Anyone who’s ever experimented with their looks knows that mistakes can occur no matter what. That's why we usually turn to beauty salons where professionals do their magic. Whether we hope for a gorgeous hair color or a fabulous new cut, we can already imagine us confidently emerging from the salon and going out to conquer the world. But just as our previous features about makeup fails and tragic hair accidents proved, that’s not always the case.
Chances are, many of us have felt the horror of sitting in front of a mirror while watching our stylist completely disregard our wishes. And sometimes, the results of these beauty procedures are light years away from our expectations, leaving us utterly unsatisfied with our new look. If this sounds familiar, you’re in good company. But if not, this new list compiled by Bored Panda will at least cause a genuine chuckle.
We have scoured the internet for some of the most bizarre, cringe-worthy, and downright tragic hair and makeup moments people have shared online. So sit back, relax, and get ready for some beauty disasters of epic proportions. Enjoy scrolling through this list, upvote the pics that surprised you most, and be sure to tell us what you think of them in the comments.
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What My Sister Asked For vs. What The Salon Did vs. What My Mom Did After The Salon Disaster
Didn't Think They'd Do The Arrow Too
This Is What Happened To My Client When She Went Into A Different Local Nail Salon Without Doing Her Research
I couldn't believe my eyes so I had to get a picture. She paid £35 for these.
Picture this: you do your research, choose a salon, and book a hair or makeup appointment only to swivel around in the chair and become overwhelmed with uncertainty. At first, you blame the lighting and believe it will look way better once you step outside. But deep inside, you know that something’s not right, and can’t help but feel disappointed (or even seriously appalled) by the result.
Sounds familiar? Well, no one is immune to experiencing these blunders. Whether it’s a tragic hairstyle, a color refresh gone wrong, or a makeup look that makes you look like you're from another planet, we don’t expect beauty and hair experts to make such mistakes. Yet, here we are.
Yes, Done At A Real Salon. And Yes, She Did Cry When She Saw It
$60 "Professional" Halloween Makeup. I Asked For The Photo On The Left, With Just A Little Fake Blood. On The Right Is What The Makeup Artist Gave Me
Are These Too Thick? I Can’t Tell If I’m Just Not Used To Them Or If This Is A Normal Application. I’m Not Thrilled With Them
When we give our faith, hair, and face to a stranger — and spend good money to do so — the last thing we want is to step out of there crying and wishing to go back in time to erase it all. Just think about the moment when you finally get to glance at the mirror hoping to see your fabulous self but instead, you’re met with someone who feels utterly unlike you. When it comes to makeup, you immediately notice the mistakes — too much foundation here, too little color there, and what is up with all this unnecessary contouring? Makeup that isn’t applied skillfully can immediately ruin our day and put a damper on our confidence. But luckily for us, there are experts who share advice on how to quickly patch up these mistakes.
The Hairdresser Had “No Idea” How This Happened
What I Asked For vs. What I Got
I really hope you got a refund. I asked for the same colour as you did, and the dude got it right with no issues. It was expensive, but worth it. But wow, major fail. I hope your hair wasn't damaged.
What Was The Makeup Artist Thinking With This Shade Match?
Makeup artist Daniel Martin, whose clients range from Meghan Markle to Jessica Alba, told Vogue that first and foremost, people are entitled to politely request a redo if they’re unsatisfied with the results. "As artists, we have to remember that we’re providing a service and we can’t take things too personally," he said. After all, makeup is subjective, so they should listen to your wishes.
If you’re one of those people who freeze in uncomfortable situations or avoid them at all costs, think about bringing an image of your desired look as a reference. Moreover, be crystal clear with the artist about your dislikes before they begin. "Hate the way you look with mascara on your bottom lashes? Cringe at the idea of contouring? Tell the artist directly, and your honesty will only aid in the execution."
What I Asked For vs. What I Got. $400 And I Feel Like An Idiot
Expectations vs. Reality: Curly Hair
What My Hair Looked Like - What I Asked For - And How It Turned Out
However, sometimes we need to take matters into our own hands. "At the end of the day, it’s only makeup and it can be fixed," Martin said and offered some sound advice to prepare you for any possible damage control in the future. First, "If you’re left with too much coverage on the skin and the finish on your face is too powdery, misting will break up the finish a bit. If you don’t have a misting spray, a wet paper towel pressed onto the skin will do the trick as well."
Then, if your artist somehow managed to make you look like a mannequin, Martin suggested, "If the foundation is looking too opaque and flat, I add a bit of radiance to the complexion by using a dry facial oil that won’t break up the powder that’s already on top of the skin. A facial oil used with a foundation brush will add the skinlike texture you want without the feeling of added weight."
What I Asked For And What I Got
Not the only one that I saw end up like that. My sister asked for a haircut like the one on the left and she ended up looking like the lady on the right. I think that less experienced hair stylists don't know that they shouldn't overcut too much when the hair is wet, because once dry it gains more volume and becomes shorter. She never asked for a shorter haircut after this travesty!
Went To My Hairdresser With This Pic Today
Wanted A Simple Manicure For My Wedding In March. Right Is What I Got. I Was Upset But Also Couldn’t Stop Laughing
When it comes to eyebrows, one of the most common fears we have is to emerge from the chair and see that they’re way too dark for our liking. "If the brow is overly done, split tissue paper to a single sheet, place it over your brow, and buff on setting powder on top of it. This will soften the depth of the brow tone," Martin suggested. "If your edges are too 'fleek,' use a Q-tip dipped in cleansing water to soften them."
Spray Tan Tears Won't Go Away
First Pic Is What I Asked For, Other Pics Are What I Ended Up With
She Went To The Worst-Reviewed Makeup Artist In Her City
Well, that's what you get when you go to the worst reviewed salon!
While makeup disasters can swiftly be fixed with our own efforts, that’s not always the case with our hair. Of course, ending up with a hairdo you're unhappy with is far from an irreversible catastrophe. But if there’s a choice, we would all prefer to walk around with a haircut we’re actually satisfied with. To know how to do that, we previously reached out to Rob Jon, founder of The Brentwood Hairdresser, the most sustainable salon in Essex, UK. He explained to us in an interview the main reasons why tragic accidents occur and shared some advice on how to avoid receiving regrettable hairdos.
My Sister's Friend Got Her Nails Done By A “Professional” Nail Artist
This Has Been All Over My Social Feeds Lately. The Artist Has A Booking Site And Charges $85
This is the stuff of nightmares. But at least nightmares are usually free.
Needed A Pick Me Up, But I Feel Like I Got Screwed Over At The Nail Salon. These Look Whack, Right?
"Haircut ideas are always based around what is fashionable," he told Bored Panda. "But what is fashionable doesn’t always suit your hair type, face shape, or lifestyle." Rob explained that bad decisions are often made when people try to keep up with the latest trends rather than opting for looks that actually suit them.
One of the best ways to be sure about your options is to listen to what your stylist has to say, Rob said. "We are professionals and will always act in the clients' best interest to make you look and feel as good as possible," he noted. Still, it’s best to appear in the salon already prepared. Rob suggested using Instagram or Pinterest or some kind of visual aid to try to steer your stylist in the right direction. Then, you can have a conversation with your stylist who "will come up with the perfect compromise to make your hair look on point."
When You Accidentally Go To The Worst Stylist In Your Country
Asked For Caramel Balayage, Came Out Looking Like A Tiger
Been there, done that. Highly recommend BLUE shampoo to tone down the orange.
My Sister’s Nails For A Wedding
But despite the best intentions and efforts from both sides, mistakes happen. "Tragic haircuts are often based on a lack of communication between stylist and customer," Rob said. So a good way to ensure you emerge from the hairdresser’s chair with desired results is to talk with your stylist before and during the process.
Setting unrealistic expectations is one more reason why regrettable haircuts occur, Rob added. Or they encounter inexperienced stylists who are "unable to manage clients' expectations and deliver something that is much more suitable to their lifestyle and the style that they are after."
"To avoid a bad haircut, my advice would be to use visual aids in the salon using pictures to describe not only what you like but what you don’t like," The Brentwood Hairdresser mentioned. "Also, be willing to accept the stylists' advice as they are simply trying to manage your hair in the best way possible."
Balayage Hair
What I Wanted vs. What I Got
To be fair, the left pictured person has multitudes more hair or extensions with tenfold then volume of the right pictured person.
My Little Sister Got Her Makeup Done For My 30th Birthday Party. She’s Really Good At Doing Her Own Makeup. However, She Wanted To Treat Herself And Went To The Salon
The Usual Hairdresser Disaster. My Usual Curl Pattern vs. After Styling By The Hairdresser After A Cut
Styling? I wouldn't dignify what was done to you with that term. I hope it's fixable
All I Wanted Was Bangs That Look Like Dakota Johnson’s. I Showed Her Multiple Pictures And This Was What I Got
It’s been over a year and they look fine now, but wow, I was suffering for a few months there.
The Haircut She Wanted vs. What She Got
My Best Friend Got This Done At Ulta Today
I Guess I Got What I Paid For With This Free Look. Asked Makeup Artist For Homecoming Makeup
A Sephora Employees Rendition Of A “No Makeup Makeup” Look. At Least Is Was Free
My Awful Eyebrows. Bad Microblading, Cheap Ink, Wrong Aftercare Directions. Now Look At Them
Reference Photo vs. What I Got
What I Asked For vs. What I Got - $450 AUD And 4.5hrs Later. I'm Going To Bed
Hair not lightened enough, toner mixed with too low of developer and processed too long. With 4.5 hours, they could have gotten her hair lifted high enough to do a purple wash then toned it to the specific color. This is laziness and ineptitude on the part of the colorist.
Nail Bar Experience In Indonesia
Expectation vs. Reality ($200 Later). Hairdresser Tried Telling Me It Was The Same Thing. Nope. Nope. No
Hairdresser Did Me Dirty
someone had absolutely ZERO experience with decolorization, and proceeded anyway. Shameful
So Glad It Was Done With Henna
As an Indian, I find this about as painful to look at as stepping on a Lego.
I Shouldn't Expect Much From A Strip Mall Haircut, But Come On. I Was Just Looking For A Trim And To Shape Up The Layers. Different Lengths Chopped Up Randomly Aren't Layers
Paid $80 To Get My Nails Done. Last Pic Is The Reference Photo I Showed The Nail Tech
Jesus christ, they stole from you... The cuticles and the nails...God. I wouldn't have paid for this s**t.
What I Asked For vs. What I Got
Worst Professionally Done Nails Ever? Quite Possibly
It looks like someone had some fun with what was left of their mini babybels.
Went To Get My Bangs Cut, Came Home, And Brushed My Hair Out To Find This
This Was Done At A Salon
She Charged For The Mess
After 2 Years, I Finally Ventured To My Local Hair Salon And Left With Layers Of Disappointment. Before vs. After
This looks like she went to a beauty school to have it done, and the worst student in the class cut it.
Dye Your Hair A Wild Color, They Said. It’ll Look Really Cool, They Said
Friend Decided To Get A New Haircut
I think expecting the average hairdresser to be able to do this may be a little too optimistic. But if I wanted this and asked, I’d really prefer it if they said “I’ve never done that and don’t know how to do it”.
This Is What It Was Supposed To Look Like. It's Terrible
I Paid 515 CРА (560 USD) For This Dye Job
What I Wanted vs. What I Got
Went To The Salon Today
Went To A New Barber Because My Normal One Was Booked And I Have A Date Tomorrow. Asked For A Chin-Length Bob. This Cost Me $58
Fancy Follicle Fail
Paid almost $200 to a girl with 1 month till she graduates from a popular salon school. Can't get a refund because the "check-in sheet" they had me sign was actually apparently a contract saying they don't issue refunds.
Moral of the story: DON’T go to a salon school, and read the fine print. This one’s on you.
Help, What Can Be Done
The First Picture Was Taken By My Hairstylist To Showcase My New Haircut And Color
The second picture is the photo I took today, when I realized what the curls and bright lights were trying to hide.
The Nails You Ask For And The Nails You Actually Get
At least you have something to chew your lunch with if your teeth fail you.
I Went To A Fancy Black Salon In Atlanta Before Going To A Wedding. I Asked For Baby Bangs And The Guy Shaved My Overall Hairline Back An Inch. Honestly What The Hell
The Balayage I Asked For vs. What I Got. They Refuse To Give Me Back My £120, Too
I Got It Professionally Done Because I Didn't Want To Mess It Up
Please Help. Got A Really Bad Haircut
Asked for a short bob and got this. How do I fix this?
Trip To The Nail Salon
What I Asked For vs. What I Got
Dreadful combo of lack of knowledge (should have informed customer that it won't fly on her hair) and lack of skill :(
I Paid For This. It Was My Birthday Gift From My Husband. I Wanted To Experience A Professional Artist. I Cried When I Saw This. I Had To Go To Dinner After Looking Like This
I Paid To Get My Makeup Done For Prom, And This Happened. I Cried So Bad On The Way Home That I Had To Call My Friend To Come Over And Help Me Out
Well, It’s Not What I Asked For, But I Still Like It. Original Pic On Left, What I Got On The Right
Well it seems they forgot the purple of it didn't take, but the cut and the balayage seem cool. I also like how it turned it.
Paid $$$ For A Pro “Hair Artist” To Do This To My Hair On My Wedding Day
Didn’t they “practice” beforehand? My niece is doing my hair and makeup (she’s actually a professional) and she insists on this to avoid c**p like this ruining someone’s wedding day.
Commented On A Post About Someone’s Boyfriend Who Had A Bad Haircut. Here’s Mine
Grew My Hair Out For 4 Years. It Was At The Healthiest It Had Been In My Entire Adult Life. This Is What I Asked For vs. What I Got
Four entire years of growth obliterated. Fried to a crisp. It s**t like that that had me, back when my hair was down to my waist, going to a local barber who trimmed women’s hair. If I told Mr Turnipseed to just trim an inch or two inches from the bottom to get rid of spoilt ends, Mt Turnipseed ONLY wet my hair down and trimmed off enough to get rid of the split ends. He never got artistic, he wasn’t egotistical, he just did the minimum needed. All for less than $5. I. Loved. Mr Turnipseed.
The Worst Microblading You Have Ever Seen
When You Go To The Hairdressers Because You Want A Professional Job But They Dye Your Skin Too
A well trained colorist would never do that. Please go to trained professionals who know what they’re doing. The person who cuts your hair may not have much color training, so should NOT also be coloring it.
The Salon Made Her Pay $150
This looks like my hair does naturally. They stole this woman's money for no service.
I Literally Went To A Professional Hair Salon For This Disaster. I Just Wanted To Go Blonde. Had To Dye It Brown The Next Day
"Professional" is not the word I would use :D Please do everybody a favor and smear them everywhere you can - they should not be allowed near anybody's hair
I Paid For This At A Salon
I love how they were like “ehh..just add some glitter, maybe she won’t notice.” 😅
Spent £40 Getting My Nails Done. What I Asked For vs. What I Got
Went To The Salon And Got This Horrible Demarcation Line
Where Are The Rest Of The Lash Extensions?
I Got Botched
She did map my brows, though it was very different from how I draw my brows on usually, she said they look big and thick because of the dark pencil she used to fill them and will heal smaller and lighter, so I trusted her. I do not think she used a measurement tool of any kind - she used chalk to map my brows and that was it, and she did it twice, so it seemed like she struggled a bit with getting it right and I'm not educated enough to know better, and I wanted my brows to be mapped so they'd be "correct" for the first time in my life, cuz my brows are half gone from shaving them off back in the day and I wanted that Instagram/mapped out/perfect brow look. And this is what I got. She thinks she can fix them down the road.
I’ll be honest: I didn’t notice the brows until long after I began pondering what was happening atop her head. Is this from the r/justf*ckmysh*tup subreddit?
Asked For Soft Pink And Got Purple. How To Correct It? 2nd Pic Is What I Wanted
Judging by the body language, second pic is very much not what she wanted.
What Is The Picture On The Right? Wrong Answers Only
Left I think is a UFO IK IK it sounds bad but it looks like it and the right looks liiiiiiiike something a four year old drew with a paint brush
I Just Got This Set, And I Think My Nails Are Hideous. The Glitter Is Inconsistent, And The Manicurist Cut Me Pretty Badly. There's Color All Around The Edges
Makeup Artist Did Me Really Dirty For A Professional Photoshoot For A Hair Salon
I Wanted To Be An Anime Protagonist. What I Wanted vs. What I Got
You just can't get that shade without first progressively bleaching the hair - source: me
What I Asked For vs. What I Got. $200+ Edition
Seeing so many issues with these requests does anyone actually know how to do this in real life and not a magazine?
What I Asked For vs. What I Got (Little Disappointed)
The Before Is My Mum After The Local Salon Did Her Hair, The After Is A Completely Different Woman
Is This Haircut As Poorly Done As I Think? How Can I Ask The Salon To Fix The Situation?
The first picture is what I showed my hairstylist that I wanted. The second and third are my hair after being cut. The last is my hair a few months before (didn’t have one right before, it was a few inches longer).
I told her I wanted her to cut out all the yellow (she did a good job of that at least), and that I wanted shorter layers, to bring the volume up. I also told her that I wanted my front pieces to start at my jawline. It seems like she didn’t do much of what I asked, and the quality of the layers she did is pretty awful. They look chunky. I went to a nicer salon - I paid $65 for this cut plus 25% tip (I didn’t realize just how bad it was till I got home). Is it just me or is this haircut really bad? How should I go about asking the salon to fix the situation?
I’d prefer to just get a refund but I feel like they will be hesitant to do that. I don’t really want the same hair stylist to “fix” this mess. I don’t understand how she missed the mark so badly the first time.
Left Is What I Wanted vs. Right Is What I Got
Looks like those stick on nails you buy at the drugstore...if you put a few on each nail. Atrocious.
So Yesterday Was My Sister's Wedding And This Makeup I Got From The Artist
Got My Nails Done For The First Time In Years. The Salon Did Me Dirty. Inspo Pic On The Top Left. I Can't Stop Laughing
My First Time Getting My Nails Done As An Adult. I Won’t Complain Much Because My Nails Have Never Felt This Nice And Pampered
When You Give Your 8-Year-Old Niece A “Nail Kit” And She Says “Let Me Do You First”
She did a better job than most of the nail pics on this thread.
In regard to al the nail fails, they're sitting there watching it happen and said nothing. Then, they knew they didn't like it and paid for it anyway. That's what's baffling.
That's what I said... I'd be a fool to let you continue to work on me as you keep messing up or going about the look I want the wrong way. I'd stop you....
Load More Replies...My hair stylist says she likes when people bring in pictures for reference, but she always tells people she can't guarantee the same look. Because hair is different person to person and can react differently to dye. She also has turned down requests that she knows won't turn out well, or that she doesn't think she had the ability to do. More of these need to do that!
My mom was a stylist for decades and she has a way with words, she’s blunt but hilarious, so she would tell clients exactly what was gonna happen if, for example, they wanted to go from dyed and permed to California blonde; end up looking like a hairy coconut bc the hair will literally MELT, then you’ll be left with scraggly frizzy short hair for months. She would offer alternative styles, so everyone was happy.
Load More Replies...Almost all of these can be attributed to inexperience by the stylist, and possibly greed by the salon owner. I have worked in salons where a client would ask for a service and the stylist didn't know how but the owner would make them do it anyway. Go to small salons that are self owned, get a consultation first. Then we have the freedom to be honest if we can't do a service!
I disagree. We don't know the full story. Some of these people admitted to paying cheap prices or going to cheap places. Not to mention we don't know things such as if they were willing to have their hair bleached, if they continuously moved, if they properly took care of their hair, nails, whatever afterwards. I'd say the blame goes both ways
Load More Replies...In regard to al the nail fails, they're sitting there watching it happen and said nothing. Then, they knew they didn't like it and paid for it anyway. That's what's baffling.
That's what I said... I'd be a fool to let you continue to work on me as you keep messing up or going about the look I want the wrong way. I'd stop you....
Load More Replies...My hair stylist says she likes when people bring in pictures for reference, but she always tells people she can't guarantee the same look. Because hair is different person to person and can react differently to dye. She also has turned down requests that she knows won't turn out well, or that she doesn't think she had the ability to do. More of these need to do that!
My mom was a stylist for decades and she has a way with words, she’s blunt but hilarious, so she would tell clients exactly what was gonna happen if, for example, they wanted to go from dyed and permed to California blonde; end up looking like a hairy coconut bc the hair will literally MELT, then you’ll be left with scraggly frizzy short hair for months. She would offer alternative styles, so everyone was happy.
Load More Replies...Almost all of these can be attributed to inexperience by the stylist, and possibly greed by the salon owner. I have worked in salons where a client would ask for a service and the stylist didn't know how but the owner would make them do it anyway. Go to small salons that are self owned, get a consultation first. Then we have the freedom to be honest if we can't do a service!
I disagree. We don't know the full story. Some of these people admitted to paying cheap prices or going to cheap places. Not to mention we don't know things such as if they were willing to have their hair bleached, if they continuously moved, if they properly took care of their hair, nails, whatever afterwards. I'd say the blame goes both ways
Load More Replies...