw at Jusco Supermarket. Not a bad place to top up on quality groceries.

Do you love food from Malaysia? Please share with us your experiences too.

NB. You are welcome to leave a comment or note in the comment box below with a forwarding link. Look forward to meeting your interests in my upcoming posts, where possible. Simply Beauty