“This does not look like the picture,” I say after getting home from the beauty salon and staring at myself in the mirror. “Why can’t they ever do what I ask for?” was the second thought I uttered out loud. Perhaps my first mistake was bringing an inspiration photo found in the depths of Pinterest that, realistically, is impossible to achieve, or maybe not scrolling long enough through the salon reviews online.
Whatever the reason might’ve been, chances are, I’m not the only one stuck asking these questions following every salon visit. However, some people are even less fortunate, having to go into hiding after falling into the hands of inexperienced professionals. Our team at Bored Panda has scoured the web and found the most chilling examples of beauty makeovers gone wrong. Hold onto your seats tight as we go through the rollercoaster that these pictures below are, and don’t forget to upvote the ones you felt bad for chuckling at.
While you're at it, make sure to check out a conversation with a licensed hairstylist and makeup artist, Andrea Claire, who kindly agreed to share some tips on how to avoid a failed beauty makeover.
#1 Asked The Barber For A Razor Part. Here’s What I Got
Image credits: SupportLocalShart
#2 I Feel Sorry For The Pretty Girls That She Has Done Dirty
Image credits: psychicpeachbagel
We reached out to a licensed hairstylist and makeup artist, Andrea Claire, to get to the bottom of why clients often feel like they never get what they ask for at a beauty salon.
“Clients not getting what they want really comes down to communication and failed expectations,” she says. Which can come from both clients and hairstylists, Claire adds.
#3 This Was The Absolute Worst Haircut Of My Life. How Does Someone Stay In Business When Stuff Like This Happens? I Wish I Could Warn Future Customers
Image credits: Ready-Position5467
#4 Bad Nails For A Worse Price
Image credits: madammayorislove
#5 Nail Tech Did Gel, And They Look Like This. The Gel Underneath Is All Super Visible, And It Looks Sloppy
Image credits: Bitter_Panic2873
“As a client, one may come in with an unachievable vision and the hairstylist may not properly articulate that this is not achievable,” she says. Therefore, to receive the expected result, it’s crucial to communicate.
The not-so-desired hairstyle, makeup look, or manicure, is also hugely influenced by the many challenges that beauty specialists face to meet clients' specific needs (which the person sitting in the chair doesn’t usually take into account).
#6 This Was Supposed To Be The Finished Product. This Amount Of Highlighter Is Completely Unnecessary, And The Makeup Artist Has Completely Changed The Entire Complexion Of This Client
Image credits: OpalsAndViolets
#7 Paid $42 For This Haircut
Image credits: dtrechak
#8 It’s Definitely Ugly, Right? Is This Bad Enough That You Would Ask For A Refund? I Paid 290 For It And Didn’t Tip
I felt so bad I almost cried but I couldn’t justify tipping when I hated it so much, maybe I’m being dramatic. The first picture was the haircut I wanted, the second picture was the color I wanted. All my friends said it was cute, and one even said it looked like the picture I gave.
Image credits: Rottmntbones
“The hurdles we stylists need to overcome with clients’ expectations these days often lie with misinformation within social media posts. Filters and editing on their inspirational images and videos really play a huge part in barriers when it comes to successful hair transformations. Even many hairstylists filter their work,” she tells us.
Claire mentions that lighting can impede the person evaluating the end result, too. “You may get a desired cool tone blonde but your bathroom lighting at home may have warm lightbulbs, or you're taking a snap in the golden hour sunshine, now your selfie looks like your cool blonde is golden. Going back to your hairstylist asking for a color fix [isn’t really possible] when it might just be a lighting issue.”
#9 The Neck Does Not Match The Face
Image credits: Chance_Librarian2204
#10 Worst Haircut Ever. My Hair Before Versus What I Asked For And What I Got
I’m devastated. My hair is thinned out and so uneven, I don’t even know what to do.
Image credits: SadSangwich444
#11 These Monstrosities. I Keep Waking Up In The Middle Of The Night, Thinking Maybe It Is A Nightmare
Image credits: Ok-Singer9904
Something else that might interfere with a successful hair transformation is if the person previously had layers of colored hair and now wants an immediate drastic change. “Artificial color will NOT lift artificial color,” Claire explains. “Stripping color is stressful on the hair shaft. You may require harsh chemicals or even bleach to push through, often multiple appointments are needed to hit your desired look and can compromise the integrity of the hair. Instagrammers show us before and afters but may not include the full story of the 4 other appointments in-between that before and after.”
#12 What I Asked For vs. What I Got
Image credits: Responsible-Archer21
#13 Instagram Makeup Artist Trying To Add Back Natural Freckles
Image credits: drakesmua
#14 Back When I Used To Model, This Was What A "Makeup Artist" Did For A Shoot
Image credits: reddit.com
Since cool and ashy hair tones have been trending in recent years, Claire reminds clients that they need to trust their hairstylist and not believe the information influencers share, as they aren’t licensed with proper education and training.
#15 Should I Be Mad At My Nail Tech?
Image credits: reddit.com
#16 A Haircut I Received From Sports Clips In Pennsylvania, No Refund
Image credits: gtank12
#17 Asked For A Fade And Got This. One Side Is Kind Of Faded, The Other Isn't
Image credits: J-man-Big
As for how people can avoid failed beauty makeovers, Claire says, “Talk it out. Make sure that you feel that you are on the same page. If you aren’t sure repeat the plan. Both the hairstylist and the client need to have a clear understanding of the process and the desired end result.”
#18 I've Always Wanted My Nails To Look Like Baraka's Teeth
Image credits: willowhispers
#19 This Nail Salon Is Gaslighting Me
I asked for color #17 in the book (background) while at the nail salon today. When she started painting my nails with the #17 in the bottle, I was surprised and asked if she accidentally grabbed the wrong one - since it was a completely different color.
They said nope, that was correct. I asked to swap out for a different color and politely suggested they double-check in case there was a labeling error.
The response: These #17 colors are the same, so they don’t need to be checked. It’s just that their colors “fade over time” like “because of the sun and stuff.”
Image credits: aspiring_nomad
#20 This Was My Worst Moment
Image credits: V_y_z_n_v
She also kindly shared additional tips that could be helpful for anyone looking for a big change. “Ask for a consultation when going to a new stylist or having a big change. Then book an appointment for your change for another day. This way if you’re not keen on the stylist or the idea, you’re not thrust into something that you didn’t want after all.”
#21 I Paid $300 For Light Pink Ombre Hair And Got This
What I asked for (my hair already looked like this but the brown was grown out too long) vs. what I got. Uneven, hard lines at the scalp rather than a soft fade from brown, streaks of unbleached hair, and streaks near the scalp.
Image credits: Heather_Bea
#22 Asked For My Curtain Bangs To Be Trimmed
Image credits: notyour-bonnie
#23 Am I Being Picky? First Time Getting Acrylics, And It Feels Like The Shaping Is Off. They Seem To Get "Bulbous" Around The Tips
Image credits: exhaustedspice
Bringing visual photos may help to better communicate your desired result. “I love visual references from clients,” says Claire. “This tells me where their head is at. I recommend to clients to bring in references of hair types that are the same as theirs. If you resemble a celebrity, try to find a reference of them since celebs have countless images online. Sometimes celebs’ hairstylists do interviews sharing how they got the look which is also very helpful. Share images of what you don’t like as well,” she advises.
#24 I Was Disappointed by The Hair Trial. It Looks like I Just Woke Up After Sleeping For 12 Hours With A Braid In My Hair
Image credits: heyho2023
#25 My Hair Stylist, During My Appointment, Had Another Client And Left Bleach In My Hair For Over An Hour. Now I Have Chemical Burns, And She Has No Advice
Image credits: Kayy2222
#26 I Can See Why They're Low-Priced, They're Unfinished
Image credits: ronnyian
Lastly, Claire urges against using professional hairstylist terms to describe what you want. “That’s almost always going to be a fail. When a client uses a hairstylist language with me I flip it back to them in layperson terms so they are clear. The best example of this is when someone says they only want one layer. One layer is impossible because that’s a vivid line in the hair. You most likely mean that you want long layers. But one layer, no. You definitely do not want a standout, ill-blended line in your hair.”
#27 When The Stylist Says, "I'm Having A Tough Time With Your Hair Line"
Image credits: cleanshoes30
#28 Hair Stylist Messed Up My Hair And Blocked Me
Image credits: FingerTiny2275
#29 Soft And Subtle Glam, Sure
Image credits: EfficientChoice4415
#30 Should I Go Back And Request A Refund?
I got these this afternoon and paid $90 AUD, the pictures on their reviews are really good so I decided to give them a try, I hated them when I walked out but I really struggle with confrontation. I asked for Gel-X with a black French tip but they don’t even look like a French tip and the application is extremely messy. Do I go back tomorrow and request a refund? I’m really unhappy with them, especially at that price point.
Image credits: seikoshi
#31 Asked For Black Hair With Chunky Highlights. The First One Is Inspiration Pictures, The Second One Is The Outcome
Image credits: reddit.com
#32 What I Asked For vs. What I Got. What Would Y’all Have Done If A Licensed Hair Stylist Did This? I Couldn’t Even Get It Corrected By Another Salon
This is how my stylist let me leave after telling me it looked amazing. I paid $85. I ended up shaving it off. It was super dead and ugly and now I permanently wear wigs.
She and her coworkers were hyping me up that it looked great but look at all those patches.
Image credits: K1ddGhost
#33 I Got My Nails Done For My Wedding. Had To Immediately Go Somewhere Else
Image credits: giraffeossicone
#34 Manicure Before My Wedding. The First Set Almost Had Me Bridezillaing, But To Be Honest, I Just Cried A Bit In My Car
Image credits: reddit.com
#35 The Top Photo Is The Nail Design I Asked For And The Bottom Photo Is What They Did For $65
Image credits: Lillian822
#36 How Do I Ask For Better Layers? I Told The Girl She Could Go Up To An Inch And A Half For Layers But It Looks Like She Just Cut At That Mark Instead Of Making It Look Cohesive
Does it really look as bad as I think it does and how would I go about fixing this?
Image credits: saucethebeans
#37 Parents Got Me A Well-Known, Posh Salon Voucher For My Birthday, This Was The Result Of A €250 Dye Job
They also lied and told me it was all one color, then said it was my fault for dying my hair with semi-permanent dye three years ago (which I told them about in advance).
Image credits: Deadanddugup
#38 I Paid A Local Makeup Artist To Do My Makeup For A Navy Ball
Image credits: megagooch
#39 Went To A New Barber Yesterday. Was Given A Bald Spot
Image credits: Glittering_Fig6468
#40 Are Good Acrylics Impossible? I’m Crying. Spent Nearly 3 Hours In The Salon. My Nails Look Awful. This Happens Every Time No Matter Where I Go
Am I cursed or is doing acrylics difficult and I’m too picky? What the hell? I'm crying because I hate waste of time, money, and products.
Image credits: Successful_Sundae906
#41 I Can’t Stop Looking At It
Image credits: stakkyjay
#42 What I Asked For vs. What I Got. I Told The Lady I Was Nervous, And She Thought It Would Be A Good Idea If I Didn't Look While She Did It And "Trust The Process". $300 For This
Image credits: babbjb
#43 Asked For 3 Inches Off, She Cut Off 5 Inches. Come Home To Find Out It Isn’t Even Straight Or Even
Image credits: madronacreek
#44 I Asked For 8 Inches Off
Image credits: bluenighthawk
#45 Makeup Artist Near Me
Image credits: RazzmatazzSharp6758
#46 I Asked For A Low Fade And To Cut A Little Off The Top If It Needed To Be Blended
Image credits: 2_chengzz
#47 Asked For Honey-Blonde Hair, Ended Up With Pink
Image credits: kqnuka
#48 I Can’t Believe I Let Myself Leave The Salon Like This
What is wrong with me, I’m sure I’m not alone in being a non-confrontational person but these are embarrassing. I ended up calling five minutes after I left the salon (because I’m a wuss), spoke to the manager and she said I could get them fixed tomorrow. Phew.
To be fair, it was some new guy, my usual tech wasn't there and I needed nails pronto - always a hit or miss!
Image credits: Savvy290
#49 What I Asked For vs. What I Got. All Nails Were Of Different Shapes And Sizes. No Fingers On Both Hands Matched
They were really thick, polish wasn't done correctly on the sides so the color was all jagged. I had them done for a wedding and was so embarrassed by them that I had my hands in my lap the entire time.
Image credits: Goddess-Persephone_
#50 The Picture I Showed To My Hairdresser And The Haircut I Got. Not To Mention He Layered My Hair To Bits So Now It's Paper-Thin
Image credits: naptunezy
