ILLUME – Celebrating 50 Years of Joico

CAROLYN GAHAN – Carolyn runs Quarry Avenue Salon in Sydney’s CBD—a shared workspace she built for independent hairstylists who want to run their own show. Originally from Ontario, she landed in Australia in 2011 and has since racked up five Australian Hair Fashion Awards finalist spots, winning Hair Shot of the Year in 2020 and earning another nomination for the same category in 2026. She was the AHIA Independent Hairdresser of the year 2022, her work’s been in Vogue, at Cannes, at Cosmoprof in Italy. She’s known for wild creativity—whether it’s dreamy pastels, editorial work that pushes boundaries, or technical colour that’s bold and unapologetic. Beyond the chair, Carolyn coaches stylists on the business side—how to actually make money, build something sustainable, and run a salon that works for you instead of the other way around.

-  Socials: @carolynjayun