About

Sphaera is inspired by the everyday rituals of bathing and cleansing, and the opportunities these afford for quiet moments of self-care.

Each bar is a thoughtful composition of form and function hand crafted from the finest ingredients, a union of science, nature, performance and design.

2024 SABBATICAL 

We are happy to share that Ali is taking a sabbatical to travel overseas, study and visit family. To facilitate this opportunity we will be temporarily closing our online store until May 2024.

Our full range will continue to be available to you in store and online with our lovely retail partners in Aotearoa and Australia. View our stockists list here.

BIO

Sphaera was founded in 2015 in Wellington, NZ by visual artist and complementary health practitioner Ali Johnson. At its core is a studio practice and an approach to making that is both intuitive and thoughtfully researched, a conceptual response to the rituals and substance of self-care and bathing. Sphaera offers simple, utilitarian objects for everyday use with accessible depth and purpose.

Our signature soap cubes and new haircare collection are considered compositions of form and function, inspired by science and nature for everyday use. All Sphaera products are cruelty-free, suitable for vegans and sustainably produced.

HAIR CARE COLLECTION

Our new collection of shampoo and conditioner bars offer a genuinely sustainable solution to premium hair care. Advanced pH balanced formulations with botanical actives offer the quality and results of a professional salon range without the plastic bottle, and without compromise. 

PROCESS AND FORMULA

Crafted with care in Sphaera’s Poneke based studio, the small batch production of these bars is guided by the principles of design, performance, and sustainability.  The collection is clean, biodegradable, and free from soap, palm oil, sulphates, silicones, phthalates, parabens, artificial colours, and fragrances. Each bar is protected by plastic-free, home compostable packaging.

All bars are vegan, colour safe and suitable for the Curly Girl Method.

USE

Sphaera’s shampoo and conditioner bars have a carefully considered distinctive puck shape that supports the bar to dry between use, sit comfortably in the hand and glide softly across the hair. The shampoo bars have a rich and abundant lather that gently cleanses, respecting the hair and scalp’s natural pH balance and delicate microbiome. The conditioner bar range offers a choice of light to deep conditioning, nourishing and protecting the hair with soft, silky results. 

WITH

Effective natural plant actives such as Hibiscus flower, Quinoa protein and Green tea extract enhance the range, each providing their own unique benefits to hair and scalp health. 

SCENT

Custom botanical scents composed of therapeutic essential oils infuse the bars with a fresh, uplifting blend of bright citrus, balanced and grounded by warm, woody undertones. 

     

SOAP BAR COLLECTION

Crafting a soap formula is a science of balance. Each of our bars is carefully designed to respond to a particular space, use or skin type using pure plant oils, butters, milks and naturally occurring fine clays. The soap is made using the ‘cold process’ method, blended in small batches, poured, hand cut and air-cured for several weeks. This traditional technique yields a true soap, preserving the components’ gentle cleansing and moisturising properties.

SCENT

Each sphaera soap has a custom botanical perfume blend composed of pure essential oils. Developed using traditional perfumery techniques these unique scents are carefully blended for a balanced profile to mirror each bar’s skincare and therapeutic purpose.

FORM AND FUNCTION

Each bar is a careful composition of harmonious elements, crafted for a particular skin type, use and purpose. Sphaera’s distinctive cube shape bar is a simple geometric form inspired by Plato’s ideas on elemental forms – in which the cube represents the earth – and the traditional forms and practices of the oldest soap makers of Aleppo and Marseille. Colour and substance come from the use of fine natural clays while the cube form ensures less surface area remains in contact with water, making for a longer lasting bar. As they are used and enjoyed, our bars evolve from their geometric beginnings to an organic pebble form, fitting perfectly into the palm.

     

Thank you Maz for building this site. Thank you Bailey, Grace, Avantika, Emily, Liz and Jamie for your skill, generosity and encouragement. Thank you Ana Roque and Giovana Matsuda for the use of your image on our home page, Gabrielle Stoddard for the use of your image which sits as no.4 on our home page and Amy, Misma, Ben, Marta, Doug and Natasha for your beautiful work and support xx