Beauty brand Sulwhasoo celebrated its 50th anniversary by opening a stupendously beautiful flagship store. TRACY LEE reports from Seoul.
Beauty brand Sulwhasoo celebrated its 50th anniversary by opening a stupendously beautiful flagship store. TRACY LEE reports from Seoul.
It’s a beautifully clear morning, and I’ve just stepped into the brand-new Sulwhasoo Flagship Store in the upmarket Gangnam district. This six-storey, purpose-built building has a basement and a rooftop garden, and is the brand’s first standalone store in South Korea. It also has the honour of being the largest single-brand store in the country. K-beauty fans, it’s a must-visit the next time you’re in Seoul, and here’s why:
1. It’s a breathtaking work of art.
Designed by acclaimed Shanghaibased architecture firm Neri & Hu – which bagged the prestigious Maison & Objet Asia’s Designers of the Year 2015 award – the 16,146 sq ft space was inspired by a lantern. The design is meant to symbolise the brand lighting the way with the wisdom of Asian beauty. 3-D brass grids surround the building’s concrete exterior and soar through its interior.
Hanging from some of these grids are handheld mirrors counterbalanced by white marble weights – meant to convey the Korean concept of holistic beauty, which calls for inner and outer beauty to be harmoniously balanced. The elegant latticed wooden screens, golden lighting and minimalist floral arrangements indoors, along with the prettily manicured outdoor spaces, create a sense of serenity akin to that of a posh boutique hotel or art gallery. If money were no object, my home would look like this.
2. You can find out more about the brand’s history.
The Heritage Room, which is located on Level 1, is where you can learn about the history of the brand. Among the things showcased in this space: an ancient rack of essential oil bottles and samples of the five Korean herbal medicinal plants (peony, white lily, rehmannia, solomon’s seal and East Indian Lotus) that make up the brand’s Jaum Balancing Complex, which is at the heart of all its skincare products. Titbit: Did you know that the brand has a trademarked term to describe its 50-year (and counting) study of every part of the ginseng, from its roots to its leaves, stems and berries? It’s Ginsenomics.
3. You can score storeexclusive items here.
Head to the beautifully zen space on Level 1 that is The Boutique, and you’ll find seasonal, limitededition products that are available exclusively at this flagship store (this space also houses the brand’s latest offerings). Get your paws on:
• The Lantern Collection (price unavailable), which comprises the brand’s signature First Care Activating Serum EX (60ml or 120ml) and Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream, samples of other Sulwhasoo products and a pouch.
• The Herbal Soap Set (80,000 won, or roughly S$93), which will get you four different soaps – each formulated with red ginseng, pine tree, oldenlandia diffusa and liquorice extracts – that have undergone a 40-day ageing process.
• The Balm Series, comprising three balms (40,000 won each): Essential Balm, which has nutrient-rich safflower seed oil to moisturise and reportedly protect the skin; Deep Relax Balm, formulated with ginger extracts to soothe the skin and relieve stress; and Lip Tint Balm, which has camellia and safflower oils to intensely hydrate the lips.
• The perfumed candles and sachets (100,000 won and 40,000 won each respectively), and potpourri (20,000 won per pack). Choose from two scents: First Peace and Plum Blossom.
4. The gift-wrapping service here (again, this is a store exclusive) is crazy-premium.
Get your gifts beautifully wrapped at the Gift Zone on Level 2 – this is located just beside the boutique space on the floor, which houses the brand’s entire collection of skincare and makeup products (try them if you like!). Well-trained staff will corral your purchases into butterscotch-hued boxes accented with deep-chocolate one-loop bows (these are not easy to create – the staff taught us how and I almost died of frustration!). The boxes are then wrapped in graceful Korean bojagi wrapping cloths – in sky blue, eggplant or mustard – made of organza.
5. It houses two spas.
Decked out in deep hues, with mood lighting accenting a collection of antique Korean cosmetic chests, Sulwhasoo Spa (tel: +82 2 541 9272) is a cocoon of luxury. Located at the Basement Level, it offers antiageing spa treatments. The must-try? Its Ultimate Restorative Journey (650,000 won for 170min), comprising a relaxing soak in a hydrobath with redginseng- infused water, a full-body scrub and massage, and a facial that utilises an obsidian massage tool. Good to know: there’s a couple’s room here, so your man is welcome to join you.
In contrast, Sulwhasoo Balance Spa (tel: +82 2 541 9273), which sits on Level 4, has a light colour palette, and is modern and bright, with large windows overlooking the beautiful Dosan Park. The panels separating Rooms 5, 6 and 7 can be slid open to create a three-bed “suite”, so you and your girlfriends can “sparty” together. Try the Mix and Match (120,000 won for 60min), which gets you a facial, and either a back or shoulder massage, or a foot or leg massage.
Whichever spa you choose to go to, the calming ambience, soft classical background music and excellent, unobtrusive service make for a super-relaxing pamper sesh. Post-treatment, touchups are a breeze, thanks to the Sulwhasoo products – such as CC cushions, tinted lip balms and concealer – lining the dressing tables.
6. You can pick up new skills here.
The Culture Lounge on Level 3 offers classes that cover a host of topics, from makeup to skincare and even floral arrangements. I learned how to make a floral box, with fresh blooms arranged artistically around a scented candle – a really Instagramworthy gift!
7. The rooftop deck is the perfect place to chill.
With comfy sofas and views of the neighbourhood and Dosan Park, it’s the perfect place to catch your breath – and regain your sanity after an afternoon spent braving the crowds at popular shopping districts such as Myeongdong and Samcheong-Dong.
Sulwhasoo Flagship Store is at 18 Dosan-daero 45-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea (tel: +82 2 541 9270). It opens daily from 10am to 9pm, except on every second Monday of the month, New Year's Day and Chuseok day.
Middle: Sulwhasoo Balance Spa is an ethereal light-filled pamper haven. Above: The Sulwhasoo Herbal Soap Set makes a perfect gift – but you might want to keep it for yourself too!
DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE
For more things to see or do in Seoul, as recommended by Jeon Jin-Su, brand manager and vice-president of the Sulwhasoo marketing division at Amorepacific, download the digital edition of Her World July from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
