When it comes to your haircut, color, or nails, chances are you see the same person fairly often and develop a relationship.

It’s quite an intimate one — exchanging news about our lives and families — but can it go too far for what’s ultimately still a transactional relationship?

I was confronted with this recently when a new acquaintance revealed that she was looking for a new hair stylist. “L” said she’d given up on someone she’d been going to for 6 years when, at her last appointment in October, he was unsupportive of how she felt after the Hamas massacre. She said, “I want people to know me”, no matter the circumstances.

My reaction was mixed. I empathized with her feelings but think it was unwise at best to bring up such a hot-button topic, even if she anticipated that he’d react the same way she had. Why bring politics to the salon?

I was brought up in a family that was very private and didn’t believe in oversharing, the curse of the modern world IMHO. No matter how much I like my current “beauty team”, I simply don’t need (or want) everyone to be my best friend. So, while I’m happy to talk about many personal topics, there are some that just seem inappropriate. I go to the salon for a fun, lighthearted, relaxing experience, not to validate my opinions.

p.s. I don’t want to chat when I’m getting a massage, either!

How about you, dear readers?