Simply Beauty: 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.