Shire Woman Hires Private Investigator After Hairdresser Disappears Without Trace

Harper Vale | Investigative Journalist | Sutherland Shire Gazette

29 August 2025

In what locals are describing as “a missing persons case with foils,” a Miranda woman has spiralled into crisis after her trusted hairdresser vanished from a Cronulla salon without warning.

The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous but insists we mention her “perfect, never-brassy balayage,” claims she invested years in building the sacred bond - and now feels abandoned.

“It’s not just hair, it’s identity,” she said through tears, clutching a fading packet of Olaplex like a candle at a vigil.

The salon owner has refused to disclose the stylist’s new workplace, citing confidentiality and “not wanting to deal with another meltdown.” Left with no choice, the woman has since engaged a private investigator, allegedly briefing him with photographs taken under optimal bathroom lighting and a list of “safe words” like ash tone and textured layers.

Desperate for leads, she has also taken to haunting every Grind Espresso across the Shire, certain her missing stylist once muttered something about preferring their oat flat whites. Regular patrons report she now spends hours casing tables, suspiciously eyeing any woman with fresh roots.

Local sociologist Dr. Wendy Pratt says this case reflects a broader crisis of trust in the hair economy. “Losing a hairdresser is more destabilising than losing a partner,” she explained. “Partners come and go, but a perfectly blended cut and colour? That’s eternal.”

With no confirmed sightings, the case remains open. The Shire Gazette will provide updates - though probably not in 6 to 8 weeks, unlike her regrowth.