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.
#2 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
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.
#5 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
“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).
#8 Nail Tech Did Gel, And They Look Like This. The Gel Underneath Is All Super Visible, And It Looks Sloppy
“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 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
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 Worst Haircut Ever. My Hair Before Versus What I Asked For And What I Got
#14 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
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.
#16 These Monstrosities. I Keep Waking Up In The Middle Of The Night, Thinking Maybe It Is A Nightmare
#17 I Got My Nails Done For My Wedding. Had To Immediately Go Somewhere Else
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 Back When I Used To Model, This Was What A "Makeup Artist" Did For A Shoot
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.”