I found deodorant in Korea! Koreans don’t use deodorant, so it’s not on the shelves – I don’t think they sweat so much, and they all practice fastidious hygiene and many wear cologne or perfume.
I never use the stuff normally, but I am forced to overdress compared to the weather, and for the first time in my life I’m sweating all the time. Even in Jamaica, it wasn’t so bad because I could at least wear weather appropriate clothes…
Anyway, LUSH has a store in Hongdae, and remembering that Sara’s LUSH deodorant was so awesome AND aluminum free, I poked my head in as a long shot. They only sell two kinds of powdered deodorant. I got some coconut scented, and next time I’m in the area I’m going to return and by the Mr. T (tea-tree oil) kind for my shoes.
The coconut is working just fine for me thus far, (bearing in mind that my expectations are always lower for natural deodorant products, but I think you have to not be a cheapskate and be generous with its application) and it’s coconut aroma is not over-powering. I read some bad reviews of the Mr. T on-line, but I have always thought of tea-tree oil as kind of a natural antiseptic and couldn’t imagine its aroma in the armpit area, but I think it would be awesome to put on my feet & in my sneakers.
Sorry – I just got excited: been looking for a long time. If there happens to be any waygooks reading this blog, I thought they might be happy to read this as well.
Hello Korea ! 
I love the smell of coconut and have brought coconut car/air fresheners with me each time I’ve come to Korea from the United States. Just kind of nice to throw one in my luggage — or hang over my bed from time to time.
Never tried a powder deodorant though — is it a pretty straightforward application process?
Attempting to catch up now – my preview reader doesn’t seem to “load” your updates very well! >.>
Koreans don’t wear Deodorant? O.o
Really?!?
omg! you’re seeing your first family soon!
I just read your latest post but couldn’t comment there, so I will here.
YES. You will be alone. Nobody there will be able to comprehend your experience – that’s just how it is as a returning adoptee. But, in other parts of the world the others returning can. Even if we aren’t with you at the time, know that someone understands what it’s like.
Also, you aren’t saying goodbye to your western family. You’re saying goodbye to the falsities of the past and hello to a future of truth. When you return home, which you will in a short long short time, you will be on more equal terms. Don’t be sad about that kind of goodbye, because it’s really a beginning, and you’re fortunate to have found your family and experienced this now instead of wandering lost in the wilderness for decades.
I’m so excited for you, I think I’m going to cry!
[Nobody there will be able to comprehend your experience – that’s just how it is as a returning adoptee.]
I know. >.>
[Even if we aren’t with you at the time, know that someone understands what it’s like.]
Mmm hmm, THAT helps when I remember and think about it!
[Also, you aren’t saying goodbye to your western family.]
I know, but it feels like it. It’s not like forever or anything; it’s just that it’s the first time I’ve been abroad outside of Canada, AND it’s the first time I’ve gone across borders without my parents, plus I keep thinking about the language/cultural barriers, etc. So that’s rather overwhelming.
[I’m so excited for you, I think I’m going to cry!]
LOL! Keep in touch!! <3
P.S. Have you actually broken down in Korea from all the emotions yet? Like, I mean in public or something?
yeah, after a more than a month of frustration after frustration – no bank, no phone, nobody telling me what’s going on, no friends nearby, no money, and impossible working conditions, when I heard I wasn’t going to get my flight money reimbursed I just broke down and started bawling at my workplace, amongst all my co-workers. It was just everything piled up.
We’re human. It happens. Hopefully the resolution comes sooner than later. But it always does.
Nope, they don’t. And it doesn’t seem to be a problem either. Of course, I’m not physically intimate with anyone so I can’t really say for sure!
You can’t find deodorant on any of the shelves in any of the stores except maybe one or two stores in Itaewon which caters to the foreign community or armed forces.
I seriously think it’s a genetic thing – all my life everyone around me has sweat and produced body odor, while me I am typically scentless, so I’ve never used it much either. Only on the worst days of summer or when I am ill.
But in Korea I’ve been sick FOUR times now. And it’s really really humid here.
btw, bring a lot of supplements and some airborne tablets – you’re going to visit a more heavily populated country with lots of new things your body’s not used to!
You shake some into your hand first…
bear in mind that it’s not an antiperspirant, though it does have talc in it to keep you a little dry.
I never wore deodorant or antiperspirant either, except few times as a precaution but I can count them on the fingers of one hand. However, I didn’t know Korean don’t wear deodorant. I didn’t brought any when I went to Korea and didn’t try to buy any.
But I can’t stand people who don’t wear when they should.
My theory is that we have less body hair to trap bacteria and odors. And maybe there is some Mongolian evolutionary connection…
in Taipei now. Commenting here because I’m too lazy to get to my Inbox atm. I’ll probably e-mail you sometime later this week.
So – what notes did you want to compare, Suki? =P
I’d heard many warnings that the pollution here is bad. I haven’t noticed anything too severe yet – noticed my sister often wear a partial face mask so she doesn’t breathe in the pollution, although many other motorcycle riders don’t wear those masks.
I rode on a motorcycle yesterday 3 times – traffic is absolutely hectic here! You wouldn’t believe just how well Taiwanese navigate the streets and weave around all the vehicles! O.O
Body language is coming in very useful – in fact Xiao-Ping and I became damn good at charades. Lots of pointing, repetition, and clarification. Heh!
Sounds like you are having a great cultural experience and getting to know your sister!
I think it’s really amazing being in Asia – it can be really exciting, especially the traffic, and the masses of people make for really vibrant big cities. Can’t think of anything analogous to it in North America, except maybe parts of Manhattan.
Not like that as much in Korea, as it’s very much like America in many ways, especially the traffic. But late at night it’s a totally different scene, and the people are out and about socializing in totally different ways very late.
I’ve got to make some time to visit your blog, and hope to get that opportunity in a day or two. We’ve both got a lot of documenting to do right now…