rm. hair is a boutique hair salon on Emerson Street in Napier South, living by the motto 'never be too busy to be beautiful'. It is a place to slow down: relax in the salon and let the team pamper you from the moment you walk through the door, whether you are booked in for a complete transformation, a special event, or the upkeep of your everyday look.
The salon offers a full service menu — balayage and foils, global colour, creative cuts, styling, keratin straightening and treatments — personalised using professional products from Matrix, Redken and Joico. Colour ranges from L'Oreal, Matrix, Davines and Joico are PPD free and feature naturally derived ingredients like aloe and honey, with ammonia-free colour services also available. For smoother, more manageable hair, the Cezanne Perfect Finish keratin line offers a formaldehyde-free alternative that top New Zealand salons are choosing to protect both stylists and clients.
Behind the chair is director and senior stylist Caroline Gichard, a colour expert with more than 30 years in the industry. Originally from Hawke's Bay, she has trained and worked in high-end salons in New York, London, Cannes, Dusseldorf and Hagen in Germany, and has spent many years as a national competition judge, winning numerous hair awards. She specialises in blonde balayage and foils, works on the floor most days, and counts creating glamorous wedding hair among her passions. Every service is followed up with expert aftercare advice, so clients leave looking and feeling fabulous.
On Emerson Street in Napier South, rm. hair runs on a simple promise: never be too busy to be beautiful. This boutique salon invites you to slow down, relax, and let the team take care of everything from a quick trim to a complete transformation. The setting is personal and unhurried, but the credentials behind the chair are anything but ordinary.
The salon offers a full service menu spanning colour, cutting, styling, straightening and treatments. Whether you are after something soft and beautiful, creative and edgy, or simply the maintenance of your everyday look, the team listens first and personalises the result, working with professional products from Matrix, Redken and Joico — and following up with expert advice on aftercare and maintenance so your look lasts well beyond the appointment.
rm. hair is led by Caroline Gichard, director and senior stylist, who has spent more than three decades in the hair industry. Originally from Hawke's Bay, she trained and worked in high-end salons around the world — New York, London, Cannes, Dusseldorf and Hagen in Germany — and has served for many years as a national competition judge and steward, collecting numerous hair awards along the way. That life as a judge and competitor keeps her at the forefront of international styles, innovative trends and progressive techniques, and clients benefit directly: Caroline works on the floor most of the time, loves working with clients of all ages, and counts many who return year after year.
Colour is Caroline's particular expertise, with a specialisation in blonde balayage and foils. She is a licensed Matrix professional and colour expert — and weddings are her passion.
Balayage is a house signature. The team loves creating seamless colour with balayage and ombré techniques; allow around three hours for the full process. Foil work scales to your goals, from a quarter head (about an hour) to a half head (about an hour and a half), a full head with styling only (about two hours) or a full head with cut and style (around two and a half hours).
The colour bar carries L'Oreal, Matrix, Davines and Joico, and every colour range is PPD free with naturally derived ingredients like aloe and honey. Ammonia-free colour services are also on offer — a thoughtful option for sensitive scalps.
For smoother, more manageable hair, the salon offers the Cezanne Perfect Finish Keratin Smoothing Treatment, a transformational, long-lasting treatment that brings hair to its ideal condition without damage or dangerous chemicals, in about an hour and a half. The Express version softens curl, smooths frizz and reduces blow-dry time for four to six weeks, part of a shift among top New Zealand salons away from formaldehyde keratin treatments.
Cuts are quick and precise: around forty-five minutes for a ladies' cut and thirty for a men's cut, with students' and kids' cuts on the menu too. Styling covers blo waves with shampoo and conditioner, GHD styling on clean, dry hair, short hair waves, and formal hair-ups for long hair. Treatments are recommended after every technical service, with your stylist choosing the most luxurious option for your hair.
Brides receive particular attention. Caroline's wedding work is a highlight of the salon — exclusive, personal service on your special day, drawing on her multi award-winning background, her years as a national competition judge, and eleven years of international experience. Wedding hair is arranged by negotiation, so it pays to get in touch early.
rm. hair is open Tuesday to Saturday, with late nights on Tuesdays until 7.30pm and a Saturday close at 3pm; the salon is closed on Mondays. If your schedule is tight, appointments before 8.30am can be arranged. Book online, phone 06 835 7764, or email [email protected] — you will find the salon at 239b Emerson Street, Napier South.
Come in for a transformation, a special event, or simply because it is time. The goal is simple: clients who leave looking and feeling fabulous — and after thirty years in the industry, Caroline and the team have had plenty of practice delivering exactly that.