Unusual Korean Hair Trends and Treatments To Whip Your Tresses Into Shape
South Koreans place a high value on appearance since they believe that their looks may determine their life, relationship, and career success. This is why, apart from investing in quality skincare products, health supplements, and aesthetic treatments to keep them looking young and beautiful, they also spend a significant amount of money to keep their hair healthy and on-trend. Since so many Koreans showed greater interest in hair care, recent data reveals that the SK hair care industry is expected to be valued at $1.22 billion this year as many individuals are investing more in advanced haircare solutions to address specific concerns.
Most South Koreans aim for cleanliness and health when choosing products for their hair. But picking the right shampoo isn’t enough to achieve good results. Sometimes, you need a little help and some extra pampering if you want lush tresses like Song Hye-Kyo or a headful of thick, shiny hair like Lee Dong-Wook. For your best hair ever, consider these unusual Korean hair trends and treatments to whip your tresses into shape.
Split Ends Solutions
Having long, thick, and lustrous hair is one of the Korean beauty standards that many women in South Korea follow. Though there are some who choose to cut their hair into a bob or a layered style, there’s still a strong preference for long hair since it’s believed to enhance one’s femininity. Some women will purposely get a haircut to change up their look, but others have no choice but to cut off a few precious inches off their hair to get rid of damaged ends or split ends.
To deal with split ends without losing length, hair-savvy women go to salons to get a velaterapia treatment, which involves using a lit candle to singe off split ends. This creates a shinier and healthier finish, and it can be done on colored or treated hair. Moreover, velaterapia makes hair healthier as burning off the ends can help the hair follicles to lock in nutrients, which is why a deep conditioning treatment is often recommended after velaterapia. Be warned though, that this unconventional hair treatment should only be done by a professional as there are risks that come with exposing your hair to an open flame.
Meanwhile, to fix split ends temporarily, take a leaf out of Korean model Irene Kim’s book and use facial moisturizer or lotion to add hydration to the ends of your hair. The model revealed that she takes some leftover face moisturizer and applies it to her hair like a leave-in conditioner. As a bonus, she said that this hack may have helped to prevent her from getting breakouts since some of the hair products and shampoos that she used before caused her to get pimples.
15-Step Scalp Treatment
You probably know about the 10-step Korean skincare routine, but have you heard about the 15-step scalp treatment? This process takes more than an hour to complete, but if you have the time, you may want to consider it since there are many people who swear that this has helped to improve their scalp and hair health.
This treatment involves using different tools to massage the scalp, shoulders, and the back of the neck, a steam mist, scalp scrub, oil massage, a waterfall spa, and a shampoo. Afterwards, your hair is styled by a stylist so you can go out with your friends or go on a date after your treatment. Those who have had this salon experience say that it has been helpful to address dry scalp or dandruff problems, and they also claim that their hair feels stronger and healthier after getting the treatment. The Eco Jardin salon in Hongdae is one of the first places to offer this treatment. However, other salons in Seoul are also adding it to their salon menu, albeit with a few adjustments so you can get something like a 10-step scalp treatment if you’re short on time.
Hidden Highlights
Getting bold, chunky highlights in colors like blue, pink, or green is a fun way to change your look. However, some companies frown upon edgy hairstyles like this, so if you work in a conservative workplace its either you get natural highlights or go without them. Thankfully, some hair artists in Seoul have found a way to work around this problem by creating a style called hidden highlights. This involves just highlighting the underside of a client’s hair so the colors aren’t visible if they wear their hair down. After work, they simply put the upper half of their hair up to show off their highlights, making them party-ready with just a few twists of a hair tie. Consider this hairstyle if you want to try an edgy look without getting in trouble with HR.
Some of the best hair treatments in Korea may seem a bit unusual, but they’re effective in keeping hair healthy, and they make you look cooler and more stylish too. Try any of these unconventional treatments and enjoy having a good hair day everyday.
