Korean Job Discussion Forums

maeil · Joined: 09 Jan 2006 Location: Haebangchon

After a terrible dye job at Zen salon, I'm in need of some products from back home to remedy the situation. In particular, this is what I need: http://www.shopinprivate.com/lorsupblonha.html I could order it directly from that site itself, but the last time I did the order took about 60 days, and I don't have that many hats.

If you're arriving soon and have room in your suitcase for 2-3 boxes of this stuff, or any other "bleaching" hair dye by a trusted name (L�real, Feria, Revlon etc), I would really, really appreciate it if you let me know. I would reimburse you in won and take you out for a thank you drink or something.

Thanks in advance to anyone reading.

Steelersfan · Joined: 11 Jan 2008

Hello.

Will be leaving for Incheon (if that is anywhere near you) in about 3 weeks or so if you can hold out that long. If so, PM me and then I'll double-check to make sure I have the funds and, more importantly, the luggage room. Always happy to help when and if I can.

maeil · Joined: 09 Jan 2006 Location: Haebangchon

I appreciate it a lot. PM sent.

maeil · Joined: 09 Jan 2006 Location: Haebangchon

I'm gonna keep bumping this for a bit just in case anyone else is coming sooner Wink

SuperFly · Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Location: In the doghouse

If all else fails, I have a business trip back to the states in early March.

peppermint · Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 2:09 pm Post subject:

No plans to go to Korea any time soon, but the Red Door used to have North American brands of hair dye. Never a huge selection, but it might be worth checking out.

maeil · Joined: 09 Jan 2006 Location: Haebangchon

Thanks for the offer, SuperFly, and the advice, peppermint. I'll check out the Red Door, and let you know if I'll still need the help at that point, SF. Smile

Gialloerosso · Joined: 01 Feb 2008 Location: Seoul

I'll be arriving in Seoul on the 29th. How many boxes did you need?

spliff · Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Location: Khon Kaen, Thailand

Can you pick me up a camera...not kidding.

Chris Kwon · Joined: 23 Jan 2008 Location: North Korea

I didn't expect this many people to be so helpful over a thank you drink Shocked

IncognitoHFX · Joined: 06 May 2007 Location: Yeongtong, Suwon

Just out of curiousity, what colour did you dye it and what happened?

I tried light blue a few years ago (don't ask). I bleached it, but the bleach made my hair orange and the blue die on top of the orange created some kind of weird monster colour/science experiment. Also, the blue started to wash out in a couple of days and my hair was half-orange/half-purple blue-ish black for awhile. It was terrible, I share your feelings.

maeil · Joined: 09 Jan 2006 Location: Haebangchon

Well, as I posted in the thread about Zen hair salon, I had tried, at home, to dye my medium-blond hair a medium coppery red color. The dye didn't completely take, so I went in for them to finish the job, and came out with half-purple half-muddy brown hair. Their advice was to chop off all my hair (which goes to my mid-back and I've been growing for over 2 years). They also seemed inexperienced with baby-fine hair like mine, so the application of the dye itself (in addition to the combing out afterwards) was a very painful experience as the hair knotted and they tugged at it.

I know that there's a risk of orangey hair after bleaching it, but the bleach will at least put it in a state where it's ready to dye again, and I will simply dye it back to my previous color. No more messing around with it, at least while I'm in this country.

And Chris... perhaps it's not the drink but the empathy of similar experiences that is making people respond Laughing

I appreciate all the kind offers people have given me... for now it looks like I will be all set. Someone arriving at the end of this month has offered to bring me the dye. If that falls through, I will post here again... but for now, cheers folks.

moptop · Joined: 05 Jul 2005 Location: Gangwondo

there is a hairdressing wholesale section in namdaemun market that sells a lot of colors. i didn't look for the boxed ones, but they do have the professional colors you would get at a salon, as well as the peroxide you need to mix it with. i've been doing my own hair here for a few years after i also experienced some nightmare salon visits. after they bleached over my color and my hair broke off at the back of my head, i went to a dark coppery brown color. my mom is a hairdresser so she showed me what to do for sef-maintenance.

if you buy the peroxide at about a 20% volume (it's marked as a 6, a little different here. they come in 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% volume bleach. that's the strength) and one of the color tubes you can do your own. it's basically 1:1 ratio. 1 oz of peroxide to 1 oz of color. you mix it up and apply and let sit for about 1/2 an hour. just keep checking the hair to see if the color has taken. if it starts burning, wash it off. you might want to do a skin test of the color first as some people have allergies to certain colors.

when buying the color, look at the number on the box or tube. the higher the number, the darker it will be. i use a 5 (medium dark brown, which is pretty dark but the color fades fast here) and mix it with a bit of copper red. if you want to start with a lighter color, maybe go for a 3 or 4. they should also have a hair sample board for you to look at.

i had very few problems communicating with the guy behind the counter and he helped me find the stuff i needed. they also have salon quality shampoo, gel, hair wax, and other goodies for cheap. for about 2 liters of shampoo it was 5,000 won. only 3,000 for a big tub of great quality gel. i also got my hairdryer there for a third of the price of what they wanted at EMart. it might be worth checking out...just ask at the tourist information booth and they can point you in the right direction to find it. good luck!

KYC · Joined: 11 May 2006

I can't help as I'm already in Korea but I just wanted to comment on your bad experience at Zen. I, too, had a terrible experience there. I read so many rave reviews about them on this board. I traveled TWO hours to get there. I should have made an appointment but someone on this board said they took in walk ins. I was so busy that week I forgot to make the appointment.

Got there and they said I needed an appointment. I was ready to walk out when they told me to wait. Finally, a few minutes later I think the assistants started working on my hair. Some lady cut my hair (and I hate it). It's uneven but I can live with it.

Then the assistants kept BURNING me with the flat iron. He burned me not once, not twice, but 4 times. Having worked in customer service for many many years, I'm a very patient & understanding person. I was a bit annoyed but never got snippy with them.

The lady that worked on my hair kept making comments about my baby fine hair as well. It was as if she was insinuating that I was lying. I was getting magic straight after the haircut. I found it incredibly offensive.

Overall, I was very disappointed with Zen. I paid a lot and traveled very far for the services I asked for and it wasn't worth it. So OP, sorry to hear about your bad experience!

maeil · Joined: 09 Jan 2006 Location: Haebangchon

Wow, moptop... thanks for the tip, but I will admit that that sounds a little complicated for me. Are you saying to mix peroxide with the color in order to lighten my hair, or simply to dye it?

I'll go there to check out what they've got. I don't know the market very well... any landmarks to look for?

Sorry to hear about your experience too, KYC.. aside from the money (too much) and the experience (horrible), what I'm really feeling is a lot of disappointment... I'd been SO excited thinking that there was a place here that could do my hair well, and I really felt like I was treating myself to something great (I NEVER color my hair at the salon due to the expense), and it just turned out so badly.