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Britney in my Seoul – Oops, I did it again…

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Britney Spears in Seoul, South Korea

Saturday June 10th Britney Spears played a show in Korea. She was actually in Tokyo when I went with Co-P, but we didn’t go to the show. We actually began the break up process at Haneda Airport, but that’s a story for another time. Oops…I did it again. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d see her live, and I certainly didn’t think it’d be in Korea of all places! Even cooler? With G Dragon playing a show and Ultra Music Festival this weekend we got our KRW 99,000 tickets (just over $100 Canadian) upgraded TWICE. I was sent to 3 different windows and had to wait a long time while they got their act together, but I walked away with VVIP tickets which had a value closer to $400 Canadian…each! I got all gussied up with fabulous fellow blogger “A Fat Girl’s Food Guide“. We had all kinds of laughs I really needed outside the venue, and went inside just before the show.

Circus

There was no opening act. Britney got straight into it and didn’t stop for an hour and a half. She was strictly business, purely professional, and an enchanting entertainer. The fan favourites were all a blur, fading into one another in a medley that got me in the zone! Last night was a reminder that if Britney can make it through 2007, I can make it through the day, too. When you breakdown you can go further into the madness or take the opportunity to rebuild. There’s a blessing and a beauty in the breakdown. Others may have torn you down, but only you can truly rebuild from the wreckage.

Toxic

The past year has not exactly been my easiest. I came to Korea to give myself a break from a stressful job and a toxic work environment. After a healthy, comfortable, calm year in Busan, I decided to take on the capital city: Seoul. I was right back in a difficult work environment with longer hours and less time to dedicate to fitness and finding friends. Sprinkle in a couple of dating disasters and Itaewon drama, and voila! You’ve got yourself a pretty shit sundae. It’s getting tougher and tougher to pick myself up. I truly believe that you should take as many lessons as you can from a negative situation. Reflecting on our actions, reactions, and the ones from the people around us is crucial to personal development. While I often feel like I take one step forward and 3 steps back, I want to move forward and enter my 30’s with joy and energy.

Work, B*tch

On Mondays I aim to ease into the week. I get to work with the youngest kids on Mondays. While conversation is tougher, the cuddles tend to be plentiful. My gym doesn’t open until 8 AM on Mondays, so I take it easy. I talk to my parents on Skype every Monday and always look forward to our weekly ritual. I’ve partnered with Sprout Seoul (Natural Healthy Whole Food Service in Korea), so I skipped out on my weekly meal prep in favour of flavour. I’ll have breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack or dessert free of over-processed ingredients, chemicals and additives. I’ll be sharing pictures and honest thoughts on the menu here daily, too. Last time I ordered from Sprout I was down 3 kg within days. I’m thrilled to be on the 5 day plan. If you order from Sprout Seoul, make sure to mention The Toronto Seoulcialite or That Girl Cartier to get a free snack!

…One More Time

I’ve read that we should start now rather than waiting for a special occasions. I say, take what you can get. New Year’s Eve, a birthday, a new job, a break-up or even a Monday is an opportunity. I’ve got a recent break-up, a birthday on the horizon (August 6th if you’re keeping track), and the Monday trap tomorrow. I want to take these opportunities as spring boards to a better me. As cheesy as it all sounds, a fresh start is exactly what I think I need. With a new gym membership, Sprout Seoul, a little Restylane c/o Eunogo, some rad new friends, the love of more than a couple drag queens, and Britney in my Seoul, I’m Stronger. Now get to work, b*tch!

Color Oops in Korea

lion mane animal roar teeth wild Photographer: Lemuel Butler

What’s in a Mane?

I’m willing to bet this will sound ridiculous to most of you, but my hair is like my mane. I’ve never really been one to buy into the hysteria of the zodiac or horoscopes, but my August 6th birthday makes me a fiery Leo. I’ve been accused of being a spy in the past because I change my appearance so often (thanks, Military Man). Truth be told, I just like changing up my look. If I’m feeling sad, I’ll pick up a bright and cheerful lipstick. If I’m feeling a little worse for wear, I’ll add some highlights. When I’m feeling like I need to take control, bold changes occur. Sometimes I need Korea color oops, but we’ll get there.

My Main Mane

My mum says that when I was born I had a healthy mane of beautiful wavy auburn locks. On day 3, they all fell out. They were replaced with a light brown which would be sun-kissed, chlorine-washed, and turned into a golden blond in the summer. I found my first gray hair at the age of 14. Well, it was found for me. We were in the high school library and to my shock and dismay I found a friend pulling strand by strand until she found what she was looking for, slid down to the root, and yanked out the follicle. If what they say is true, then that first silver strand was mighty popular and its family members continue to visit to this day. My natural hair colour now is a medium to dark brown with lots of bright silver strands throughout. I guess this is why I feel so comfortable as a chameleon. Who would realistically want to let that grow out at 29?

Blonde Ambition

When I moved from Busan to Seoul, I decided to try out one of the local hair salons. What a mistake! They took me from medium brown to medium blonde…with brown roots. Time for Korea color oops then? Not quite! I actually found a salon supply store in my new neighbourhood and went to work fixing the damage. Check out my Blonde in Korea post for more info. I touched up and blended the roots, but only made it to the platinum you see up there over a course of about 5 months. Then around new year’s eve after a tricky 2 weeks of post-break-up blues, I decided to do something rash. The hope was to go back to medium brown erring on the chocolate side, but I ended up with practically black hair.

Korea Color Oops

When hair dye works a little bit overtime (as in the case above) or you don’t like the colour, there’s a solution called “color oops”. You can get it pretty easily at the drugstore in North America. It turns your hair a hideous shade of orange, then you can apply colour on top. I’ve only ever used it once back in Canada, but it had the desired effect. In Korea, however, getting “color oops” isn’t as easy. I ended up doing what’s referred to as a “bleach cocktail” or “bleach bath” instead.

Bleach Bath Recipe

This weekend I put my hair through absolute hell. I did 2 Bleach Baths (or Bleach Cocktails – my personal makeshift Korea color oops), did a set of highlights, and then dyed my hair twice. I started with a bleach bath which is:

1 ounce powder bleach (the blue powder, usually)
1 ounce developer (usually comes with the package and is about 20%)
2 ounces clear shampoo (I used the Innisfree brand)

Mix the ingredients together and apply to WET, towel-dried hair. Don’t shampoo or condition, just wet your hair, comb is out, and then apply the mixture. I left the solution in for 30 minutes. My results came out like this:

Bleach Cocktail Results

As you can see above, my hair was carrot orange. The Korea color oops I created at home had done its job by stripping away the brown, but I was stuck with some pretty rancid strands. I applied my re-bonding solution and went to sleep. Korea color oops step 1 was complete.

After applying “dark blonde” throughout my hair, my locks were pretty much rose gold. I actually kind of liked the “My Little Pony” look, but it wouldn’t have been work appropriate. I added some highlights using a cap, but they didn’t pull the colour as I had intended. Korea color oops round 2 did not turn out as well:

I ended up with yellow roots, pink mid-shaft, and orange tips. This was not the desired look either. I applied my Makarizo re-bonding serum again and went to bed. In the morning, I applied L’Oreal Dark Golden Blonde (6.30). I know this doesn’t actually make hair blonde again as I had used it in Busan to achieve a light brown look. That said, I wanted full coverage and knew this would do the trick.

My hair is now coppery red. I’ll keep this until my roots grow in, then I’ll do all over highlights once more. I don’t want to go back to platinum blonde, but I think I would like to head back in the direction of a medium ash blonde. I love being a hair colour chameleon and will probably never stick with one colour for over a year, but we’ll see what happens in the future!

Do you have any experience fixing dramatic hair colour at home? Have you ever done a DIY hair experiement in another country? Let me know in the comments!

Makarizo: Korea’s Olaplex Alternative

I put my hair through various levels of hell on a daily basis. My resilient tendrils no longer shine and gleam like they used to (I was blonde, sue me!) Now I’m well on my way back to long, luscious locks thanks to Makarizo, an alternative to Olaplex.

Olaplex

Ever since Olaplex hit the market in Korea (check out 7 Seasons Style’s review here), people have been flocking to get their hands on the products. Olaplex has a variety of products which make big claims. It’s a “simple three-step process (including) a patented active ingredient that works on a molecular level to seek out broken bonds in the hair that are caused by chemical, thermal, and mechanical damage. Use Olaplex to restore compromised hair or add it to another service to provide the ultimate breakage insurance.” Us civilians may buy Olaplex step 3 (at-home treatment) online for US $28 here, but must hit the salon for the remaining products.

MAKARIZO

Makarizo is a Taiwanese product which was originally developed for straightening. The name is taken from the Greek word for “blessed”. The product is now made and distributed from Indonesia. I found it in my second, “secret” salon supply store in Jamsil. I’m happy to tell you all about it, but the directions require some TLC I wasn’t prepared to share in my article on bottle blondes in Korea.

When I purchased the Hair Recover Drops (KRW 30,000 or just under $30) I was really just looking to replace my argan oil. With all the buzz about the rebonding systems, I thought I’d give this one a try. In only 2 uses, I’ve already seen a change in my newly-brunette locks. It was much easier to hide my shattered hair when I was beachy, bleachy blonde.

The Claim:

“Nourishes dry or damaged hair and split-ends. Adds gloss and sheen. Hair looks healthier and feels silky softer.

HOW TO USE

Before styling, apply a small amount of the drops and massage it into hair. No rinsing out.” – Makarizo website

The Results

I’m pretty thrilled with the results. I’ve used this product twice as instructed, and have blow-dried my hair both times. I’ve also put in some subtle highlights using a high-lift colour (not bleach) in the interim. I straighten my hair pretty much daily. My hair takes quite a beating, but the Makarizo Rebonding Hair Recovery Drops seem to have made a big difference! I’m considering delving further into the line to see just how glossy and gorgeous my hair can be in it’s natural (colour) state!

Makarizo Rebonding Hair Recovery Drops and other Makarizo products are available in Jamsil, Seoul, Korea. Leave me a message in the comments if you’d like to know how to visit my secret salon supply store!