Kafuné (ka-foo-nay) is a professional hair salon on Onehunga Mall in Auckland, established for over 20 years and run as a fully sustainable salon. The name comes from Brazilian Portuguese and means running your fingers through the hair of someone you love — a fitting brief for a team that treats every appointment as an act of care, whether it's a routine refresh or prep for a special occasion.
Services range from a simple, sassy blow wave through to a full hair makeover, with colour a particular strength: stylist Corrinne, a hairdresser of 14 years, specializes in bespoke balayage, exquisite blondes and innovative colour and cuts, with a love of effortlessly chic, lived-in looks. Curly hair is another focus — cut in its natural state and styled with frizz-free Evo product combinations.
The welcome is deliberately homely: magazines to flick through, tantalising teas and coffees always served with a healthy morsel on the side, and Ryder the salon dog holding court. The team stocks the Evo haircare range and generously shares step-by-step styling tips, and around gift-buying season you'll find local treasures like chopping boards and spoons made from reclaimed wood. Open Tuesday to Thursday 9am-8pm and Friday 9am-6pm — and note the strong 48-hour cancellation policy.
Tucked along Onehunga Mall, Kafuné is a salon with a name you can feel. Kafuné (say it ka-foo-nay) is Brazilian Portuguese for running your fingers through the hair of someone you love. It is a tender little piece of language, and it sets the tone for everything that happens inside: hair treated as an act of care rather than a chore to tick off.
Kafuné has been an established business for over 20 years, and that kind of longevity does not happen by accident. The team prides itself on looking after customers whatever their need, whether that is a routine refresh or prep for a special occasion. Just as importantly, it is a fully sustainable salon — a point of genuine pride here — so your glow-up comes with a lighter footprint.
The welcome is deliberately homely. A wide range of magazines is on hand for flicking through, teas and coffees are poured as you settle in, and every drink arrives with a healthy morsel on the side. It is hospitality first, haircut second — though the hair is in very capable hands.
Kafuné's service range stretches from a simple, sassy blow wave all the way through to a full hair makeover, and the team's work covers just about everything in between: precision cuts, innovative colour, glossy finishes and the kind of transformations that make before-and-after photos worth swiping through.
Colour is a genuine strength. Stylist Corrinne, a skilled hairdresser of 14 years, specializes in bespoke balayage, exquisite blondes and innovative colour and cuts. She is drawn to effortlessly chic, lived-in looks that transition seamlessly from season to season, and she continually educates herself on current trends and techniques so clients can chase their hair goals with confidence. The salon's gallery tells the story in pictures: gorgeous balayage from the archives, chic brunette bobs, fresh fringes and colour so convincing you have to ask whether it is coloured or natural.
Curls get special attention too. The team cuts curly hair in its natural state and shares frizz-fighting product combinations for curl control at home, alongside tutorials on washing hair properly — a step many people quietly get wrong.
Much of the salon's styling advice centres on the Evo range, and the team is generous about sharing it. Expect practical, step-by-step guidance on everything from blow-drying technique to layering curl products — shampoos and conditioners like Mane Tamer, The Therapist and Heads Will Roll Co-Wash, styling staples such as Total Recoil, Liquid Roller Curl Balm, Head Mistress Cuticle Sealer and Icon Welder heat protection, plus moulding whip and salt spray for texture. The shelf is well stocked if you want to recreate the finish at home, and seasonal Evo gift packs come with a full-size free product or a candle.
There is a local, shop-small streak here as well. Around gift-buying season the salon carries chopping boards and spoons handmade from wood reclaimed during Lou's own house renovation by the talented team at Made in Te Aroha Woodcraft — proof that the recycling ethos of a sustainable salon extends well beyond the foils.
Kafuné is open Tuesday to Thursday from 9am to 8pm, with Friday sessions from 9am to 6pm, so early-in-the-week appointments work even if your weekdays run late. Bookings can be made online, or you can get in touch through the contact page or by phoning the salon.
One thing to note before you book: Kafuné has a strong 48-hour cancellation policy. Cancel within 48 hours of your appointment and you will be charged 50% of the booked appointment, so reschedule early if plans shift. In the busy lead-up to the holidays, the team also asks clients to cancel as soon as they know they cannot make it and to allow plenty of travel time, which keeps those jam-packed schedules running smoothly.
And keep an eye out for Ryder, the salon dog widely declared the most valuable member of the Kafuné team — though he is best ignored until he is ready for attention. Between the tea, the treats, the magazines and the warm welcome, it is easy to see why clients have kept coming back for two decades. Kafuné treats your hair the way its name promises: like it belongs to someone you love.