A woman went to Bangkok for a glow-up she couldn’t afford back home, but she says the salon bleached her whole head instead of a balayage

Charissa Enget (lifeofcharissae), a trip planner who specializes in Thailand, recently discovered that beauty tourism can be a bit of a gamble after a trip to a hair salon in Bangkok. Enget, who frequently travels to the region, documented her attempt at a full makeover on TikTok and Instagram, where the posts have racked up more than six million views across both platforms.

In her first post, Enget announced her plans to her followers, noting, “I’m in Bangkok, and I’m about to start my glow up, which means I’m about to get all the services I can’t afford in the USA, but I wish I could afford.” Her itinerary included a lash tint and lift and a high-end pedicure and manicure at Nailosophy, followed by a hair appointment.

In her second video, Enget filmed each step of the makeover, starting with her lash lift. Then she filmed her nail appointment from her massage chair. As the “#1 Pedicurist” scrubbed her feet, she said, “They actually have the best pedicure I’ve ever had in my life. I got the baby skin package, and she used the razor and cheese grater and got every inch of skin off my feet.”

Things went wrong at the hair appointment

Enget shared that she found the hair salon online and brought reference images for a haircut and a balayage. However, she said she noticed the stylist applying bleach to her entire head instead of just the roots. She was initially unhappy with the results, but instead of freaking out, she decided to sleep on it, joking, “I’ve been ugly before. I can be ugly again.”

The next morning, she felt “alternative, like Avril Lavigne.” So she threw on eyeliner, got a Grab Motorbike, and gave her viewers “a dramatic hair shot.”

Enget’s viewers loved her energy. In the comments, many suggested that purple shampoo or toner would fix her hair concerns. Others loved the look, with one user comparing her to “90s Nicole Kidman” and another to 2000s Lindsay Lohan. Some users didn’t see the point of a cheaper makeover, with one pointing out that she had paid thousands to go to Bangkok.

Beautycon describes beauty tourism as traveling abroad for cosmetic treatments, often because lower costs make these services more accessible than they are in the United States. Clinictor notes that Thailand is recognized for its affordable facials, manicures, and pedicures. Shopping on price alone can carry risks, though, including limited recourse if something goes wrong.

Thailand’s lower costs draw more than beauty tourists, too, with one couple saying they retired there on $82 a day. Enget, meanwhile, is already planning her next move. In her caption, she wrote, “I think I’m gonna get my hair fixed in Chiang Mai or South Korea with some toner and low lights that match my natural brown color. Until then I will be alternative.”

Attack of the Fanboy was unable to independently verify the hair salon’s side of the story, as this account originates solely from Enget’s Instagram and TikTok posts.