MANA DAVE | BOOK NOW

Co-Founder | Colour, Transformation & Personalised Hair Specialist

Expensive-looking hair. Honest conversations. Hair that feels like you again.

Mana Dave is the co-founder of BLAZE’s Newmarket Auckland salon. After more than 25 years in the industry, Mana knows that great hair is rarely just about hair.

A lot of people sit in Mana’s chair when something in life is shifting a bit. New relationship. New job. Different chapter. Sometimes they know exactly what they want, and sometimes they just know something doesn’t feel like “them” anymore.

Honestly, that’s the part he loves most.

Clients will often say Mana understands what they’re trying to say before they even know how to explain it themselves.

Mana’s approach to hair is all about creating something that feels believable, effortless, expensive-looking, and most importantly — like you. Think believable blondes, rich hair colour to enhance your skin tone, personalised haircuts designed around your face shape and personal style, and hair that looks naturally expensive rather than overly “done.”

As an international Redken Artist and industry educator, Mana is passionate about helping people back themselves a little more and realise what they’re capable of — both inside and outside the salon.

MANA LOVES

• Expensive-looking colour
• Hair that looks effortless and believable
• Face-shape haircuts
• Clients who bring baking into the salon

PERFECT FOR YOU IF…

• You want honest advice, not just “yes”
• You’re ready for a change but don’t know where to start
• You want hair that feels elevated but still like you
• You value connection as much as great hair

WHEN HE’S NOT DOING HAIR…

Mana is usually forcing himself to go to the gym because it’s good for his headspace — while also complaining the entire way there. He’s also permanently torn between appreciating client baking and counting calories.

STALK MY WORK HERE

@manadave
@blaze_hair

KELLY LATU | Book Now

Co-Owner | Short Hair, Bobs & Curly Hair Specialist

Short hair enthusiast. Salon mumma bear. Definitely not cutting too much off.

Kelly is the co-owner of BLAZE’s Newmarket Auckland salon, alongside her partner in hair, Mana Dave. Usually found on the salon floor with colour brushes in hand and surrounded by the team, Kelly -or Kelz as everyone in the salon calls her- brings a warm, grounded energy to the space and has become the salon’s unofficial mumma bear over the years.

With over 25 years behind the chair, Kelly especially loves creating shorter shapes, bobs, curly haircuts, and personalised cuts that feel wearable, modern, and easy to live with.

Clients love Kelly for her honest advice, relaxed nature, and ability to make people feel comfortable straight away — especially anyone nervous about going shorter.

And just for the record:
she’s not the hairdresser that cuts off way more than you asked for.

KELLY LOVES

• Bobs and shorter shapes
• Curly haircuts
• Personalised haircuts
• Healthy, wearable hair
• Helping clients feel comfortable

PERFECT FOR YOU IF…

• You’ve been thinking about cutting your hair shorter
• You want honest, experienced advice
• You love relaxed, down-to-earth salon energy
• You want hair that works in real life

WHEN SHE’S NOT DOING HAIR…

You’ll usually find Kelly in trackies and gumboots on the family lifestyle block, looking after animals or making TikToks with her daughter Ava.

STALK OUR WORLD HERE

@blaze_hair

ELIZA |  Book Now

Executive Stylist | Blonde, Grey Coverage, Haircut & Blowdry Specialist

Soft colour. Warm energy. Big blowouts.

Eliza brings a warm, welcoming energy to BLAZE’s Newmarket Auckland salon. With over 10 years in the hair industry, she specialises in blondes, grey coverage, personalised haircuts, copper tones, and polished blowdries that feel beautiful, wearable, and realistic for everyday life.

Appointments with Eliza, feel relaxed, welcoming, and full of easy conversations and laughs along the way. Shes all about hair that feels beautiful, wearable, and easy to love long after you leave the salon.

As BLAZE’s resident copper girl, Eliza believes life is just a little bit more fun with copper hair.

ELIZA LOVES

• Bright blondes
• Grey coverage
• Personalised haircuts
• Big polished blowdries
• Copper tones

PERFECT FOR YOU IF…

• You want soft, wearable hair
• You love warm, personalised appointments
• You enjoy good chats and lots of laughs

WHEN SHE’S NOT DOING HAIR…

Eliza is obsessed with crafting, scrapbooking, stickers, and all things creative — which honestly makes perfect sense once you see her attention to detail behind the chair.

STALK MY WORK HERE

@stylingwitheliza_blazehair

JACOB  | Book Now

Senior Stylist | Grey Coverage, Lived-In Blonde, Personalised Haircuts & Blowdries

Easy conversation. Great hair. Easy energy.

Jacob brings a modern, laid-back energy to BLAZE’s Newmarket Auckland salon. Specialising in grey coverage, lived-in blondes, personalised haircuts, and blowdries, he’s all about creating hair that feels effortless, soft, and easy to wear.

Jacob loves hair that has flow and individuality rather than looking overly “done.” Think old money blondes, rich glossy brunettes, and cool-girl cuts that grow out well.

Appointments with Jacob feel more like hanging out while getting great hair. Whether you’re in the mood for easy conversation or quietly scrolling your phone for a few hours, he’s naturally good at adapting to the energy in the room without making things feel forced.

JACOB LOVES

• Grey coverage
• Lived-in blondes
• Personalised haircuts
• Big bouncy blowdries
• Rich glossy brunettes

PERFECT FOR YOU IF…

• You like modern, low-effort hair
• You want movement and softness in your haircut
• You prefer relaxed, natural appointments
• You want a stylist who adapts to your energy

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

• Big believer in doing absolutely nothing on Sundays
• Strong supporter of Uber Eats deals
• Watches Titanic every birthday
• Gym before work person

STALK MY WORK HERE

@hairbyvou

TOKO | Book Now

Executive Stylist | Grey Coverage, Creative Colour & Blowdry Specialist

Time-efficient colour. Dry humour. Big blowouts.

Toko is known around BLAZE’s Newmarket Auckland salon for his calm energy, strategic colour work, and ability to create high-impact hair without the marathon salon appointments. With over 12 years in the hair industry, he specialises in grey coverage, creative colour, personalised haircuts, and polished blowdries that feel modern, wearable, and easy to maintain.

Unofficially known as the “Big Blowout King,” Toko’s approach is all about making appointments feel relaxed, easy, and low pressure — especially for clients who aren’t into endless salon small talk.

Whether you feel like a yarn or quietly zoning out for a few hours, he’s great at reading the room and creating hair that works for real life.

TOKO LOVES

• Grey coverage
• Personalised haircuts
• Creative colour
• Big blowouts
• Vibrant reds

PERFECT FOR YOU IF…

• You want efficient appointments
• You hate forced small talk
• You love colour with impact
• You prefer calm, easygoing energy

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

It’s pronounced “Taw-kaw.”

Not Tookew. Not Toeto. Not Tonto.
…And definitely not Mana.

Despite what some clients think, we are in fact two different brown people. Haha.

STALK MY WORK HERE

@toko.kemp.blaze_hair

EDEN

Front of House & Kérastase Ambassador

Great chats. Great energy. Great coffee orders.

Eden is usually the first face you’ll see when you walk into BLAZE’s Newmarket Auckland salon. She brings a fun, welcoming energy to the space and has a way of making clients feel comfortable almost instantly.

She’s all about the little details — remembering your favourite drink, helping nervous new clients settle in, and somehow recognising regular clients just from hearing their voice on the phone.

As BLAZE’s in-house Kérastase Ambassador, Eden also loves helping clients find the right haircare for their hair and scalp needs.

EDEN LOVES

• Great salon energy
• Kérastase haircare
• Remembering the little details
• Coffee orders ready before you ask

PERFECT FOR YOU IF…

• You love feeling welcomed into a space
• You appreciate thoughtful client care
• You want personalised haircare advice

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Massive Warriors fan.

Like… MASSIVE Warriors fan.

STALK THE SALON HERE

@eden.blaze_hair

TAELA

Emerging Stylist | Grey Coverage, Healthy Hair Colour & Blowdries

Healthy hair. Great chats. Scalp massages people get obsessed with.

Taela is one of the emerging stylists at BLAZE’s Newmarket Auckland salon and clients love how easy she is to talk to and how looked after they feel around her.

She loves creating grey coverage, glossy healthy hair colour, and polished blowdries — the kind of hair that still looks and feels good once you’re back home doing it yourself.

Expect plenty of chats, laughs, and great catch-ups in Taela’s chair.

And yes — her scalp massages have already gained her a bit of a BLAZE client fan club.

Outside the salon, Taela is also a mum to a four-year-old — so she’s already pretty well trained for the pace of busy salon life. So you’ll definitely be well looked after in her chair.


TAELA LOVES

• Glossy healthy hair
• Grey coverage
• Scalp massages
• Big blowdries
• Catch-ups with her clients

PERFECT FOR YOU IF…

• You love feeling looked after
• You enjoy relaxed, friendly appointments
• You love a good scalp massage
• You want healthy, glossy hair

STALK MY WORK HERE

@Taela.blaze_hair

ETHAN 

Stylist | Blowdries, Kérastase Rituals & Scalp Care

Good energy. Healthy hair. Great blowdries.

Ethan brings a fun, upbeat energy to BLAZE’s Newmarket Auckland salon. Known for his polished blowdries, easy laughs, and naturally welcoming personality, he loves helping clients feel good about their hair.

Specialising in Kérastase rituals, scalp care, glossy finishes, and healthy-looking hair, Ethan has a real passion for treatments and helping clients improve the overall condition and feel of their hair long term.

While working part time at BLAZE, Ethan is also studying Health Science full time — which probably explains his interest in scalp health, haircare, and treatment-based services.

Ethan’s the kind of person clients warm to pretty quickly. He’s chatty, upbeat, easy to be around, and somehow manages to make appointments feel fun while still keeping everything professional.

And yes — his older clientele absolutely adore him.

ETHAN LOVES

• Kérastase rituals and treatments
• Big polished blowdries
• Scalp and hair health
• Glossy, healthy-looking hair
• Making clients feel good about their hair

PERFECT FOR YOU IF…

• You want healthier, glossier hair
• You love relaxing salon rituals and treatments
• You enjoy friendly, upbeat appointments
• You want personalised scalp and haircare advice

WHEN HE’S NOT DOING HAIR…

Outside the salon, Ethan balances study, salon life, gaming, and catching up with friends — usually with a pretty busy social calendar in between.

STALK MY WORK HERE

@ethan_blazehair