Live & Let Dye is a Mount Eden hair salon with a Rock 'n' Roll heart, formed in February 2012 from a passion for hairdressing, creativity and a love of music. It specialises in bright, creative colour — signature bright reds, blondes, balayage, highlights, pastels and flamboyant ombre — alongside funky, edgy cuts, from short pixies to long, elegant layered styles.
The team believes healthy hair is the key to beautiful hair and won't damage hair just to achieve a colour. Every visit starts with an in-depth consultation to pin down exactly the look you want, and they promise not to sell you anything you don't need. You'll also never find animal-tested products here: the salon is strictly no animal testing, uses vegan-friendly products wherever possible, is part of the Sustainable Salons movement, and specialises in organically derived and holistic products suited to sensitive skin.
The experience is deliberately unhurried: settle in with a cup of tea or a cappuccino, enjoy great music in a unique environment, and help yourself to a complimentary chocolate brownie. Now owned by senior stylist Paige and home to senior stylist Cat, the salon is open Tuesday to Saturday with late nights on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Book online or by phone, and note the 48-hour change and cancellation policy.
Live & Let Dye opened its doors in Mount Eden in February 2012, founded on a passion for hairdressing, creativity and a love of Rock 'n' Roll. The idea was to build a genuinely alternative salon — a place for funky, edgy cuts and bright, creative colour, where the tea and coffee flow, the music is good, and no one rushes you through the chair. The salon's mantra borrows from Coco Chanel: 'In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different.' More than a decade on, that is still the operating philosophy.
Today the salon is owned by Paige, a senior stylist who began her hairdressing journey in 2020 after years in hospitality. After nearly four years at Live & Let Dye she took the opportunity to buy the business and make it her own. Originally from the small island of Guernsey, she moved to New Zealand in 2014 and loves everything from lush warm brunettes to fiery hot pink and icy blondes. Alongside her is senior stylist Cat, an Auckland local who has been with the salon for five years and relishes anime-inspired colour and chunky 90s highlights.
If there is one thing Live & Let Dye wants to be known for, it's colour. The team creates bright fashion shades, signature bright reds, blondes, balayage, highlights, pastels and flamboyant ombre — and, they say, everything in between. Custom colour is a point of pride: bring your inspiration, whether it's an anime character or a 90s magazine spread, and the stylists will mix a shade to match.
Just as importantly, they don't believe in damaging hair just to make it the right colour. Healthy hair is treated as the key to beautiful hair, and gentle products are used to keep hair in the best possible condition.
An in-depth consultation comes standard with every visit. The team takes the time to find out exactly how you'd like your hair to look, prescribes what you need, and won't try to sell you anything you don't. Note that the colour menu and pricing changed as of March 1st, so the salon recommends calling or emailing to book a complimentary consultation for an accurate quote.
Colour may be the calling card, but the cutting is every bit as considered. The stylists love short, edgy pixie cuts as much as long, elegant layered cuts, with funky, alternative shapes in between. The goal is the best cut to suit you — not a one-size-fits-all template.
Live & Let Dye takes its ethics seriously. You will never find animal-tested products in the salon — it is strictly no animal testing — and vegan-friendly products are used wherever possible. The salon is part of the Sustainable Salons movement, specialises in organically derived products, and stocks holistic options perfect for sensitive skin. A range of natural, specialised haircare is on the shelves so you can recreate your look at home and look after your colour long-term.
A visit is designed to be a proper break. Settle in with a cup of tea or a cappuccino, enjoy a unique environment with a Rock 'n' Roll twist, and listen to good music while your colour develops. There's even a complimentary chocolate brownie for every client. Having your hair done, the team insists, should be a time to relax — not to be rushed.
The salon is open Tuesday to Saturday, with late nights on Tuesdays and Thursdays until 8pm, and closed Mondays and Sundays — though times may occasionally vary. Book online or by calling 09 638 9042. Two policies are worth knowing: changes and cancellations require 48 hours' notice, with a $50 fee inside that window, and appointments expected to run more than three hours may require a deposit. If you're running late, ring ahead — in busy periods the salon may not be able to continue a service more than 15 minutes late.