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.

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.

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."

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."

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."

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.

"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."

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."