I fell in love with Korea after visiting for a friend's wedding. To fund my trips, I started selling Korean skincare and beauty products online. And, of course, as part of my "job", I would try all the different spas and salons around town! Here's my review of the best facials in Seoul, that I've personally tried and tested.
Korea is famous for its beauty industry: from cheap and good skincare and cosmetic brands, it also has a ton of spas and hair salons where you can try the various latest beauty treatments. (Click the link to see my reviews of hair salons.) I make it a point to do a few treatments whenever I am in Seoul, so have tried spas in Seoul all the way to Busan and Jeju.
As Seoul is so large, I've divided the salons based on where they are located in Seoul, such as Myeong Dong and Gangnam!
MyeongDong (or Near)
Lotte (Sulwahsoo): Very Convenient
This is the in-house spa at the Lotte Hotel Seoul. It's nice, peaceful, relaxing, uses good skincare products, but obviously pricier.
I was slightly surprised by how difficult it is to get a spot here: we tried to book 4 sessions 4-6 weeks in advance, but the spa could only offer us 3 sessions. (Moral of the story: no matter how expensive it is, Koreans are willing to pay!) It was more convenient for us to use the spa at Lotte since we were staying there, but if you're willing to travel, you can also try the Sulwahsoo Spa in Gangnam. (Affiliate link: I get a small fee if you book through this link, at no cost to you. Thanks in adance for supporting the costs of running this blog :))
Even though the spa was supposedly booked out during all our sessions, it never felt crowded or noisy. We always felt like we had the entire space to ourselves!
You're greeted with some refreshments before your treatment- there are comfortable seats in the "lobby" as well as in a more private waiting room to the side of the counter.
The treatments are very relaxing, and the therapists well trained.
Note that there is no safe in the treatment room.
Verdict: will be back.
The History of Whoo: Dying to Try!
After trying some The History of Whoo skincare samples that did wonders for my skin, I really wanted to try The History of Whoo facial in MyeongDong! (Affiliate link: I get a small fee if you book through this link, at no cost to you. Thanks in adance for supporting the costs of running this blog :))
I'd also read that you sometimes get a discount on the products after your treatment, so that was a huge incentive for me too.
This spa is located right smack in the heart of Myeong Dong. I'm going to be totally honest, compared to Sulwahsoo, the spa did not look super premium, so I wondered it it was actually legit. (It didn't look bad, just nowhere as nice as Sulwahsoo!)
However, many people have tried it so I decided to go ahead. Unfortunately, it's super popular. I was in Seoul for 2 weeks but didn't manage to get an appointment! When I do, I'll review The History of Whoo facial and let you know.
Shilla (Guerlain): Quite Good
I usually like to book facial treatments by Korean brands when in Korea. However, the Guerlain Spa at Shilla Seoul was good too. (The Shilla Jeju's in-house spa is also by Guerlain.) I wouldn't say it's the best facial I've had, but I wouldn't mind going again.
The only downside is that the location is slightly less convenient. I love walking but wouldn't recommend walking to Shilla. You can take their shuttle bus from outside Ibis Hotel MyeongDong or get a cab. (It's quite a distance from the bus stop and subway station to the hotel.)
Like Sulwahsoo, Shilla books out fast. We were given a discount voucher after our treatment, but weren't able to book another treatment to use it!
Review: don't mind going back.
Millenium Hilton
This was a gift from a Korean friend so you know that it's a place actual Koreans go to! Unfortunately the hotel is now closed for refurbishment.
Make-up Class: JUNG SAEM MOOL 좋아요
Supposed to be some sort of celebrity make-up artist and located at Lotte.
Quite disappointing.
I did a make-up class and my Mom had her hair done. My make-up was done well but I learnt nothing. It's branded as a class but really just someone doing make-up for you. (So useful if you have a function or photo shoot and want to look nice but not to actually learn anything- I asked a few questions e.g. about what kind of red lipstick I should get, but didn't receive any answers.)
My Mom, too, was disappointed with her hair. We do our hair everytime we go to Seoul and this was one of the least attractive dos she has received.
Not cheap too!
Hair: Juno
Not great.
They do hair well but it may not be a cut that actually suits you, if that makes sense. For example, the hairstyle they did on me looked right out of a Korean drama but sadly did not suit my face shape. (I wasn't even asked to remove my mask before they suggested a cut- surely you would need to know my face shape to know what styles work for me?)
In addition, the perm only lasted like 2 days. (I did not wet it.)
Having said that, there are MANY Juno salons. Some are better than others!
Generally, I would recommend going to a hair salon near Edae instead as the prices are good and the stylists are talented. (Lots of competition since it's near the women's Uni.)
Gangnam
Sulwahsoo Spa (Can't Wait to Go Back!)
You can find out more about the beauty treatments at Sulwahsoo Gangnam here. (Affiliate link: I get a small fee if you book through this link, at no cost to you. Thanks in advance for supporting the costs of running this blog :))
Review: would go when Lotte Sulwahsoo is booked out (because I usually stay in Myeongdong, Lotte Sulwahsoo is more convenient for me.)
Shangpree (Would Never Return)
I was SO excited to try a facial at Shangpree as I'd read so much about it online.
Unfortunately, it was a TOTAL let down. Quite possibly the worst facial I'd ever had in my entire life, both within and out of Korea!
It didn't break my skin out, but didn't really do anything for it either. (We went as a party of 4: to be fair, one of my Aunts had glowing skin right after the facial but, for the other 3, nadah.)
I don't expect a miracle after 1 seassion. The reason I found the facial so terrible is that they simply slap a variety of masks on you, then leave you alone for most of the time. I was even told that I could buy the mask sheet and do it at home- why, then, would I pay a premium to travel to their salon and get their so-called expert to do a facial for me? (The whole facial feels like a funnel to sell you products, frankly. And, yes, we were suckers who still bought some products because we were still hoping that something good would materialize out of our time there. (i.e. that the products would be amazing on our skin.)
I was SO bored during the facial, I honestly almost put on my clothes and walked out. (The only thing that kept me from leaving midway is that it would be too difficult to coordinate with the other members of my party.)
There is a short period of time when the therapist does a bit of a massage- it is SUPER limp and weak and uncomfortable.
The spa is also quite hard to find.
Plus points were that the staff could speak a bit of English and that the salon is quite nicely decorated.
Senior Tip: Some of the rooms involve climbing stairs, so this may be an issue if traveling with seniors.
Itaewon
Hyatt: Good but Least Convenient
I booked this as a birthday treatment for my Mom. We enjoyed the experience as you get to use the sauna before your treatment.
Unfortunately, it's the least convenient of all the spas to get to, in my opinion. (No shuttle bus, unlike Shilla.) If you take the subway, you would still need to transfer to a bus (Exit 2, #405) so a taxi is the easiest way to get there.
You can find out more about The Hyatt's treatments here.
Any questions about the various beauty treatments and facials in Seoul? Let me know in the comments. I'll keep updating this list as I go along. (Let me know if you want a list of the treatments I've done in Busan and Jeju too!)
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