Wabi Sabi Salon on Woodside Avenue in Northcote, Auckland, is a 'sanctuary destination' hair salon built on a Japanese philosophy of the same name — finding beauty in life's imperfections and simply enjoying the moment. Since opening in 2019, the team has focused on creating healthy hair journeys: beautiful, sustainable hair that suits each client's individual lifestyle and needs, and that they can maintain at home.
Every appointment is framed as a wellness experience rather than a chore. Services begin with a consultation so the stylist can get to know you and your hair, and each basin service is paired with a restorative treatment and a mini massage. The vibe is deliberately easy-going, open and judgement-free — a break from the grind where you can enjoy a complimentary beverage and snack menu while your stylist works.
Caring for the planet is a core part of the salon's identity. Wabi Sabi partners with Sustainable Salons, recycling hair, metals, paper, plastics, chemicals, glass, razors and old tools, and diverting 95% of its salon materials from landfill while helping fund meals through Kiwiharvest. Products are cruelty-free, led by Original & Mineral, and a small $5 green fee on each appointment supports these commitments.
Behind the chairs is a close-knit 'tribe': owner and creative director Sarah-Lee brings 20 years in the industry, senior stylists Shana and Katie lead the floor, and emerging stylists Natalia and Tash are growing their craft. The salon also supports youth mental health, raising funds for I AM HOPE through regular donations and charity events since 2019.
Wabi Sabi Salon occupies a quiet corner of Woodside Avenue in Northcote, Auckland, but its philosophy travels much further. The name comes from the Japanese world-view that finds beauty in things that are imperfect, impermanent and incomplete — and the salon applies it directly to hair. Here, an appointment isn't a transaction; it's a wellness experience built around a healthy hair journey that suits your individual lifestyle and needs.
That starts the moment you sit down. Every service opens with a consultation so your stylist can get to know you and your hair — your wants, your needs, your home routine. Then comes the part regulars rave about: a chilled, easy-going vibe, a complimentary beverage and snack menu, and a restorative treatment paired with a mini massage at the basin. The team is openly judgement-free; you can talk the whole time or simply sit back and enjoy the moment.
Since opening in 2019, Wabi Sabi has positioned itself as a sanctuary destination — a break from the grind where clients slow down and reconnect. Reviews describe being listened to, pampered and never treated like a number. That culture is deliberate: mental health sits at the forefront of the salon's company culture, and since day one it has raised funds for I AM HOPE, supporting free and timely counselling for young New Zealanders through regular donations and charity events.
Colour work is done with Original & Mineral, an Australian clean-colour brand founded on the belief that beautiful hair shouldn't cost your health or the environment. The menu runs from regrowth touch-ups and global colour through face-framing, half, three-quarter and full head foiling or balayage, with toners and colour correcting offered as add-ons or quoted work. A post-colour blow-dry is priced separately, so you don't pay for two blow-dries when adding a haircut to a colour service.
On the cutting side there's the classic cut and blow-dry at stylist, senior or director level, teen haircuts for ages 12 and over, a no-fuss short-hair cut with a relaxing scalp massage, and regular 3–4 weekly health-maintenance trims. The restyle service is designed for complete changes of direction, corrections, or hair that hasn't been cut in ten months or more. For events there are blow-dries, dry styling, quick event up-dos, formal hair-ups and bridal work, with makeup available on request.
Treatments are a genuine strength here. The K18 treatment is clinically proven to reverse damage from colour, chemical services and heat in just four minutes. Kevin Murphy's Intense Treat is a 15–20 minute heated basin ritual using plant-derived super proteins, antioxidants and amino acids to strengthen, repair and boost elasticity. The Miracle Boost Express is a quick repair shot with a lush massage, the Everlast Colour Treatment locks in colour with bond-multiplying technology, and Cezanne Keratin Smoothing transforms frizzy, difficult hair for up to five months while cutting drying time by as much as half.
Wabi Sabi's environmental commitments are specific rather than vague. As a partner of Sustainable Salons, the salon recycles hair, metals, paper, plastics, chemicals, glass, razors and old tools, diverting 95% of its materials from landfill and helping fund meals for disadvantaged people through Kiwiharvest. A small $5 green fee on every appointment supports that work. The products stack up too: O&M is cruelty-free, with recycled packaging and solar-powered manufacturing.
Owner and creative director Sarah-Lee brings 20 years in the industry, eight of them refining her craft overseas, and has built Wabi Sabi into what she calls a community rather than just a salon; she is now available by appointment only as she focuses on education. Shana, senior stylist and team leader, is known for in-depth consultations — and for being equally happy with a quiet appointment. Katie, with 14 years' experience, specialises in beautifully blended blondes and lived-in colour. Emerging stylists Natalia and Tash complete the team; Natalia, a Curate awards colour and style finalist two years running, also offers brow and lash tinting, while Tash is already famous among clients for her head massage.
Find the salon at 29E Woodside Avenue, Northcote, or book online in a few clicks. Pricing is a guide only, with a quote available on request after consultation. Payment is easy with Afterpay in salon or online, and gift vouchers — valid 12 months — cover services and products. Weekend spots are limited, with senior stylists in just two Saturdays a month, so booking ahead is wise.