So I finally visited Seoul, Korea and boy oh boy.. it did not disappoint. I love, love, love this place. The city is sprawling with skyscrapers, and all the girls are so so pretty. I mean amazing skin. Whatever they are doing, I mean I need to be doing it too. They are flawless. Yes! This is the capital of plastic surgery with techniques, surpass some of Beverly Hills best. This is where real facial reconstructive surgery was invented. Korean beauty is everything.
In Seoul your skin is everything, I have never seen a place in my life (considering I have been to 78 cities around the world) that has so many skincare stores. Some streets have as many as five branches of the same store. I know you are all dying to know what my favourite picks are. More to come below. Well, the first place I visited to start my skincare induction was Meyong-Dong a densely populated shopping area that reminded me of Carnaby street in London except for it is ten times more significant. Meyong-Dong has everything you could be looking for when it comes to skincare… lots of skincare stores!
I took a walk into Missha and got my Charcoal sponges, my favorite Missha, First Treatment Essence Toner- Extra Moist (this can be compared to SKII treatment essence) and my Missha Ex Serum. Then I popped in quickly to Aritaum got my Sulwahshoo products, Baby Face Mist with Hyaluronic Acid and Illi Anti-Aging body moisturizer. Aritaium reminds me so much of Sephora, however, there is also Olive Young a chain store which also is kind of like Sephora. Aritaum, I would say is definitely more the high end of the two. Anyway, at Olive Young found this super ,moisturizing face spray called Propolis Ampule Mist by CNP Laboratories.
I have listed just some of the stuff I bought as do not want to bombard you with all the things I bought. However, every store I went to also gives you tons of samples and sheets masks. I think I will coming back to LA as the sheet mask and sample queen. Seoul, is a Mecca if you are really into skincare and that type of stuff. I just could not get enough of the beauty products. These products are well made and affordable and comparable to high-end western brands. Tomorrow I am going to get my lashes done and visit a new area called Gargousil .
Well I visited Gargousil, it’s a leafy quite chic suburb. Got some more goodies and have been testing them whilst here in Seoul. Boy oh boy I am addicted. I wish I could have easy access to these products all the time. I mean my skin is beyond glowing it is twinkling. Koreans love moisture in the skin and I believe in this too. Who wants dry parched skin, that’s definitely a no. I got some cleansing wipes, and they are just the best, better than the ones in the UK or USA, “Super Aqua Perfect Cleansing Oil in Tissue”.
I am in heaven. No drying afterward and I actually look forward to cleaning my face with this product. I then use my Jeju Volcanic Lava pore scrub foam and follow up with my Missha First Treatment Essence and after that has soaked in I apply my Prestige BN Serum EX with Birds Nest and Gold. This routine keeps my skin nice and supple I love this product. I then use a very moisturizing face cream, (Hydra B5 Ceramide Balm) I discovered, made by a company called A.H.C. This stuff makes my skin glow like a baby. I am going to miss Seoul.
On my skin I use my Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Body Oil. I know I definitely cannot live without this. It is very light and comes on as a mousse yet it is very, very potent and keeps the skin well moisturized for hours. For sun protection I use my Misha all around safe block factor 50+ all over my body. This gel literately just sinks into my skin. I also bought the safe block sun cleansing tissue which proved to be just as potent. Especially here in LA. It is an easy way to apply sunscreen; by just wiping it over your face with a towelette. Great product, straightforward to use and can be discreetly applied.
Let’s also talk about the clinics here. I met with some top Drs. To consult so I could give you feedback on how the Koreans plastic surgeons think regarding surgery. There are tons of clinics here, but you have to be careful. As mentioned before in this blog a good surgeon is not all about advertising only, so make sure you do your research. Remember no surgeon will tell you about his failures. Everyone will always put their best stuff out there. So buyer beware!! Don’t just believe everything you see as the spoken word. Do your research. A lot of clinics have flashy advertising, but in some of these places, the doctor that does the consult (the specialist) may not be the one that operates on you. There have been cases of clinics opening over and over again and reinventing themselves after several malpractice lawsuits.
The best clinic I think I met with is April 31. They specialize in particular surgeries, like Nose, eyelids, facelifts, boobs. Their English representative Brian is an absolute delight, and their five doctors are world class each specializing in his field. For Brian’s, email feel free to email me. April 31 does not advertise as they get their referrals through word of mouth. Their chief consultant is well known in plastic surgery circles worldwide.
Another thing about Korea is their clinics are very thorough. They will even give you a CT scan if doing any surgery on your face. This is not the norm, but they like to plan for all possibilities, with no surprises. Korean plastic surgery is all about proportion. Most doctorss in Korea would not do anything out of proportion on your face, They believe in facial symetry.
Enough said about plastic surgeons lets get back to another beauty revelation in Seoul. This one is something we already practice however most of us don’t realize how important it is. Humidifiers. Every apartment in Seoul has a humidifier another gadget to help guarantee that constant moist, supple skin. They also have portable humidifiers in the car, and they use them while on the move like in coffee shops, etc. To be honest, I see it working in the car in a closed environment but don’t understand how a portable humidifier can help in an open situation.
So ladies there it is for now. Watch this space as there will be a lot more news coming up on Seoul and my experiences. I plan to visit frequently and get to know this place like the back of my hand….:-)
Want to see more or try these products :
Super Aqua Perfect Cleansing Oil in Tissue is available at MISSHA
Jeju Volcanic Lava pore scrub foam is available at AMAZON
Missha First Treatment Essence is available at MISSHA
Misha all around safe block factor 50+ is available at MISSHA
Prestige BN Serum EX with Birds Nest and Gold is available at AMAZON
Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Body Oil is available at SEPHORA
Hydra B5 Ceramide Balm is available at eBay KOREA