Blades Hair Design is a locally owned and operated hair salon on Arawa Street in the heart of Matamata, New Zealand. Led by owner Natasha 'Tash' Hellyer, the salon's team of professional senior stylists specialise in blondes and balayage, creative colouring and precision cutting, working with professional products from Wella and Angel En Provence. The salon is also a proud stockist of GHD styling tools.
The team brings impressive depth. Tash previously owned a successful salon in Auckland for several years and counts working on The Bachelor among her career highlights. Charley adds 13 years in the industry, including six in Melbourne, with a flair for blondes, balayage and lived-in natural tones. Ashley brings over a decade of experience and a keen eye for detail, and Becky has been hairdressing for 23 years with a passion for lived-in blondes and beautiful bobs.
From women's cuts and blow-dries to men's, children's and senior cuts, a deluxe in-salon treatment, and blonde and global colour packages that bundle foils or balayage with toner, cut and blow-wave, the salon covers the whole family. Appointments can be booked online, by phone or by email, and the team asks for 24 hours' notice on cancellations.
On Arawa Street in the heart of Matamata, Blades Hair Design has built its reputation on colour. This locally owned and operated salon specialises in blondes and balayage, creative colouring and precision cutting, and its promise to every client is a simple one: you will leave looking and feeling great every time.
The salon is owned and operated by Natasha — 'Tash' — Hellyer, who leads a team of passionate and professional senior stylists. Tash has done it all: she owned a successful salon in Auckland for several years, and one of the highlights of her career was working on The Bachelor with Art and Matilda. Today she brings that wealth of experience home to Matamata, with a deep commitment to every aspect of hairdressing and to making her clients feel happy and confident.
What really sets Blades apart is the depth of experience behind the chair. Charlene — 'Charley' — brings more than 13 years in the industry, including six in Melbourne where she attended hair shows, refined her skills and gained valuable experience. She specialises in colour and foil work with a particular flair for blondes, balayage and lived-in natural tones, and loves creating a relaxing atmosphere where clients leave feeling both beautiful and confident.
Ashley adds over ten years in the industry and a keen eye for detail, with expertise across a wide range of services and techniques. She is passionate about crafting looks that enhance your natural beauty while reflecting your individual style. Becky, meanwhile, has been hairdressing for 23 years; moving to New Zealand pushed her out of her comfort zone and her skills to another level. She is passionate about colour — especially lived-in blondes — and firmly believes you can't beat a stylish bob with beautiful movement.
The service list covers everyone. Women can choose a cut, blow dry and style, a wash, blow dry and straighten, or a styled blow-wave on its own, with reduced rates for college and intermediate girls. Men's cuts, college and intermediate boys' cuts, primary school and preschool cuts keep the whole family tidy, and seniors enjoy discounted cut options, excluding late nights and Saturdays.
Colour is where the salon truly shines. Blonde packages span half head foils through to full head foils and freehand balayage, every one finished with toner and a blow-wave, and most can be bundled with a cut for a complete transformation in a single visit. Global colour packages handle root retouches, full all-over colour and foil-and-colour combinations, while the Deluxe Towel Treatment gives hair an in-salon boost. Senior stylists work with professional products from Wella and Angel En Provence, and Blades is a proud stockist of GHD tools so you can recreate the finish at home. The price list is kept current — the most recent update was 1 May 2025.
The salon's gallery and Instagram feed tell the story: glossy blondes, seamless balayage, fresh bobs and everyday cuts, all created in a friendly local salon where clients become regulars. Whether you're after a dramatic new look or a subtle, natural enhancement, the approach is personalised from consultation to the final mirror moment, and bringing in a photo from the gallery or Instagram is a great starting point for the conversation.
Appointments can be booked online through the salon's website, by phone on 07 888 8894, or by email at bladeshairdesignmatamata@gmail.com. One thing to note: appointments cancelled less than 24 hours in advance incur a cancellation fee charged to your account, and failing to notify the salon at all results in a full appointment charge — so if plans change, a quick call is appreciated. You'll find Blades Hair Design at 70 Arawa Street, Matamata.