Nowon hair salon husband's first part perm for a thin crown: Yeum Hair

Why I chose a first perm as my husband's anniversary gift

This year's wedding anniversary gift was my husband's first perm ever. They say it's a natural change that comes with age, but he'd been quietly bothered that the hair at his crown seemed to be thinning bit by bit. Every time he looked in the mirror he seemed a little down. So I decided to give him something special for our anniversary.

His very first perm! Since it was a first, I wasn't sure where to go, and then I heard that "even salon nomads settle down" at Yeum Hair Nowon District Office branch (예움헤어 노원구청점), a hair salon in Nowon. It's a bit of a drive, but we went.

Yeum Hair Nowon District Office branch says it values one-on-one personalized consulting that picks up on the small details that make a big difference. They aim for hair that isn't only pretty in the salon but easy to style at home, playing up your strengths and covering your weak points to create a vibe that's your own, so my expectations were high.

Yeum Hair Nowon District Office branch: location and hours

Yeum Hair Nowon District Office branch is at 447 Nohae-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 2nd floor, Unit 201. It's on the 2nd floor right above the Starbucks across from Nowon-gu Office, one floor below the National Health Insurance office, so it's super convenient and really easy to find.

• Hours: Mon & Wed 10:00–19:00, Tue/Thu/Fri 10:00–21:00, Sat & Sun 10:00–20:00
• Monday is the regular day off, but it can vary depending on the shop's situation, so check hours and days off before booking!
• Facilities: head spa, children's chairs, men's specialty/barber shop, separate men's and women's restrooms, Wi-Fi, pets allowed

Where do you park at Yeum Hair Nowon District Office branch?

The lot beside the building is small, so they recommend using Nowon-gu Office or a public lot (paid: first 30 minutes free, then ₩1,000 per 15 minutes, max ₩50,000). The building's paid lot looked like tower parking, so we parked right at Nowon-gu Office.

We arrived before our appointment and waited at Starbucks, then went back to Starbucks for a bit after the salon, and parking came to ₩9,000 for a little under 3 hours, I think.

Visiting at opening time: appointments kept coming in

We visited right when Yeum Hair Nowon District Office branch opened, and there were more staff than I expected, which threw me off at first. Then appointment customers just kept coming in. A hair salon in Nowon, Yeum Hair! I figured a lot of people in Nowon come back to it regularly.

How much was the men's design perm?

My husband got the men's design perm for ₩120,000 at Yeum Hair Nowon District Office branch. Prices are posted openly, the amount is fairly reasonable, and there's even a discount system, so that seems good to me.

They also have a policy of redoing the service if you're unhappy afterward, which makes it a place you can trust. Business cards from the Yeum Hair designers are set out at the counter too.

First perm for a man: how did the consultation go?

My husband's first perm was handled by designer Seoa.

First she carefully checked what he usually worries about with his hair, the condition of his crown and hair, and whether he had a dye history. It was his first perm, so he was a little nervous, but she explained the process and the style step by step and he seemed much more at ease.

Shampoo and hair care

After the consultation he went to the shampoo room, and because his hair was quite damaged, they did a hair care treatment first. Nobody ever says they're going to the shampoo room, so when I came over and saw how comfortably everyone was lying there, I suddenly wanted a hair treatment too.. haha

We were given welcome tea and snacks, so we had a cup of warm tea, and my husband started his consultation with Seoa right away. I moved to a window seat and, while waiting with my tea, devoured the Esquire magazine with Lim Young-woong as the cover model.

Next she cut his hair to suit his face shape and hair condition, then did the design perm in the mood he wanted. Seoa is cute and speaks so nicely that I assumed she was young and single.. but she totally has a baby face.

The cut, looking down at the crown

Looking down at my husband's crown from above, I remembered how full his hair was when he was young... and now the scalp is starting to show white like this... Sure, everyone's hair weakens with age and falls out day after day, but actually starting to feel it makes me a little sad.. Skin care matters, but looking back, I wonder whether hair care matters even more.

A first part perm on dye-damaged hair: how was it rolled?

My husband's design perm was a so-called part perm (gareumapeom), and because his hair was damaged from dyeing, it was rolled gently and naturally rather than strongly.

She asked whether his hair was in bad shape because he dyes it for gray hair, and how long he leaves the dye on. She told us about 30 minutes is ideal and he shouldn't go past 40 at most. With his hair already in poor condition from dyeing and this being his first perm, we decided to go natural rather than strong, for the sake of his hair. She also kept checking whether anything felt uncomfortable while the rods were on, which gave me the impression she was very attentive.

Neutralizing and heat treatment

Neutralizing and the heat treatment (?) steps alternated. Yeum Hair Nowon District Office branch has sub designers working alongside the main designer, so things seemed to move quickly. My husband was like, what is that thing spinning behind my head? haha

After the rods came out: did it cover the crown?

I'd worried he might feel awkward with his first perm, but it toned down any overdone look, made his hair shape look neater, and suited him well. His first perm in life, covering the thin spot at his crown, was finally done.

She also showed him how to style it day to day, so it looked easy to manage at home. My husband's first perm, prepared as an anniversary gift! He liked it, which made me happy too.

If you want a careful consultation and a style that suits you, Yeum Hair Nowon District Office branch is worth a look when you're searching for a hair salon in Nowon.

If you've been looking for a Nowon hair salon in front of Nowon-gu Office where you can get attentive style consultation, try a consultation with designer Seoa. I recommend Seoa, a hair designer who has both kindness and skill.