Our Story

A woman with shoulder-length blonde hair, smiling, wearing a black off-the-shoulder top and a gold necklace, against a white background.

My name is Ezaira Santos, and I am the founder and owner of Unique Academy of Hair & Beauty.

With over 30 years of experience as a passionate and skilled hairstylist, I take pride in delivering exceptional customer service while staying up to date with the latest trends and techniques in the hair and beauty industry.

Throughout my career, I have successfully owned and operated hair and beauty salons in Brazil, the United States, and New Zealand. In addition to managing my businesses, I have trained junior hairdressers in Brazil and, since 2020, continued this work in New Zealand.

I currently operate a thriving hair salon and have recently expanded by opening a second business - a combined hair and beauty salon.

How my passion has evolved into a desire to teach in New Zealand

As I’ve mentored apprentices in my salons, I began to notice a disconnect between the skills they had been taught by other providers and the level of competence I expected at the apprenticeship stage. This experience sparked a growing passion for education and a strong desire to contribute to the development of future professionals. It made me realise that by teaching, I could help bridge this gap and ensure learners are industry-ready with the practical skills and confidence they need to succeed.

Our core values include respect, integrity, inclusion, professionalism, passion for learning, commitment to excellence, and continuous improvement.

Our academy is committed to providing culturally inclusive education aligned with Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We work closely with industry professionals to ensure our programmes meet real-world needs.

We are deeply committed to meaningful community and industry engagement as a key element of our educational approach. We actively collaborate with local salons, beauty product suppliers, and industry professionals to ensure our training remains current, practical, and aligned with real-world expectations. These partnerships enable us to provide students with valuable work experience opportunities, industry insights, and guest workshops that enhance learning and employment outcomes. We also engage with community organisations to foster inclusiveness, contribute to social wellbeing, and provide students with opportunities to apply their skills in diverse settings when required. Through these strong links with industry and community, we ensure that our learners are well-prepared for successful careers and are actively contributing to the beauty and wellbeing needs of the wider community.