No. 36

Skincare & more in Seoul

I went to Korea and I came back with perfect vision, perfect skin, perfect hair, and a lot to say about the vibrant city of Seoul! I didn’t intend for my trip to be a makeover - as a matter of fact, I didn’t even really consider I needed a makeover. I planned a trip with three goals:

1. Acquire perfect vision through ICL surgery at BGSS Seoul

2. Have fun with my friends

3. Eat world class Korean food

To get from here to $3,000 of beauty treatments (for someone who has never been to a med spa) is a bit of a leap, so why don’t we back up and track how we got here.

Everyone travels differently: some people travel to visit museums, some people travel primarily to visit with friends, some people travel to the far reaches of the earth to scuba dive. I believe that the best vacations take advantage of exactly what makes a place special: you go to Monaco during F1, you head to the English countryside for Goodwood Festival of Speed, Mexico City during Zona Maco, hit Noma while in Copenhagen, you get the picture. To travel the world and ignore what makes each city or country special is to miss an integral part of the experience: that isn’t to say you need to do something that doesn’t speak to you, but how fun is it to expand our horizons? Is that not the point of traveling the world?

As I planned our trip, I asked myself what I could do to expand my horizons while in Korea, that fit within the challenging physical limitations imposed by surgery. I landed on the most noble cause of them all: making myself more beautiful. Within about a week, I had planned a variety of beauty treatments, aimed at optimizing for a well-balanced result: I wasn’t going to get a facelift or plastic surgery, but what would it look like if I came back home to hair that was 10% better, skin that was 15% better?

Now that I am on week 3 of recovery, I can say confidently that I took a winning approach, and want to bring you in as a confidante to share my learnings.

Before walking you through my results, I want to caveat that I am not really a beauty expert. I’ve done quite a bit of my own research, and have tried boatloads of products over the last decade, but had never gone any more invasive than a rich cream or a hydrating facial. My excitement for the treatments I did receive in Korea can be read and absorbed in one of two ways:

A. You NEED to believe my judgement: I have nothing to gain and every change I experienced was due to the treatments I received in Korea, and less likely due to a combination of factors since I use little more than 4 skincare products routinely.

B. I clearly don’t really know what I’m talking about, anything would have made my skin better since I’ve never explored this space to this extent.

Take from this what you will. That being said, let’s dive into the treatments I received in Korea, their costs, and the results

Skin

I visited the renowned LV Clinic in Gangnam for an all-in treatment day. LV is one of the only clinics that provides (for a small additional cost) full anesthesia for treatments. Load me up, baby, I want to feel no pain.

I booked a Pico Fraxel Laser, Rejuran injections, Juvelook injections, and Onda lifting. The fraxel laser was the most intense: leaving me with sandpaper skin for nearly 6 days. It’s hard to accurately separate the treatments from each other, but people (myself included) have been shocked at how much younger and more elastic I look. As a whole:

• Fraxel aims to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, acne scars, sun damage, uneven skin tone, and enlarged pores. $500 USD

• Rejuran uses a type of DNA fragment derived from salmon sperm to stimulate collagen production, improve skin elasticity, and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. $400 USD

• Juvelook is used to improve skin texture, elasticity, and hydration. $400 USD

• Onda lifting utilizes microwave energy to target fat cells, reduce localized fat, and improve skin elasticity by stimulating collagen production. $9000 USD

I couldn’t be happier with the results, and the promise of collagen renewal over the next 6 months means it will only continue to improve.

Before - no makeup selfie (taken in December which I know is a few months back, but I really don’t take many selfies)

After - not a video of my skin per say, but good lighting to see how fresh and young it looks

Hair

I visited ParkJun Beauty Lab in Myeongdong for a cloud perm, and couldn’t have been more thrilled with the results. Even through the language barrier, my stylist was incredibly helpful and thoughtful to ensure I got the results I wanted (and made sure I was aware that no, I wouldn’t look like the hair model I showed her as an example of what I wanted). Seoul was relatively dry when I arrived (read: my hair looked pretty good), but my stylist could tell immediately that my hair is prone to frizz, and recommended a smoothing perm on the top of my hair to achieve a silky, cohesive look. There’s a balance between knowing what you want, and trusting the pros, and the pros here do a stellar job. I started with a layered cut that continues to look better and better every day, and added on a 7 step Shiseido treatment setting my hair in a blown out perm. The treatment took only 3.5 hours, and results should last a year.

The first time I washed my hair after the treatment, I was a little lost on how to make it look as good as they did in studio. By my second and third wash, I was a pro, and now my hair will look gorgeous, no heat required, for up to a year. Couldn’t recommend more highly! ($275 USD)

Before

After - see video here

Nails

Maybe you wouldn’t go to Korea to get your nails done, but you should. 5x5 Studio offers monthly packs of chic, minimalist, and feminine designs that they achieve in only 90 minutes (tips included!). I admit - I’ve never gotten nail art done before (I find a lot of it tacky) but couldn’t be happier with the sleek designs they offered in studio. I just wish I could stop my nails from growing. ($120 USD)

Eyeballs

If you’re looking for corrective vision surgery, there is no place in the world like BGSS Eye Clinic in Seoul. The experience couldn’t have been more seamless, professional, and effective. You’ll work with a world-class care team and the most capable doctors who are responsible for a bulk of the research and development in the ophthalmology space. From start to finish, my experience with BGSS was easy, painless, and I left with friends I look forward to visiting on my next trip. (ICL surgery with the lead Dr. Je-Myung Lee was approximately $4,500 USD).

For those of you who have little to no interest in beauty treatments, my Seoul recommendations:

To Eat:

No matter where you go, make sure to try every kimchi they put in front of you. I couldn’t have possibly expected the variety of kimchis available - and they are all heavenly.

Mingles - it’s 50 best in the world for a reason, not to be missed! Maybe we’re just loud Americans (or maybe it’s a group size thing) but upon arrival, we were given a private room for the evening. Which was fabulous, because we are loud Americans.

Byeokje Galbi Cheongdam - the hanwoo here is heavenly, and you dine in a private room.

일월카츠 안국점 - sorry, they don’t have an English name, but if you’re looking for katsu, this place is heaven. So heavenly, in fact, we dined here for lunch twice.

Jungsik - innovative, fresh, and delicious, this meal had no misses. I still dream about the desserts.

STAY - we were glad to have the opportunity to head over to this part of town, a stark departure from the hanok villages with a stunning (if not dizzying, from the 81st floor) view of the city. French & Korean fusion that left us satisfied and happy.

Samwon Garden - I ventured to Samwon between dilating my eyes and going under the knife, so as you can probably imagine, I looked a bit silly here. Every bite was succulent.

Mr. Ahns Craft Makgeolli - not to be missed, we were lucky enough to be served by Mr. Ahn himself (a rare occurrence). Likely the most “casually innovative” meal we ate in Korea.

Myeongdong Kyoja - this lunch spot lives up to the hype, we opted for pickup (which ended up being the right call, since we could take a much-needed food nap directly afterwards)

WUBO Terrace - sister restaurant of acclaimed Woorahman, we had (another) private room and incredible KBBQ and Hanwoo. Our private chef, Alex, was a dream.

To Drink:

In fairness, I didn’t drink much (surgery), but Seoul has an exceptional cocktail scene.

ZEST - a can’t miss for innovative cocktails in a gorgeous space. Hit ZEST before a dinner in Cheongdam.

Pomme - my local friends took me here, the cocktails were so good it was hard to choose just two.

To Experience:

Boogie Woogie jazz bar - a tiny space tucked away in Itaewon, with iconic acts and classic drinks.

Stone seal carving -

Makgeolli brewing - turns out, brewing makgeolli isn’t too challenging, but tons of fun with a group of friends.

Perfume creation class - I wear my perfume every day, the scent is stunning and serves as a welcome reminder of our adventure

Bukchon hanok village - in my opinion, the best of the hanok villages with cute boutiques, restaurants, museums, and workshops.

Itaewon - “Americans love Itaewon” is always a reason to skip a place for me, but I’m so glad we didn’t and spent our last day hopping between cafes, vintage stores, and cocktail bars

Osulloc Tea House - order a tea to stay and enjoy in the sun-dappled upper terrace.

Gyeongbokgung Palace - the sheer scale of the palaces in Seoul are to be marveled, and Gyeongbukgung is no exception.

National Museum of Korean Contemporary History - a surprisingly cogent and well-organized overview of the most recent chapter of Korean history, a can’t-miss for those who stopped paying attention after the Joseon period, or who deeply enjoyed Pachinko.

Karaoke - need I say more?

To Stay:

Airbnb in Bukchon Hanok Village - we couldn’t have chosen a better place to stay - this gorgeous Airbnb honored the history of the hanok villages and traditional Korean architecture, yet was updated with all of the modern conveniences (heated floors!). Couldn’t have been a better location.

Four Seasons Seoul - for those who want a classic Korean high rise with all of the amenities. Our friend ran into Jennie at the gym, so maybe you’ll be as lucky.

To Shop:

I am a firm believer that the best way to shop in a new place is to ask the chicest people, so I kickstarted with Devon at BGSS who directed me to her favorite store in Seoul, RECTO. From there, I was led on my journey through Hannam and Itaewon.

RECTO - high quality staples in a beautiful showroom, I could have easily spent hours here but came out with a gorgeous pair of ecru jeans.

Nothing Written - another gorgeous two-story showroom with minimalist modern Korean pieces. My now favorite tee shirt is from here, and I have two of them.

Sulwahsoo Bukchon Flagship - Sulwahsoo is a K Beauty staple, and their beautiful, historic showroom is a welcome reprieve from the madness of the city. I must have purchased 20 items over our 3 trips to the store.

Andersson Bell - I was aware of Andersson Bell, but not fully aware of their game. Funky, futuristic, and avant garde, with prices that don’t break the bank. Your coolest friend likes Andersson Bell, and they always have collaborations with brands you know and love.

CUEREN - my feet are much too big to shoe shop in Korea (sad!) but they have the most gorgeous leather shoes here. I picked up a pair of suede loafers for my husband that he absolutely loves.