Autumn brown color at Maple Hair, a Gwangmyeong hair salon

With autumn approaching, I wanted hair color that suited the season, so I booked Maple Hair Gwangmyeong Sageori Station Branch (네이플헤어 광명사거리역점) and paid a visit.

They were great at recommending a shade that suited my skin tone and style, and they use good dye, so I really liked it. The facilities were nice too, and it was such a comfortable place for a service that I had to introduce it to you.

An easy-to-find hair salon by Gwangmyeong Sageori Station

It is on the second floor at 874-1 Gwangmyeong-ro, Gwangmyeong-si, Gyeonggi-do. It is a one-minute walk from Exit 3 of Gwangmyeong Sageori Station on Subway Line 7, directly across from the main gate of Gwangmyeong Hanjin Town Apartments, so it is easy to find. For parking, you need to use the paid Hanjin Shopping Center lot across the street, so public transport is more convenient.

Located on the second floor, the salon felt bright and spacious thanks to its large windows. The eco-friendly interior was thoughtfully done and looked stylish.

The window seats even had a lovely view, almost like being in a café, so the salon was arranged to make the time pass comfortably without a chance to get bored.

I could charge my phone while waiting, the seats were comfortable, and the spacious layout gave a reassuring feeling. The harmonious white-and-green palette, which brought nature to mind, made it feel especially relaxing.

Hair-color consultation right after my reservation

I had heard they were good at color, so I booked ahead before visiting. I arrived on time, was shown in immediately without waiting, and took my seat. The tables were spaced far apart too, so I could relax through the service without worrying about the person next to me.

We booked with Manager Song-i at Maple Hair Gwangmyeong Sageori Station Branch.

• 20% off all services for first-time visits
• 10% automatic discount with an advance Naver booking
• Extra 5% discount event for a Naver review
• Every visiting customer receives a four-leaf clover

It is a good idea not to forget to take advantage of these special benefits.

Service prices

Unlike many other places, I could receive the service without an extra charge for length, which was great. Some salons charge extra for long or thick hair, but here I could receive it at a reasonable price without that inconvenience.

• Regular perm from ₩70,000
• Root-volume perm from ₩40,000
• Straightening from ₩120,000
• Volume straightening from ₩130,000
• Straightening + setting from ₩150,000
• Root color from ₩50,000
• Full color from ₩90,000
• Bleaching from ₩60,000
• Clinic treatment from ₩30,000

There were lots of nature-inspired drinks to choose from too: Americano, chamomile, peppermint, green tea, roasted barley tea, aloe juice, and apple juice. I asked for omija tea, a five-flavor berry tea, and they brought snacks along with it. It was lovely to pause over a cup of tea while getting my hair done.

A natural brown recommendation for patchy bleached hair

It had been a long time since I last colored my hair, so it was patchy and had a lot of reddish tones. My roots were black while the lower sections were bleached, leaving quite noticeable color bands.

We discussed how it would be best to color it, and I received a recommendation too. They explained that a very light shade would make the regrowth more obvious, and since I could not come to the salon often, they recommended going with a natural color.

I was recommended a color that is popular these days and went ahead with the hair color.

Maple Hair says it uses eco-friendly materials and quality products intended to minimize hair damage during services.

From the roots to a full color

They started by coloring the roots with great attention to detail. They worked so carefully, yet there was no scalp irritation and hardly any stinging in my eyes, so I could relax through the service.

After letting it air-dry for around 10 minutes, they retouched it again and completed the full color.

There are two shampoo rooms, where they comfortably cared for my scalp and thoroughly rinsed out the dye with shampoo.

This photo was taken right after shampooing. The color came out evenly, and I think the beautiful brown suited for autumn turned out really well.

Manager Song-i also told me how to care for my hair and gave it a light blow-dry.

Living overseas, I had not been able to care for my hair very well, so this was my first color appointment in two years. I was worried because the color was patchy and my ends were quite damaged, but they made it look beautiful with a color that suited autumn.

Many salons add a length surcharge for coloring long hair. At Maple Hair Gwangmyeong Sageori Station Branch, though, I could receive the service without one. They also used good dye, so there was no stinging on my scalp, and I felt comfortable even after the color.