Best Hair Care in Wānaka: Salon-Grade Products and Where to Get Them

Updated November 2026. Prices are our live online prices.

Wānaka is hard on hair. Dry alpine air, a lot of sun at altitude, hard winters, and plenty of us in the lake all summer. The products that hold up here are the ones built for damaged, dry or colour-treated hair, which is most of what we see in the chair.

Where can I buy salon hair products in Wānaka?

At the salon, or on this site. Three ways:

• In salon at 28 Helwick Street. Ask Jade or your stylist and they'll match it to your hair.
• Online with delivery. Free NZ shipping on orders over $75, otherwise $9 flat rate, including rural. Tracked, usually 1 to 4 business days after dispatch.
• Online with in-salon pickup. Choose pickup at checkout and we'll email you when it's ready, usually the same day.

Everything ships from the salon, and it's the same stock we use on clients.

Is it genuine Kérastase and Sebastian?

Yes. We buy Kérastase direct from L'Oréal New Zealand and Sebastian Professional through Wella New Zealand. Grey-market stock can be old, stored badly, or not what it says on the label; buying from a salon that buys direct is the simple way around that. More in where to buy Kérastase in NZ and where to buy Sebastian Professional.

Is salon hair care actually better than supermarket shampoo?

For coloured, lightened or damaged hair, usually yes. Professional ranges are made for hair that has been through chemical services, so they're built around repair, colour care and conditioning rather than a squeaky clean feel. You also tend to use less per wash, which narrows the price gap more than the shelf price suggests. If your hair is uncoloured and happy, a basic shampoo may be all you need, and we'll tell you that in the chair.

Where salon products earn their price is the leave-in step: the conditioner, cream, oil or heat spray that stays on your hair between washes. If you only change one thing, change that.

Sebastian or Kérastase: which should I buy?

Both work. Sebastian is usually the lower price point; Kérastase is the premium option, with richer textures and fragrance. Pick by budget and by how your hair likes to feel.

Not sure which Kérastase range is yours? Our range guide (linked at the end) sorts them by hair type.

Which hair care should I choose for my hair type?

Our pick, one per hair type, with the premium alternative in brackets:

• Fine hair that goes flat: Sebastian Volupt Max Spray Gel $49.24 (or Kérastase Densifique Bain $57.12).
• Thick, dry hair: Sebastian Hydre Mask $51.88 (or Nutritive Masquintense Riche $83.16).
• Blonde or lightened: NO.BREAKER Leave-In $63.32 (or Blond Absolu Bain Lumière $57.12).
• Curls: Twisted Curl Magnifier $49.24 (or the Curl Manifesto Bain above).
• Thinning or shedding: Kérastase Genesis Serum $94.08. If shedding is sudden or heavy, see your GP first.

What is the best leave-in conditioner for dry Wānaka hair?

If we had to pick one product for this town, it's Sebastian Potion 9. It's a leave-in conditioner and styling cream in one, so it softens dry ends and takes the edge off frizz. The range this month:

• Potion 9 Nourishing Shampoo $47.60
• Potion 9 Nourishing Conditioner $47.60
• Potion 9 Leave-In Cream $60.35
• Potion 9 Lite for finer hair, $60.35

How to use it: a pea-sized amount through towel-dried mid-lengths and ends, a little more if your hair is thick, then blow-dry or let it air dry. On a second-day morning, a tiny bit on dry ends takes the fluff down without needing a wash. If it feels heavy, you've used too much, or Lite suits you better.

The full breakdown is in our Potion 9 guide.

What should I use for sun, lake water and winter?

• Summer sun: blondes fade warm. A heat and shine spray like Sebastian Trilliant ($49.24) protects when you style, and a hat does the rest.
• Lake and pool days: wet your hair with tap water and comb through a leave-in before you swim, so it soaks up less.
• Winter: dry heating and beanies mean static and brittle ends. Switch to a richer mask once a week; our winter hair care guide has the routine.

What hair care do Wānaka stylists recommend for coloured hair?

Colour-safe wash, a bond builder if you're lightened, and heat protection. For lightened hair we often send people home with NO.BREAKER Leave-In Cream ($63.32); on Kérastase, Chroma Absolu Bain Chroma Respect ($57.12) is the colour-care wash. Your stylist will tailor it after your appointment; see what to expect at UKIYO.

Do you have travel sizes and gift sets?

Yes, and they're a cheap way to test a range before buying full size. Right now:

• Sebastian Potion 9 Travel Duo $34.95
• Kérastase Nutritive Travel Set $62.95
• Kérastase Gloss Absolu Travel Trio $42.95
• Kérastase Blond Absolu Trio Gift Set $158.76

Stock on gift sets is limited and they don't come back once they're gone. If you're flying out of Queenstown, the travel sizes fit in a carry-on liquids bag.

Can I get a salon treatment instead?

Yes, and it's worth doing alongside home care. Kérastase Fusio-Dose is added to any appointment from $45, and the UKIYO Signature Ritual (Fusio-Dose plus blowwave) is from $119. See treatments and rituals, or how to pick a salon in Wānaka if you're new to town.

Shop Sebastian Professional

Shop Kérastase

Why buy from UKIYO

We're working stylists at UKIYO on Helwick Street in Wānaka, and these are the products we use on clients every day. Everything we sell is genuine salon stock, bought direct from the brands' New Zealand distributors. Free NZ shipping over $75, or pick up in the salon at 28 Helwick St.

Questions we get asked

Where can I buy Kérastase in Wānaka?

At UKIYO, 28 Helwick Street. We buy our Kérastase direct from L'Oréal New Zealand. You can also order online for delivery or in-salon pickup.

Where can I buy Sebastian Professional in Wānaka?

At UKIYO, in salon or online. We buy Sebastian through Wella New Zealand, so it's genuine NZ stock.

Does UKIYO offer free shipping?

Yes, on NZ orders of $75 or more. Under that it's a $9 flat rate anywhere in NZ, including rural addresses.

Can I pick up my online order from the salon?

Yes. Choose in-salon pickup at checkout and we'll email you when it's ready, usually the same day.

Is Sebastian or Kérastase better?

Neither is better across the board. Sebastian is usually the lower price point and Kérastase the premium option. Both have ranges for damaged, dry, frizzy and curly hair.

What is the best product for dry hair in Wānaka?

A leave-in conditioner does the most work. Sebastian Potion 9 is our everyday pick, or Kérastase Nutritive for a richer feel.

Are the products sold online the same as in the salon?

Yes. Online orders ship from the salon on Helwick Street, and it's the same stock our stylists use.

Keep reading: Which Kérastase range is right for your hair?