We review the biggest hair secret of K-pop stars: the Korean cream bath

Have you ever looked at K-pop stars and wondered how they keep their hair so chic, in place and shiny all the time?

Me too. I have put my hair through the ringer – from peroxide dyes to ringlets. I have done it all – so can my hair be salvaged, and in K-pop style?

LeeKaja Beauty Salon is really something. What caught my eye was its prime location – in the fabulous new Robinsons, Shoppes at Four Seasons Place. The salon has a distinctive interior design and a facade that attracts all the trigger-happy social media people.

Dripping from the ceilings are chains of flowers and verdant fronds (a mixture of real and fake flowers that are changed frequently, according to the manager, a stylish South Korean woman named Jaykay). Wrought around the rustic counters and hair stations are ivy tendrils and Dyson hairdryers (major plus points). And you can hang out in the fully-equipped cafe within the salon as you wait for your blow dry to settle.

Most of the staff and directors who do your hair are from South Korea, so if it is courteous treatment you’re after, you will get it here (even the name cards are personalised with their Hangul names and a sketch of their miens; very cool).

You can also pop in for a spa day. From nails to body treatments and facials, LeeKaja has an extensive menu and a lovely secluded area for those who just want to relax. Those keen on major girlie pampering can pre-book one of the private rooms. Jaykay says these rooms can also be reserved for women who are too shy to take off their hijabs in public.

What it involves

Onto the Korean cream bath. I was introduced to Jo, my hairstylist for the day, who is one of the directors at LeeKaja. She has been in the industry for over 17 years and has worked at Young Asia Artist Awards for celebrity Han Chae, the Busan Film Festival and Seoul Fashion Week. I felt confident that I was in good hands.

Jo was going to give my hair a new colour she called Lavender Ash. At a hair station, I was given a pillow to wrap my arms around. Tea or coffee were on the house, and I was impressed by the chic kimono I wore throughout my time there (no weird, ugly ponchos here). I was also stoked to see the cool spaceman-like ear muffs they put on you, and the transparent visor. I also noted the adorable Aveda hair products, which smell so good and are mostly natural formulations.

What it’s like

My hair was washed and my head massaged, followed by the cream bath, which involves a mixture of unguents made of “natural ingredients that are applied thoroughly in the hair roots”, according to the press release. The mixture is massaged thoroughly to re-hydrate and re-nourish each strand, and onto the scalp to boost hair growth, prevent hair loss and strengthen the scalp.

I was surprised by how quickly it all happened – instead of dyeing the hair first, I had the treatment done before and the hair colouring afterwards. Everything wrapped up within two hours – I have waist-length hair, and usually have to sit in a chair for at least six hours.

Things to note

I loved the service. Attentive staff were always around to help, even though they were a little on the quiet side. Director Jo replenished my tea whenever it was low and neither the cream bath nor the hair colouring process prickled my sensitive scalp.

Verdict?

I would recommend this treatment for anyone. My hair looked luscious, voluminous and shiny afterwards; I actually felt like a K-pop star. I did not get a cut, just the impression that my hair had been trimmed. The treatment also lasts. It took two weeks before I noticed that the sheen was starting to wear off.

G5 -9 Robinsons, Shoppes at Four Seasons Place, 145, Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Want more stories like this? Sign up here. Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter