What makes Self Centred Hair Care different from other shampoos?
Every product is customised specifically for your hair type, concerns, and goals — no one-size-fits-all formulas. We use naturally derived ingredients, free from harsh sulphates, silicones, and parabens, so you're getting a clean formula that's actually designed for your hair.
Simply select the shampoo and or conditioner type that is best suited to your hair check the descriptions to make sure you select one specific to your needs, next select an essential oil fragrance option and a tint if desired
We use naturally derived, plant-based ingredients wherever possible and avoid synthetic sulphates, silicones, artificial colours, and parabens. All our formulas are designed to be gentle on your hair and kind to the environment. Full ingredient lists are available on every product page so you always know exactly what's in your bottle.
Our formulas are made with gentle, naturally derived ingredients and are free from harsh chemicals — however, they are formulated for adults. We recommend consulting your GP or paediatrician before using any new haircare product on young children.
Never. Self Centred Hair Care is proudly cruelty-free. We do not test on animals at any stage of development or production, and we only work with suppliers who share this commitment.
Can I use your products if I have a sensitive scalp or skin condition?
Our formulas avoid many of the common irritants found in mainstream shampoos. However, if you have a diagnosed scalp condition (such as eczema, psoriasis, or seborrheic dermatitis), we recommend checking with your dermatologist before trying any new product. If you experience any irritation, discontinue use and contact us at contact@selfcentred.co.nz.
Most customers notice a difference within one to four weeks. Natural formulas work with your hair's own balance rather than coating it in silicones for an instant-but-temporary fix, so give it a little time — your hair will thank you.
If you're not happy with your formula, get in touch. We can adjust your formulation based on your feedback. Under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993, you're also entitled to a remedy if a product isn't fit for purpose — so we'll always work with you to make it right.
Store your shampoo and conditioner in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Avoid leaving them in hot or cold extremes as this could effect the consistency of the product
We're committed to reducing our environmental footprint. Our bottles are made from recyclable Glass, and we're continuously working to improve our packaging sustainability. We encourage you to recycle your empties through your local kerbside recycling
"Wait, I can see 'sulfo' in your ingredient list — are you sure this is sulphate-free?"
Good question, and honestly one I love getting asked — because it means you're reading labels, which is exactly what I'd encourage.
The short answer is yes, completely sulphate-free. But let me explain why it looks confusing.
The ingredient you've spotted is called Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate. It sounds almost identical to Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) — the harsh surfactant found in most mainstream shampoos — but the chemistry is entirely different. Think of it like the difference between sodium and potassium: similar-sounding names, very different behaviour.
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate works by aggressively stripping oils from the hair and scalp. It's effective at creating lather, but it doesn't discriminate — it removes the natural oils your scalp needs just as readily as it removes product buildup. Over time, that leads to a stripped scalp that either overproduces oil to compensate, or becomes dry and reactive.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate is a completely different molecule, derived from plant sources. Its molecular structure is larger, which means it can't penetrate the skin barrier the way SLS can. It cleans gently, creates a soft lather, and is one of the most well-tolerated foaming agents in cosmetic formulation — regularly used in products certified for sensitive skin.
We chose it specifically because we wanted a shampoo that actually cleans without the damage. Your scalp's natural balance stays intact. Your colour lasts longer. And your hair doesn't spend the week recovering from wash day.
That's the whole point.
A note on silicones
Neither the shampoo nor the conditioner contains silicones of any kind.
Silicones aren't harmful exactly — but they work by coating the outside of the hair shaft to create the appearance of smoothness. The problem is that coating also prevents moisture, oils, and conditioning treatments from actually getting in. Over time, silicone buildup means your hair looks fine but is increasingly unable to absorb anything that would genuinely help it.
We use Squalane, Argan Oil, and Dicaprylyl Carbonate instead — ingredients that condition by working with the hair's structure, not by sitting on top of it
I can see "methosulfate" in the conditioner ingredient list — is that a sulphate?
No. Behentrimonium Methosulfate is a conditioning agent derived from rapeseed oil, and it is not a sulphate. The word "methosulfate" refers to a counterion used to stabilise the molecule — it has no stripping or irritating properties whatsoever.
Behentrimonium Methosulfate is positively charged, which matters because hair is negatively charged — they're attracted to each other, which is how it deposits onto the hair shaft to provide softness and detangling. It's the ingredient doing the heavy conditioning work in our formula, and it's the gold standard in clean beauty conditioning formulations. Biodegradable, well tolerated, and completely sulphate-free.
Yes. Neither the shampoos nor the conditioners contain silicones of any kind.
Silicones work by coating the outside of the hair shaft to create the appearance of smoothness — but that coating also prevents moisture and conditioning treatments from actually penetrating the hair. Over time, silicone buildup means your hair looks fine but is increasingly unable to absorb anything that would genuinely help it.
Instead, we use Squalane, Argan Oil, and Dicaprylyl Carbonate — ingredients that condition by working with the hair's structure from within, not by sitting on top of it.
Yes, completely. Our shampoos use Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate as the primary cleansing agent — an ingredient that sometimes causes confusion because of its name, but is chemically entirely different from Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS).
SLS is the harsh surfactant found in most mainstream shampoos. It strips the hair and scalp aggressively, removing natural oils your scalp needs to stay healthy. Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate is a plant-derived molecule with a larger structure that can't penetrate the skin barrier the way SLS can. It cleans gently, creates a soft lather, and is one of the most well-tolerated foaming agents available — regularly used in products formulated for sensitive skin.
What does "sulphate-free" actually mean for my hair?
It means your scalp gets to keep its natural oils. Sulphate-based shampoos strip everything — product buildup, yes, but also the oils your scalp produces to protect and moisturise itself. The result is a scalp that either becomes dry and reactive, or overproduces oil to compensate. Either way, your hair spends the week recovering from wash day.
Sulphate-free shampoo cleans without that disruption. Your scalp's natural balance stays intact, your colour lasts longer, and your hair doesn't feel the need to be rescued by products every single day.
What are the four ranges and how do I choose?
The Self Centred range consists of four shampoo and conditioner pairs, each built around a specific hair goal and a New Zealand botanical:
Hydration — for dry, thirsty hair that needs moisture replenishment. Built around Calendula Extract with a sweet orange, lemon and peppermint essential oil blend.
Repair — for damaged, colour-treated, or over-processed hair that needs strengthening. Built around Green Tea Extract with lavender and frankincense.
Volume — for fine or flat hair that needs lift and structure without weight. Built around Ocean DerMX, a marine-derived active, with sweet orange.
Scalp Care — for sensitive, reactive, or imbalanced scalps. Built around Mānuka Extract — antibacterial and deeply balancing — with peppermint, lemon, and sweet orange.
If you're not sure which range suits you best, feel free to get in touch. I'm a hairdresser — this is genuinely what I do.
Because they actually do something — and I've never understood why more haircare brands don't use them properly.
Most brands either skip essential oils entirely or use such a trace amount they might as well not bother. The benefits are real: peppermint genuinely stimulates the scalp, lavender calms and conditions, frankincense supports repair, sweet orange lifts your mood the moment you step into the shower. Each blend in the Self Centred range was chosen to complement what the botanical is doing in that formula — so your hair gets the benefit and so do you.
In New Zealand, formulated with a New Zealand cosmetic scientist. The botanicals are chosen specifically for their relevance to NZ hair and climate — our UV levels, our water, our conditions. This range wasn't adapted from a formula made somewhere else. It was built from scratch, for us.
My name is Kate Drayton. I'm an award-winning hairdresser and makeup artist based in Lake Hāwea in the South Island, with nearly twenty years behind the chair specialising in bridal hair and blondes. Self Centred Hair Care came out of a long frustration with being unable to recommend products I fully believed in — so eventually I made my own, with a cosmetic scientist and two decades of client feedback as the foundation.
If you have a question that isn't answered here, you're welcome to reach out at contact@selfcentred.co.nz — I read every email.
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