Hair Rituals: An interview with Sandor Founder

Sandor Founder, Sabrina Szinay

I’m a notorious cereal over-packer

...ask my husband, it’s a running joke in our house. And that tendency definitely carries over to beach days: if I’m spending the day by the water, I go all out. Sunscreen, hat, book, snacks, water bottle, umbrella, sarong, a cute singlet for any café pit stops along the way.

One of my favourite little luxuries to bring? Hair oil and a comb. There’s something so indulgent about combing your hair after a swim and tying it up while a nourishing oil seeps into your strands. Enter Sandor’s Grounding Hair Oil! Oh my gosh, it’s divine. I am completely obsessed.

For this feature, I had the pleasure of getting to know Sandor through the lens of its founder, Sabrina. I loved learning about her process and what makes Sandor stand out in the world of hair care.

Enjoy! Clare xx

What sparked your journey into creating Sándor? Was there a defining moment that led you to launch the brand?

Through my years of living in NYC, I became increasingly aware of how many conventional hair care products, even those labelled ‘natural’, had endocrine-disrupting ingredients that didn’t align with how I wanted to care for my body. What truly pushed me to create Sándor was the realisation that there was a
space for something more intentional; a brand rooted in transparency, nature and an elevated experience.

It was a slow buildup of questions: Why shouldn’t natural hair care feel luxurious? Why do we normalise compromising with the quality and integrity of ingredients? Sándor was born from the desire to create a
line that honours both the health of our hair, planetary responsibility and the beauty of simplicity. I wanted to strip things back to what’s essential, effective, and clean - without sacrificing the sensory experience that makes a ritual feel meaningful.

Hair health can sometimes be overlooked compared to skincare - why do you think it deserves just as much attention?

Hair, much like skin, is a mirrored extension of our internal world; it reflects our health, our habits, and how gently we care for ourselves. While skincare has become ritualised, hair care is often treated as an afterthought, a reactive choice rather than intentional. Our scalp is skin too; it’s delicate, alive, and
deserving of care and nourishment. Supporting the microbiome of the scalp, and choosing ingredients that work with us, not against us. Hair carries memory, energy, even emotion.
Why wouldn’t we treat it with the same reverence?

Just like the skin on our face, our scalp responds to stress, diet, environment, and care. Giving our hair the same attention we give our skin isn’t indulgent, it’s essential. It’s part of the same ecosystem. And when we begin to see it that way, every step becomes a ritual in self-respect.

How do Sándor products go beyond traditional hair care to truly nourish both the scalp and Strands?

I approach the hair and scalp as a unified ecosystem. When the scalp is soothed and balanced, the hair flourishes - growing stronger, softer, and more resilient over time. Each product is designed to be both functional and sensorial. Sándor isn’t about quick fixes. It’s about cultivating lasting vitality through thoughtfully sourced ingredients, formulation by professionals and a deep respect for the body’s natural intelligence.

Our formulas are rooted in the understanding that the scalp is an extension of facial skin. It breathes, it absorbs, it responds. That’s why we formulate with ingredients that are not only clean, but also bioavailable and which support the microbiome rather than disrupt it.

FENN Favourite The Grounding Shampoo & Conditioner

What ingredients or formulations set Sándor apart from other brands on the market?

What sets Sándor apart is our commitment to restoring simplicity - through formulations that are as intelligent as they are intentional. We believe true hair health begins at the root, and that means caring for the scalp as tenderly as we care for the skin on our face. Every ingredient we choose has a purpose.
The foundation of the shampoo and conditioner is Organic Aloe Vera, a soothing, hydrating base. Aloe is rich in natural proteolytic enzymes, which gently exfoliates, reduces inflammation, and promotes a healthier scalp environment. We blend this with botanicals like chamomile and calendula, up-cycled oat amino acids, all known for their calming, anti-inflammatory properties - especially important for the delicate ecosystem of the scalp. The cleansers we select are coconut-derived, designed to gently purify
without stripping the skin’s natural oils or disturbing the microbiome. And our essential oil blends are crafted with grounding notes like cedarwood, guaiacwood, and sage. Calming to the nervous system, clarifying to the mind.

Sustainability is a key pillar of Sándor—how do you ensure your products align with these values?

Sustainability, for me, is not just a pillar - it’s a promise. One that asks us to be more conscious of what we create, and even more mindful of how we consume. At Sándor, we don’t view sustainability as a trend
or a checklist, but as a living value that guides every decision we make.
From the beginning, our formulations have been designed with both the body and the earth in mind. We use certified organic ingredients wherever possible, supporting farming practices that nourish the soil rather than deplete it. Our cleansers are biodegradable, and our ingredients are safe for waterways.
Because what we rinse down the drain matters too.
Our packaging is fully recyclable, and our bottles are made with post-consumer recycled materials - giving new life to existing aluminium rather than creating more of it. Beyond materials, sustainability to us means encouraging a slower, more connected way of caring for yourself. In the end, sustainability isn’t a destination - it’s a constant practice that is evolving. And I am committed to evolving with it, thoughtfully, every step of the way.

How do you balance luxury and sustainability in your approach to hair care?

To me, true luxury isn’t about excess; it’s about intention, purity, and the confidence of knowing that what you’re using is beautiful, nontoxic and responsible.
At Sándor, we define luxury through experience. How a product feels on the scalp, how it feels on the hair when styling and how it makes you feel after you style your hair. I never pursue performance at the cost of the planet and therefore Sándor’s formulas are crafted with biodegradable ingredients that support both hair health and environmental wellbeing. Virgin aluminium has tremendous harm for people living in mining areas and the same areas are often polluted by waste materials. It’s too high of a cost, when we
have the choice to select recycled materials. Recycling metals has a bigger impact than we think in the bigger picture.
Luxury, in its truest form, is about care - care for craft, care for self, care for the Earth. That’s the heart of Sándor. A conscious, more reverent way forward.

What are some of your favourite hair care tips and tricks for maintaining healthy, strong hair?

Our hair reflects how we care for ourselves on every level.
One of my favourite rituals is scalp massage. Just a few minutes, with intention, can stimulate circulation, release tension, and support healthy growth. I like to warm a few pumps of our Grounding Hair Oil between my palms, breathe in the aroma, and work it gently into the scalp. Then I like to spend a few
minutes with long strokes of the Gua Sha comb.

Another tip I always try to educate is double cleansing with shampoo. I’ve experienced many people through my job with irritated scalps, and thorough cleansing is a must for a healthy scalp environment.
When washing, apply your shampoo in 3 sections; top of the head, sides and back. The back is most common to have scalp irritation and is most prone to bacterial overgrowth, so always make sure to shampoo this area thoroughly.

Avoid shampoo in your lengths as it will cause unnecessary dryness - only
conditioner is needed here.