10 hairstyles that look good in photos but cheap in person

I was scrolling through Instagram last week while my toddler napped, and I came across this gorgeous hair tutorial. The model had these perfect beach waves that looked effortless and expensive. I saved it, thinking I'd try it for our next date night with Matias.

Fast forward to Saturday evening. I spent forty minutes recreating those waves, and when I looked in the mirror, something felt off. In photos under my bathroom lighting, it looked great. But when we got to the restaurant and I caught my reflection in their big mirror? The whole thing looked messy and a bit cheap, like I hadn't brushed my hair properly.

That's when it hit me. Some hairstyles are made for the camera, not real life. They photograph beautifully but don't translate well when you're actually standing in front of someone. Here are the ones I've learned to avoid when I want to look polished in person.

1. Super tight ringlet curls all over

You know those curls that look bouncy and full of life in photos? The ones that seem to have perfect definition and shine? In person, they often read as costume-like or dated.

The problem is the uniformity. When every single curl is the same size and tightness, it lacks the natural variation that makes hair look expensive. Real hair has different textures and fall patterns, even when it's styled.

I tried this once for a family gathering in Santiago. My mother-in-law's friend complimented my "brave" choice, which is Chilean code for "that's an interesting decision." The curls photographed great in our family pictures, but all evening I felt like I was wearing a wig.

If you want curls that look good both ways, go for looser waves with varying sizes. Let some pieces fall straighter. That natural imperfection is what makes it look intentional and high-end.

2. Extreme side parts with one eye covered

This was huge a few years back, and it still pops up in editorial shoots. The hair is parted deeply on one side, with a heavy curtain covering half the face. It creates drama in photos and gives that mysterious, editorial vibe.

But walk into a meeting or a dinner party with this style, and people will either think you forgot to finish getting ready or that you're hiding something. You spend the whole time tucking hair behind your ear, which makes it look even more disheveled.

I learned this the hard way during a work video call. I thought the dramatic side part looked chic on camera, but my colleague gently asked if my camera was freezing because she could only see half my face. Not the sophisticated look I was going for.

A softer side part works better for everyday situations. You get some asymmetry and interest without looking like you're auditioning for a shampoo commercial.

3. Hair with visible section lines from hot tools

When you curl or straighten your hair in sections, those lines where one section ends and another begins can be invisible in photos, especially with good lighting and angles. The camera flattens everything out.

In real life though, those demarcation lines show up under normal lighting. It looks unfinished, like you stopped halfway through styling. I see this a lot when I'm out in Itaim Bibi, women with otherwise beautiful hair that has these subtle horizontal lines running through it.

The fix is simple but takes more time. After you finish styling, run your fingers through your hair to blend the sections. Use a brush with natural bristles to soften any harsh lines. That extra five minutes makes the difference between looking polished and looking like you rushed.

4. Poker straight hair with blunt, heavy bangs

This look is everywhere on social media. The hair is flat-ironed to perfection, hanging like a sheet of glass, with thick, blunt-cut bangs sitting right above the eyebrows. In photos, especially close-ups, it looks sleek and fashion-forward.

Step into natural daylight, and it often looks severe and heavy. The lack of movement makes it read as wig-like, and those heavy bangs can actually age you by making your face look smaller and more closed off.

I have a friend who committed to this style after seeing it on Pinterest. She looked amazing in selfies but admitted she felt frumpy in person. When she added some subtle layers and lightened up the bangs, the difference was immediate. She looked softer and more approachable.

Hair needs some movement to look expensive in real life. Even if you love straight hair, a bit of texture or face-framing layers makes it look more intentional.

5. Overly teased crown with smooth lengths

Big volume at the crown with sleek, smooth hair on the rest of the head photographs beautifully. It creates dimension and makes your face look lifted. Beauty influencers use this trick constantly.

But in person, that stark contrast often looks disconnected. You can see where the teasing starts and stops, and it reads as trying too hard. The top looks puffy while the rest looks flat, and the whole thing lacks cohesion.

If you want volume, work it through your whole head gradually. Use a volumizing spray at the roots and blow-dry with a round brush. The lift looks more natural and integrated with the rest of your hair.

6. Ultra sleek low ponytails pulled tight

The slicked-back ponytail is a classic for a reason, and it can look incredibly chic. But there's a version that's too tight, too perfect, with every single hair glued down with gel or spray. It photographs as sophisticated and clean.

In real life, it can look harsh. That tight pull emphasizes every facial feature, not always in a flattering way, and the shine from all that product can read as greasy under certain lighting. Plus, you can actually see the tension on the scalp, which doesn't look comfortable or expensive.

I used to do this for formal events until Matias pointed out that I looked stressed in all the photos, even though I was smiling. It was the tight ponytail pulling at my face, creating this tense expression I didn't even realize I had.

A slightly looser version, with a few face-framing pieces left out, looks infinitely better in person. It's still polished but softer and more approachable.

7. Mermaid waves with too much product

Those glossy, defined waves that look like you just emerged from the ocean are stunning in photos. Each wave catches the light perfectly, and the whole look seems effortless and beachy.

The reality is often different. To get that definition and shine, you need a lot of product. Mousse, sea salt spray, shine serum, sometimes all three. In person, especially as the day goes on, that hair starts to look crunchy or weighed down. Touch it and it feels stiff.

I made this mistake before our last date night. The waves looked perfect in my bathroom mirror, but by dessert, my hair felt like straw and Matias joked that it could probably hold its shape in a windstorm.

Less product, more natural texture. Your hair should move when you move. That's what looks expensive and healthy in real life.

8. Perfectly symmetrical victory rolls or vintage updos

Vintage hairstyles photograph incredibly well. They're structured, interesting, and give off that glamorous old Hollywood vibe. Think perfectly matched victory rolls or those elaborate 1950s updos with every pin in place.

But outside of a themed party or a costume event, these styles often look out of place. They're too perfect, too costume-like for everyday settings. Even at a wedding, they can read as trying too hard or looking like you're in a play.

One of my girlfriends showed up to brunch once with these immaculate pin curls arranged around her face. She looked beautiful in the photos we took, but the whole morning she seemed uncomfortable, constantly checking if they were still in place. It drew more attention to her hair than to her.

If you love vintage vibes, take elements from those eras but modernize them. A soft wave with a vintage-inspired hair accessory gives you that nod to the past without looking like you time-traveled.

9. Hair with obvious extensions showing

Extensions can add beautiful length and volume, and in photos, especially from the front, they blend seamlessly. Professional photographers know how to angle shots so you can't see where the real hair ends and the extensions begin.

In person, poorly blended extensions are obvious. You can see the line where they're attached, or the color doesn't quite match, or the texture is different from the natural hair. It cheapens the whole look because it's clear you're wearing something fake.

I've seen this at events in São Paulo, women with gorgeous long hair in photos but when they turn around, you can spot the wefts or the different textures. The best extensions are the ones no one knows you're wearing.

If you're using extensions, invest in good ones and have them professionally blended. The color, texture, and placement all matter. Or embrace your natural length and work with what you have.

10. Overly sculpted, hairsprayed updos

We've all seen those updos that look like architectural masterpieces. Every strand is in place, sprayed and pinned to perfection. They photograph as elegant and formal, which is why they're popular for weddings and galas.

But get close to someone with one of these updos, and you can see the layers of hairspray creating a shell around their head. The hair doesn't move naturally, and sometimes you can even see the white residue from the spray. It looks stiff and dated in person.

I attended a wedding last year, and one of the guests had one of these heavily sprayed updos. In the professional photos, it looked stunning. But during the reception, under the venue's lighting and up close during conversations, you could see how artificial it looked. By the end of the night, pieces were falling out in chunks because the spray had created a kind of helmet that couldn't gracefully come undone.

A softer updo with some texture and movement looks more expensive and modern. A few loose pieces, less product, and an overall softer approach creates something that looks just as elegant but more natural.

Final thoughts

The common thread through all of these is that they prioritize the photograph over the reality. And I get it, we live in a world where we document everything. But you're living in your body, with that hairstyle, for hours before and after that photo gets taken.

Choose styles that make you feel confident when you catch your reflection in a window, not just when you're posing for a picture. Hair that moves, that looks healthy, that seems effortless even if it took work is what reads as expensive and put-together in person.

Save the Instagram-perfect styles for actual photo shoots, and for daily life, go with something that looks just as good from every angle, under every light, and after a few hours of wear. That's the real test of a good hairstyle.