MENU
SEARCHWe asked a stylist who, after 45 years in the industry, has seen it all and has some very wise counsel on the topic.
Getty Images
He is our go-to on life advice, career counsel and beauty smarts. Whenever we have a salon-specific questions, we always wonder…What Would Carlos Do? (WWCD?) Carlos Valenzuela, author, educator, podcaster, and inspirational leader in the industry, was a stylist for 45 years. Today, we ask him to reflect on the question of workplace romances.
MODERN SALON: Carlos, what are your thoughts on love in the salon? WWCD?
CARLOS VALENZUELA: Cupid does not discriminate. If he sticks you, ZAP, you are in love. Men, women, young, old, married, and single are all fair game for Cupid’s arrows. I am proud of the salon industry's high tolerance for lifestyles, preferences and beliefs. Nobody cares probably because in every salon, between workers and clients, we have a little bit of everything.
According to Bamboo, a Human Resources company, twenty-seven percent of workers say they are ok with workplace romancing. The real number is probably much higher because twenty-two percent of married couples met at work. Just imagine all those that hooked up and didn’t walk down the aisle. There's probably a whole lot more open to office romance than will admit it.
Do I have an issue with workplace romances? Nope, not in principle—I think most of my coworkers would feel the same way. We might even be happy as long as it stays a professional romance. What is a professional romance? One where you don’t constantly act love-sick in the workplace and you engage and relate to all, not just your love interest. I have worked with married couples who manage their relationship and feelings so professionally. They save it for home. But honestly, if I need to circle around showings of affection to mix my tints and sweep hair—it’s going to bother me. It won’t be long before one of us posts to our bulletin board, “Get a room.”
My advice? Cupid notwithstanding, avoid workplace romances. Is it just me, or don’t you also need a break during work hours? Workplace breakups can be nasty situations, have you been through one of those? I endured one salon breakup that included attorneys and threats of sexual harassment. I don’t know about you, but this is me: If I find someone in the workplace attractive, coworker or client, I acknowledge and register it—hot. But, don’t feed it, I stay away from detailed fantasies of where my feelings could go. I make an effort to put a stop to romantic thoughts. After all, there are plenty of pretty people elsewhere, and this one, I choose for a friend. Better a hot friend than a vengeful ex. Don’t you agree?
Takeaways:
~The salon industry is at the forefront of acceptance of lifestyle, preferences and beliefs.
~Twenty-seven percent of workers have no issues with workplace romances.
~Twenty-two percent of married people met in the workplace
~It’s ok to fall in love in the workplace as long as it remains professional. Be cool about it.
~Best to avoid workplace romance, breakups at work can get nasty.
Carlos Valenzuela is a hairdresser/educator, ex-salon & school owner, author and corporate spokesperson with forty-five years of beauty experience. His focus today is raising wellness awareness and assisting salon professionals in developing a fulfilling career via his podcast “Tiny Steps for Salon Pros” www.anchor.fm/carlos-valenzuela and at industry events, seminars and in-salon workshops.
Hear Carlos' thoughts on firing a client.
On retirement.
Originally posted on Modern Salon
Both systems capture vapors and dust right at the nail table. The difference is where that air goes next, and that one detail can decide whether your salon passes inspection.
Sponsored by Aerovex Systems
Your guest decides what kind of salon this is in the first ten seconds, long before she is in the chair, and scent is the piece most owners leave to chance. Aura House co-owner Leif Frey lays out what ambient scent can and cannot do, why air quality is an engineering question rather than a fragrance one, and the four decisions that matter more than the scent you choose.
Sponsored by Aura House
Celebrity Fitness and Nutrition Expert Lisa Lynn shares five reasons why belly fat doesn't budge, and what you can do to overcome it.
You do not need to be a therapist to listen well. You do need to know where your role begins and ends. In her first blog for SALON TODAY, Modjossorica (Rica) Elysée shares five ways you and your team members can respond with care.
Your body doesn't necessarily tell the difference between a promotion and a deadline. In her first wellness blog for SALON TODAY, Wellify Co-Founder Laura Fuqua explains why even good stress has an impact.
Popping up across the UK, Menopause Cafés are helping women seek professional help with their menopause journeys. What better place to play host to one of these gatherings than a spa?
What actually counts as 'source capture' under nail salon ventilation code, and what doesn't (even if it feels like it should).
Sponsored by Aerovex Systems
New services on the menu can create new opportunities, but they can also expose your business to greater liability. SASSI's Kathy Lopez shares a few services that pose greater risk, discusses some of the mistakes owners make when expanding their menus, and lists simple risk management strategies.
Shine Time: Aluram’s High Shine Line Delivers Moisture and Shine with Clean Ingredients
Sponsored by Aluram
Explore this curated selection of standout brands and essential products shaping today’s growing wellness and spa industry.
Neutralizing the damaging effects of water benefits the hair from texture to shine to color longevity, and it’s the science behind Malibu C products.
Sponsored by Malibu Wellness
From acrylic monomers to airborne bio-dust, the air inside a nail salon carries risks most professionals never see coming. Aerovex Systems reveals the source-capture and room-purification strategies that are setting a new standard for salon safety.
Sponsored by Aerovex Systems
Good hair starts at the scalp. But most salons aren’t offering services or products that address scalp health. Relish, a new product line from the founders of Signature Formulations, has everything salons need to deliver an effective head spa service and offer guests a robust at-home scalp care line.
A new book by Joel Steele shows that the most powerful change people can make is to think differently if they want different results. The author believes in the 'Life Switch' so fervently that he's willing to donate $1 million from book sales when he sells his millionth copy.
In an era where clients demand visible results with minimal recovery time, salons and spas are redefining what professional skincare means.
New global search data from beauty and wellness booking platform Fresha reveals that Botox remains the world’s most in-demand aesthetic treatment in 2025—but regenerative “tweakments” like polynucleotide injections, thread lifts and IV drips are seeing explosive growth across key markets.
As rates of anxiety, depression, and substance use continue to climb across the U.S., conversations around mental health are more urgent than ever—yet one crucial perspective remains missing. In her captivating new book, Aymie Daniels introduces the little-known concept of “Spiritual Emergency” and opens a timely conversation about how America understands (and often mislabels) extreme psychological states.
