Into the woods: a sensual hair tool kit from New Zealand’s San Ceuticals

Filling a gap in the market for beautifully made, understated hair accessories, New Zealand beauty brand Sans Ceuticals has collaborated with designer Talcia Emes to create a trio of everyday hair tools. Comprising a U Pin, wide tooth Palm Comb and Circle Clip, the ’Woods Collection’ is handcrafted by Emes from native pre-fossilised totara wood, sourced in small quantities from the lowlands of the Coromandel Peninsula on New Zealand’s North Island.

Circle Pin in dark totara

Available as light totara finished with a traditional wax application, or as dark totara treated with olive oil and tea tree, this hard, lightweight and straight-grained wood was traditionally used by the Maori for boat-building. However, its abundance of natural oils and rich scent also make it a perfect material for crafting hair tools. Sans Ceuticals founder Lucy Vincent Marr explains: ’Each of the pieces [in the collection] are designed with a swift, one-step process in mind – in keeping with our philosophy of essential and effective.’