en jay — the experience of hair is a Mount Maunganui hair salon located at The Cruise Deck on Maunganui Road, known for expert cuts, colour and styling delivered with personalised service. The salon pairs fully qualified senior stylists with premium Redken products in a warm, welcoming setting, and has built a loyal following — some clients have been visiting the same stylist for a decade or more.
The team is at the heart of the salon. Every en jay senior stylist is fully qualified with more than seven years of experience in New Zealand and overseas, and owner Nicky puts ongoing education, new techniques and trend awareness at the centre of how the salon evolves. Appointments begin with a calm, thorough consultation and an upfront quote, so clients know exactly where they stand before any work begins.
Services span precision haircuts, professional colouring and balayage, Olaplex hair and scalp treatments, keratin smoothing, men's haircuts and special occasion styling — from the quick Hair Xpress service to elegant up-dos for weddings and formals.
Clients often mention the small touches: hand and scalp massages, hot drinks, and the occasional chocolate fish. The salon holds an Excellent rating on Google based on 37 reviews.
en jay is also a proud Sustainable Salon — 95% of the resources used during your service are rescued from landfill and sent for repurposing through a partnership with Sustainable Salons, and the salon accepts eligible hair donations.
Tucked into The Cruise Deck on Maunganui Road, en jay — the experience of hair has become one of Mount Maunganui's most trusted salons for expert cuts, colour and styling. The name promises an experience, and the salon delivers on it: from the first consultation to the finishing touches, everything is built around personalised service, premium Redken products and a warm, welcoming room where regulars are greeted like old friends.
en jay's senior stylists are all fully qualified, with more than seven years of experience behind the chair in New Zealand and overseas. Owner Nicky puts continuing education at the heart of the salon's philosophy: "I believe in creating an exceptional experience for every client who visits en jay and we can only achieve this if we continue our education, learn new skills, techniques and keep up with trends. That's how we continually evolve."
That commitment shows up in the routines clients notice most. Every appointment opens with a calm, unhurried consultation — what you enjoyed about your last cut or colour, what you'd like to change — and a quote is given at the start, so there are no surprises at the end. One long-time client, Tracey, has trusted Nicky with her hair for around ten years.
Colour is one of the salon's real strengths. The team works with premium Redken colour to create everything from subtle dimension and vibrant tones to complete transformations, and balayage is a go-to for clients after beautiful, natural-looking dimension. Reviewers regularly mention the depth of colour they walk out with.
Hair health is looked after too, with professional Olaplex hair and scalp treatments and keratin smoothing on the menu, alongside precision cutting and men's haircuts.
Heading to a wedding, formal or night out? The occasion styling menu covers the full spectrum. Hair Xpress delivers a classic, elegant look in under an hour (around 45 minutes), Hair Up creates an elegant up-do with lasting hold, and the Blow Dry offers a professional blow wave tailored to your preferred finish. You can also book specific looks such as Hollywood Waves, a Sleek Ponytail, Braided Elegance, a Classic Blowout, a Glamorous Updo or Effortless Straightening.
A couple of house rules: arrive with clean, dry hair for Hair Xpress and Hair Up appointments, and note that Hair Xpress isn't available for bridal parties.
It's the small touches that come up again and again in reviews — luxurious hand massages, gentle scalp massages at the basin, hot drinks and the occasional chocolate fish. The salon holds an Excellent rating on Google from 37 reviews, with clients praising stylists including Jemma, Gabby, Codey and Nicci by name, and several calling it the best salon they've ever visited.
en jay is a proud Sustainable Salon. Through a partnership with Sustainable Salons, 95% of the resources used during your service are rescued from landfill and sent for repurposing, and the salon accepts eligible hair donations so your hair can serve a second purpose.
The salon sits at The Cruise Deck, 169 Maunganui Road in Mount Maunganui. Opening hours are Tuesday and Wednesday 9:00am–5:30pm, Thursday 9:00am–8:00pm — handy for after-work appointments — Friday 9:00am–4:45pm and Saturday 9:00am–4:00pm, closed Sunday and Monday. Appointments can be booked online; if the time you're after isn't showing, give the salon a call on 07 575 6029, as they can sometimes fit you in. Just keep the 24-hour cancellation policy in mind: reschedule or cancel with less than a day's notice, or miss your appointment, and 50% of the booking is charged.