The Epic Fail Thread

[LittleHealthy]

Well, I searched ‘epic fail’ and couldn’t quite find what I was looking for.

If you have an embarrassing, terribad haircare FAIL then here’s the place to share it.

We all love to experiment with different routines and DIYs, what could possibly go wrong?!


I’ll start!!


Among all the perfectly curated DIY haircare blog posts and YouTube videos, there’s ME, having a crack at it and trying my best.

Today I decided to make a hair mask because it’s wash day. I wanted something to warm my scalp, so I googled it (you can tell it’s going to be good already yes?)... I read that cayenne is warming for the scalp, and I have some cayenne infused olive oil in my cupboard (I use it to cook). So I mixed a teaspoon of the cayenne oil into 3 tablespoons of olive oil. I also added a couple of drops of of lavender oil.
I mixed it up, gently heated it in a double boiler and applied to my hair. Wrapped in cling-wrap (plastic) and put on a beanie.
Next thing I did was go outside to ‘shoo’ a steer (a bull with some equipment missing) back into its allocated paddock after he decided to bust through a fence. He started chasing me, and next minute I had a burning sensation in my eyes. The oil had ran down my forehead and into my eyes.
So I was running down the paddock with a twig I grabbed from the ground as my protection (desperate times) with my eyes basically shut, trying to make it out of the paddock and back to the house. Tears streaming down my face. Thankfully my expert hollering was enough to deter the steer, for me to put the fence peg back up and put the power back on. By the time I got inside I had my eyes entirely closed and managed to navigate myself through a shower routine of sorts and clean all the burny hot fecking oil out of my eye area.

In future i strongly advise everyone not to use burny hot hot ingredients on their scalp. It felt lovely, but not in my eyes. Pepper spray (mace?) is illegal to be carried by members of the public in Australia but I feel like I’ve had a taste of what it might be like to be sprayed.

[Gothic]

When I did WO for a short period of time, I decided to put coconut oil in my hair, a lot of it.
I don't know why but I thought I can rinse it out with just water?? I rinsed it, and when it was wet it didn't feel that oily so I went to sleep.
The next day I walked around in a hat all day because my hair was covered from root to tip in coconut oil and I didn't have time to wash it again before school.

[LittleHealthy]

When I did WO for a short period of time, I decided to put coconut oil in my hair, a lot of it.
I don't know why but I thought I can rinse it out with just water?? I rinsed it, and when it was wet it didn't feel that oily so I went to sleep.
The next day I walked around in a hat all day because my hair was covered from root to tip in coconut oil and I didn't have time to wash it again before school.

Oh man :lol: haha I always wonder what could happen (emergency where I might need to leave the house etc) when I’m slathering the oil on my hair!!

[nycelle]

Well, I searched ‘epic fail’ and couldn’t quite find what I was looking for.

If you have an embarrassing, terribad haircare FAIL then here’s the place to share it.

We all love to experiment with different routines and DIYs, what could possibly go wrong?!


I’ll start!!


Among all the perfectly curated DIY haircare blog posts and YouTube videos, there’s ME, having a crack at it and trying my best.

Today I decided to make a hair mask because it’s wash day. I wanted something to warm my scalp, so I googled it (you can tell it’s going to be good already yes?)... I read that cayenne is warming for the scalp, and I have some cayenne infused olive oil in my cupboard (I use it to cook). So I mixed a teaspoon of the cayenne oil into 3 tablespoons of olive oil. I also added a couple of drops of of lavender oil.
I mixed it up, gently heated it in a double boiler and applied to my hair. Wrapped in cling-wrap (plastic) and put on a beanie.
Next thing I did was go outside to ‘shoo’ a steer (a bull with some equipment missing) back into its allocated paddock after he decided to bust through a fence. He started chasing me, and next minute I had a burning sensation in my eyes. The oil had ran down my forehead and into my eyes.
So I was running down the paddock with a twig I grabbed from the ground as my protection (desperate times) with my eyes basically shut, trying to make it out of the paddock and back to the house. Tears streaming down my face. Thankfully my expert hollering was enough to deter the steer, for me to put the fence peg back up and put the power back on. By the time I got inside I had my eyes entirely closed and managed to navigate myself through a shower routine of sorts and clean all the burny hot fecking oil out of my eye area.

In future i strongly advise everyone not to use burny hot hot ingredients on their scalp. It felt lovely, but not in my eyes. Pepper spray (mace?) is illegal to be carried by members of the public in Australia but I feel like I’ve had a taste of what it might be like to be sprayed.

:surprise::surprise::ohmy::disbelief:run:

That's insane.. but funny ...lol..

I have a story similar to Gothics but with mineral oil.

I was in my teens, and was told it'll make my hair nice and soft (after bleaching it.) So I put tons of it on, sat around for a few hours, then "washed" it out. Well, as you can imagine it never washed out. So there I am, walking around with greasy/wet looking, yellow colored bleached hair for at least a day until my mom had enough of me whining, purchased what I think was a dandruff shampoo and made me wash my hair something like 3 times to get it out. What a horror show.

[MoonRabbit]

Banana mask...need I say more...lol


I thought I mashed the banana enough but I was left with tons of little banana chunks all through my hair. Man, did it take a long time to get them out.

[Stray_mind]

I once did a hair mask that included a raw egg... I washed my hair with hot water. You can imagine the rest.

It took me a while to get all of the hardened egg white out of my hair.

[RubberDucky]

A few years ago when I still had my pixie I decided to re-bleach my roots - the night before a trip to another country. In my endless wisdom I had picked a slightly ashier blonde tone than usual. Applied color to roots, waited a bit, applied color all over, waited some more, washed it out... and screeched at the mirror in complete horror.

My lovely sunlit hair had morphed into a horrible shade of blue-grey! In desperation I washed it with harsh shampoo numerous times until my scalp was tender. Nope. It turned a bit lighter but still stayed that ugly shade of blue-grey.

So I spent my trip looking like an aging smurf...

[Reyn127]

My most common fail is also with using egg, I don't think I ever had real success with it, yet I tried it probably about a dozen times. That right there is a pretty big fail. But with the egg, I was convinced that I could rinse it all out with cool enough water that at some point I would stop having issues with it. But I just couldn't. Every time I got egg cooked into my hair, no matter how long I thought I had been rinsing with cool water before.

I'm glad I gave up on that one, finally.

[LittleHealthy]

I once did a hair mask that included a raw egg... I washed my hair with hot water. You can imagine the rest.

It took me a while to get all of the hardened egg white out of my hair.

Omg hahaha, breakfast served straight from your hair! That’s hilarious!

[Stray_mind]

Omg hahaha, breakfast served straight from your hair! That’s hilarious!

Lol, right? :lol:

I neber put eggs on my head since then.

[LittleHealthy]

My most common fail is also with using egg, I don't think I ever had real success with it, yet I tried it probably about a dozen times. That right there is a pretty big fail. But with the egg, I was convinced that I could rinse it all out with cool enough water that at some point I would stop having issues with it. But I just couldn't. Every time I got egg cooked into my hair, no matter how long I thought I had been rinsing with cool water before.

I'm glad I gave up on that one, finally.

I’ve never put egg in my hair... I think I’ve decided that I’ll cross that off my list for good XD hahaha

[Obsidian]

When I wad in 7th grade, my cousin and I were getting ready for the halloween dance.
I don't remember what I was dressing as but I needed something to slick my hair back and she talked me into using vaseline, a whole jar.
Needless to say, it was a nightmare to remove. I remember using dishsoap, repeatedly and still being greasy.

[Stray_mind]

Once when i was a child of 10 years olf or so, I decided i could make my hair curly if i roll a round brush in it.....

It didn't end well.....

[Purpleaggie05]

Once when i was a child of 10 years olf or so, I decided i could make my hair curly if i roll a round brush in it.....

It didn't end well.....

Stray_mind Oh My Goodness!!! that sounds painful. did you have to get it cut out?

[Purpleaggie05]

I don't have a specific "Epic" moment. However, I had natural blonde hair. When I was a child, it was platinum blonde. At about 8-ish, it had darkened and became a golden sun-kissed blonde in the summer time. When I was 12, my parents were separated on their way to divorce. And my good friend (brunette) at the time wanted to dye our hair. So I asked my mom if I could dye my hair a semi-permanent, box color (dark plum red). I don't think my mom knew much about hair dye at the time, because she let me. Of course, the color washed out/faded just fine from my brunette friend's hair. Mine was another story. My hair faded to a orange-ish, brassy light brownish color - it was awful. Needless to say, I never stopped dying my hair since then. I've dyed it ash brown, dark red (again), black, bleached out blonde, etc. Several years ago, I FINALLY decided on my color - highlights and low-lights every 13 weeks. I know there's a lot of people on LHC with virgin hair and growing out to that, but for me to just keep a color for several years straight is HUGE for me. Trust me, if I had a time machine, I'd go back to before I dyed my hair the first time, and told myself NO - or to, at a minimum, stick to the colors suggested for my natural hair color (it was semi-permanent after all). :)

[Stray_mind]

Stray_mind Oh My Goodness!!! that sounds painful. did you have to get it cut out?

yeah, i had to get it cut out as it got stuck very close to my scalp... The hair grew back without me noticing though. It's funny how hair seems to grow like weeds when you are a child.

[LittleHealthy]

yeah, i had to get it cut out as it got stuck very close to my scalp... The hair grew back without me noticing though. It's funny how hair seems to grow like weeds when you are a child.

My daughter is 3 and keeps trying to roll the brush up into her hair, and it’s not even a round brush!! I’ve had to put all the hair tools away. And I’m very mindful not to let her see me doing S & D on my hair :lol:

[LittleHealthy]

I don't have a specific "Epic" moment. However, I had natural blonde hair. When I was a child, it was platinum blonde. At about 8-ish, it had darkened and became a golden sun-kissed blonde in the summer time. When I was 12, my parents were separated on their way to divorce. And my good friend (brunette) at the time wanted to dye our hair. So I asked my mom if I could dye my hair a semi-permanent, box color (dark plum red). I don't think my mom knew much about hair dye at the time, because she let me. Of course, the color washed out/faded just fine from my brunette friend's hair. Mine was another story. My hair faded to a orange-ish, brassy light brownish color - it was awful. Needless to say, I never stopped dying my hair since then. I've dyed it ash brown, dark red (again), black, bleached out blonde, etc. Several years ago, I FINALLY decided on my color - highlights and low-lights every 13 weeks. I know there's a lot of people on LHC with virgin hair and growing out to that, but for me to just keep a color for several years straight is HUGE for me. Trust me, if I had a time machine, I'd go back to before I dyed my hair the first time, and told myself NO - or to, at a minimum, stick to the colors suggested for my natural hair color (it was semi-permanent after all). :)

Oh man. My friends all dyed their hair with semi permanent dyed like this and I never ever did because I knew it wouldn’t wash from my light blonde hair!! Good on you for keeping a steady colour for a while hahaha. Would you ever consider growing out your natural colour? Or do you just love having variety?

[BeverlyHills]

Once when i was a child of 10 years olf or so, I decided i could make my hair curly if i roll a round brush in it.....

It didn't end well.....

Oh gosh I definitely did this as a child haha! My epic fail would be when I tried to use coconut oil when I was in maybe 8th grade to try to make my hair softer after bleaching it platinum blonde (I know, face palm). I used half the container of oil and it took 2 weeks of washing every day to get out!! I looked greasy every day, it was so embarrassing.

[Kat]

I don't think I've ever had an epic fail. But I did do the over-oiling thing (as we all have). Mine was in college... oiled my hair, shampooed twice to get it out, as always. Thought I was fine. The ex and I went off to his parents' house. It finished drying... greasy hair. In horror, I jumped in the shower at his parents' house and washed it again.

To me now it wouldn't be a huge deal, but I was in college... and I didn't want to look like a greaseball in front of the "in-laws"...

[Crna Kosa]

I've put olive oil in my hair then tried cwc. I washed only my scalp with shampoo and length with conditioner. I thought that my hair took forever to dry, but no it was just oily , I liked that it was so soft, but it looked wet. The conditioner had cones so maybe they trapped oil inside of the strand, I'm not sure. I hope I will achieve that softness without it looking wet, because my hair is usually dry and looks very dry.

[guska]

Clarified yesterday using baking soda and apple vinegar (not ACV). Did a final rinse with organic rooibos tea. The shine is on a whole other level but so is da frizz! :rolleyes:

[LittleHealthy]

Clarified yesterday using baking soda and apple vinegar (not ACV). Did a final rinse with organic rooibos tea. The shine is on a whole other level but so is da frizz! :rolleyes:

Lol!! That sucks though, couldn’t have just had the fabulous shine without the frizz :( do you think it’s the baking soda which made it frizzy? ACV apparently gives a lot of people some amazing shine to their hair!!

[LittleHealthy]

I've put olive oil in my hair then tried cwc. I washed only my scalp with shampoo and length with conditioner. I thought that my hair took forever to dry, but no it was just oily , I liked that it was so soft, but it looked wet. The conditioner had cones so maybe they trapped oil inside of the strand, I'm not sure. I hope I will achieve that softness without it looking wet, because my hair is usually dry and looks very dry.

Ahh darn :lol: I’ve done the exact same thing before!! And yes olive oil was the same oil I used that time. Ended up being very moisturised. I actually find conditioner gets the oil out really well for me, as long as I leave it on long enough to penetrate the oil. I have been COwashing.

[LittleHealthy]

A few years ago when I still had my pixie I decided to re-bleach my roots - the night before a trip to another country. In my endless wisdom I had picked a slightly ashier blonde tone than usual. Applied color to roots, waited a bit, applied color all over, waited some more, washed it out... and screeched at the mirror in complete horror.

My lovely sunlit hair had morphed into a horrible shade of blue-grey! In desperation I washed it with harsh shampoo numerous times until my scalp was tender. Nope. It turned a bit lighter but still stayed that ugly shade of blue-grey.

So I spent my trip looking like an aging smurf...

Bahaha oh gosh. Way to test the self confidence, especially on holiday ;)

[guska]

Lol!! That sucks though, couldn’t have just had the fabulous shine without the frizz :( do you think it’s the baking soda which made it frizzy? ACV apparently gives a lot of people some amazing shine to their hair!!

I haven't figured out the cause of the frizz. I've had the same shine+frizz combo when I used a conditioner. I've used BS before but not with this kind of failure as result :confused:

[paulownia]

Banana mask...need I say more...lol


I thought I mashed the banana enough but I was left with tons of little banana chunks all through my hair. Man, did it take a long time to get them out.
I failed with this one once:p
Then I discovered banana line from The Body Shop and my life became easier;)

My major fails involved other products from the fridge.... one time it was sourcream mixed with a hair mask, used as a pre-poo treatment... I washed my hair twice and the terrible smell lingered in my mane for a whole day, I had to wash it two times more.... never again.
Another one was butter....don't laught at me;) I was just curious about all kinds of oily things you could put in your hair.
No more crazy experiments since... I stick to my safe almond or sesame oil treatments.

[blesseddamozel]

I have 2 that come to mind-

A recent one- I decided to try a vinegar rinse in my hair. I put vinegar into a jar and diluted it. I brought it into the shower and carelessly dumped it over my head as I was going about my wash.....yeah, needless to say I found out vinegar hurts a lot when it gets into contact with your eyes.

From when I was about 9-10 years old- this one I'm still grateful to be recovered from- I had seen on TV a girl use a curling wand to style her bangs and decided to give it a go. I passed my bangs with the wand once, then twice without incident. The third time I got careless and the entire hot curling iron came into contact with my forehead.:headache::angry::shocked: My whole forehead was a burn wound, and then a giant scab, for nearly the whole year. I remember my parents and other adults telling me I'd likely have a scar there for life but thankfully my skin recovered well. I know now when I have kids someday I'm going to keep any heat styling tools (if I even have them in my home I haven't used them in years) FAR out of their reach. My mom told me she never would have guessed I would have gone and tried something like that on my own.....:(

[LittleHealthy]

Today I accidentally wound the window up in my car with about 10 strands of hair stuck in it. But I didn t realise until I opened the door to get out of the car, and bam, it ripped those hairs straight out of my head. I'm not sure what hurt more... the physical pain of hair being pulled out, or the mental pain, knowing I painstakingly care for my hair!!

[Siv]

Meh, some things are fails, some are not. I like experimenting even when things don't work out! I guess some food masks are a bit annoying to wash out when bits get stuck thoough.

[Lucy McLucyFace]

I had recently heard of hair oiling and was going through peak rain season and my hair looked like a frizzy mess. The only oil I had around was olive oil so I tried it on my wash day. Didn't make much of a difference so on the next wash day I absolutely drenched it in olive oil and after washing with the regular method it took forever to dry. As happened to others on this thread I thought it was still wet but turns out it was oily. Not all oily just about half of the strands. It looked like I had random ropes hanging from my head.
I later bought some sweet almond oil and have been satisfied with the results ever since.

[menninkäinen]

I found a recipe for a DIY hair mask with cinnamon and honey (and yogurt I think?) Ok, might as well try it, so I mixed everything and put it in my hair.

Aaand I realized that I have long, red, burning spots on my skin, literally the shape of my hair strands, everywhere where my hair, and the mask, touched my skin. I was terrified, washed the stuff out of my hair quickly, and spent the night wondering if it's serious.

The spots were gone by morning. It was the cinnamon, I guess. Oh I was happy I didn't put it on my scalp, only on my lengths :eek: I've never been allergic to anything, even less to cinnamon or honey or yogurt.

Don't mix cinnamon, honey and yogurt and don't put it in your hair. Or mix them, but for breakfast.

[Lucy McLucyFace]

I found a recipe for a DIY hair mask with cinnamon and honey (and yogurt I think?) Ok, might as well try it, so I mixed everything and put it in my hair.

Aaand I realized that I have long, red, burning spots on my skin, literally the shape of my hair strands, everywhere where my hair, and the mask, touched my skin. I was terrified, washed the stuff out of my hair quickly, and spent the night wondering if it's serious.

The spots were gone by morning. It was the cinnamon, I guess. Oh I was happy I didn't put it on my scalp, only on my lengths :eek: I've never been allergic to anything, even less to cinnamon or honey or yogurt.

Don't mix cinnamon, honey and yogurt and don't put it in your hair. Or mix them, but for breakfast.

Cinnamon can make dark hair lighter (but it stains light hair) so it's used in a lot of hair mask recipes. But also it's a spice so it can really irritate and burn skin. I'm glad you didn't put it on your scalp though I've heard of some people who did and it wasn't pleasant

[menninkäinen]

Cinnamon can make dark hair lighter (but it stains light hair) so it's used in a lot of hair mask recipes. But also it's a spice so it can really irritate and burn skin. I'm glad you didn't put it on your scalp though I've heard of some people who did and it wasn't pleasant

Yes, I guess you never know how your skin reacts! It might work for some people :) (Probably better to have a strand test or something first, not a whole bowl on your head on your first try.)