I Made Illustrations About “Hair Days”, Bad Hair Day, Good Hair Day, And So On…

Some people track their lives in journals. I track mine through my hair.
If my curls are cooperating, I’m basically the CEO of Confidence. If they’re
doing that mysterious triangle thing, I’m suddenly reconsidering every life
choice, starting with, “Why did I sleep on a cotton pillowcase again?”

That emotional roller coaster is what inspired my series of illustrations
about “hair days”: bad hair days, good hair days, mediocre ponytail days,
emergency-hat days, and everything in between. The phrase “bad hair day”
isn’t just a salon-level tragedy anymoreit’s become a shortcut for “today
is not going to plan.”

And honestly, no wonder. Surveys suggest the average American has roughly
96 bad hair days a yearbasically three whole months of “please don’t tag me
in that photo.” Add in humidity, heat styling,
stress, and one impulsive bang trim, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for
drama, comedy, and very relatable art.

In this article, I’ll walk you through the different “hair days” I turned
into illustrations, what they say about our mood and self-image, and how
we can turn even the worst hair day into something worth laughing about
(and maybe learning from).

What We Really Mean by a “Bad Hair Day”

Technically, a bad hair day is “a day when one’s hair is unattractive and
unmanageable.” Informally, it’s evolved into
“a day when everything feels off”: the coffee spills, the bus is late,
your favorite jeans shrink mysteriously in the wash, and yes, your hair
refuses to cooperate.

When I started sketching my “hair days” series, I realized how often we use
hair as a mood barometer. We say:

• “I can’t go out, my hair looks crazy.” (Translation: I don’t feel like myself.)
• “My hair actually turned out nice today!” (Translation: my confidence meter is full.)
• “This haircut ruined my week.” (Translation: I’m questioning my entire identity.)

Research backs up that connection. Tools like the Hair & Scalp CARE
questionnaire show that the health and appearance of our hair can
significantly affect psychological well-being, self-esteem, and even how
social we feel. When our hair feels “wrong,” we often
feel less like showing up in the world.

The Cast of Characters: Types of Hair Days I Illustrated

While planning this series, I realized there are recurring “characters”
that show up in everyone’s hair story. So I turned each one into an
illustrationpart diary entry, part comic, part therapy session with a
sketchbook.

The Classic Bad Hair Day

In this illustration, my hair wakes up before I doand not in a good way.
Think frizz, random knots, rebellious baby hairs, and a cowlick that’s
clearly plotting something.

In the drawing, I’m staring at the mirror while my hair explodes in every
direction like a cartoon thundercloud. The text bubble says, “So this is
the hill you choose to die on today?” and the hair, obviously, wins.

Globally, plenty of people know this struggle. Studies on hair types and
scalp concerns show high rates of complaints about frizz, split ends, and
dullnessespecially among women and people over 40.
So if your hair feels chaotic, you’re very much in good (and messy) company.

The Good Hair Day, a Rare and Precious Event

Then there’s the opposite: the good hair day. You know the one:

• Your curls are defined.
• Your waves align like they got the group chat memo.
• Your straight hair is smooth, shiny, and somehow not sticking to your lip gloss.

My “good hair day” illustration looks like a movie poster. The lighting is
dramatic, my hair is in slow-motion, and my to-do list doesn’t stand a
chance because I feel unstoppable.

The funny thing is, we often don’t do anything wildly different on those
dayssame shampoo, same products, same routine. But the stars (and the
weather, and our pillowcase) decide to align. That unpredictability is
exactly what makes good hair days feel magical.

The “I Tried Something New” Hair Day

This is the hair day that begins with optimism and ends with you Googling
“how long does it take for bangs to grow out.”

In my illustration, I’m sitting in the stylist’s chair with a brave smile
and wild eyes, while the caption reads: “Just a tiny change, nothing too
dramatic.” The next panel: full micro-bangs and the facial expression of
someone emotionally not prepared for this plot twist.

Bored Panda-style hair comics and “worst haircut” lists are full of these
momentscuts that looked great on Pinterest but turned chaotic in real
life. They’re tragic in the moment,
hilarious later, and priceless as source material for art.

The “Weather vs. Hair” Day

Humidity is where hair hope goes to die. You can spend an hour straightening
or diffusing, step outside, and instantly transform into a frizz halo.

In my weather-themed illustration, I draw myself stepping out the door with
perfectly styled hair. The next panel? Instant expansion. The caption says,
“Weather: 1, Me: 0.”

There’s science behind the joke. Humidity makes the hair shaft absorb water,
causing it to swell and change shapeespecially if your hair is wavy or
curly. That’s why so much hair-care advice focuses on anti-humidity sprays,
smoothing serums, and protective styles to keep frizz under control.

The “Zoom Call Panic” Hair Day

This one was born during the era of remote everything. You’ve got
approximately 2 minutes before a video meeting. From the shoulders up,
you need to look functional. From the shoulders down, you’re still in
pajama pants with mystery stains.

In my illustration, the camera crop shows glossy hair in a neat bun.
Below the frame are slippers, an oversized hoodie, and a coffee mug
that’s doing its best.

This is one of my favorite hair days to draw because it’s not about
perfectionit’s about strategy. Slicked-back buns, messy top knots, and
headbands become survival tools when hair has decided today is not the
day, but your calendar disagrees.

Why Our Hair Feels So Emotional

Hair is rarely just hair. It’s part of how we tell the world who we are:
relaxed or edgy, polished or playful, minimalist or maximalist. No wonder
a “bad hair day” can feel like a personal attack.

Studies show that people who are unhappy with their hair often report lower
confidence and more self-consciousness in social situations.
When hair doesn’t match how we want to be seen, it’s easy to spiral into
“I look awful” instead of “my hair is having a moment.”

In my illustrations, I tried to capture those emotions honestly:

• The insecurity of seeing a bad photo and thinking, “Is that how I look all the time?”
• The little jolt of joy when your hair cooperates exactly when you need it most.
• The comfort of throwing everything into a bun and deciding that your personality will carry the day.

The goal wasn’t to shame any hair type or texture, but to show the funny,
vulnerable, relatable realities we sharewhether your hair is curly,
straight, coily, fine, or a chaotic mashup of all of the above.

Quick Fixes That Turn a Bad Hair Day Around

While the art leans heavily into humor, I also dug into real-life tips
from hair-care experts and stylists to add some practical wisdom between
the jokes.

1. Fight Humid Frizz With Moisture, Not Just Hold

Frizz usually means your hair is thirsty. Instead of just drowning it in
hairspray, pros suggest:

• Using a hydrating shampoo and conditioner.
• Applying a leave-in conditioner or anti-frizz serum.
• Letting hair dry completely before going outside in humid weather.

Smoothing, sealing products and occasional masks can make a big difference
on those wet, frizz-triggering days.

2. Embrace Strategic Styling

When your hair refuses to match the vision in your head, it’s time for
“Plan B” styles:

• Low bun or chignon for frizz and flyaways.
• Half-up styles to tame volume while keeping some movement.
• Braids to hide texture chaos and look intentional.
• Headbands, scarves, and hats when you need instant cuteness with minimal effort.

My illustrations exaggerate these stylesgiant bows, dramatic clips,
cartoonishly large hatsbut the real-life versions are genuinely helpful
for surviving a bad hair day in public.

3. Use Dry Shampoo Wisely

Oil buildup is a classic bad hair day villain. Dry shampoo can be a
lifesaver when roots are greasy but you don’t have time for a full wash.
It absorbs oil and helps refresh styles between shampoos.

But experts also warn that using dry shampoo too oftenespecially instead
of actual washingcan lead to buildup, itchiness, and irritation over
time. It’s a quick fix, not a full routine. In my series, I draw dry
shampoo as a tiny superhero with a cape… but also a calendar reminder to
actually wash your hair later.

4. Remember: Hair Grows, Styles Change, Photos Fade

One of the comforting truths behind all these illustrations is that hair
is temporary. The tragic haircut grows out. The overly short bangs blend
in. The color that looked better on the box eventually fades.

That perspective is what turns a bad hair day from a crisis into a story
you laugh about laterand sometimes, into a comic people share because
they see themselves in it.

How Humor (and Bored Panda–Style Illustrations) Help

Platforms like Bored Panda are full of comics about everyday struggles:
awkward hair problems, failed haircuts, shower thoughts, and quiet
insecurities turned into goofy drawings.
When people upvote or comment “this is so me,” it’s a way of saying,
“I thought I was the only one.”

That’s why I drew my hair days as slightly exaggerated but always honest.
The goal wasn’t to present some unattainable “perfect hair” fantasy, but
to show:

• The messy bun that actually took five attempts.
• The ponytail that looks sleek from the front but chaotic from the back.
• The “effortless waves” that took three YouTube tutorials and mild emotional damage.

By turning those moments into illustrations, they stop feeling like
personal failures and start feeling like inside jokes we’re all in on.

Behind the Scenes: What I Learned From Drawing My “Hair Days”

When I first started this project, I thought I was simply drawing funny
hair situations. But a few dozen panels in, I realized I was basically
journaling my life through my reflection in the mirror.

The earliest sketches came from pure frustration. There was one morning
when my curls refused to clump together, my part looked strange no matter
where I put it, and I had exactly seven minutes before I had to leave the
house. I snapped a quick selfie, not because I liked how I looked, but
because I knew: “This is going to be a comic later.”

Turning those moments into art did something surprisingit softened them.
Instead of thinking, “I look terrible,” I started thinking, “This will be
such a good panel.” Suddenly, the bad hair days became raw material instead
of evidence that something was wrong with me.

I also started paying attention to patterns. On the days my hair looked
great, it wasn’t always because I’d spent more time styling it. Often, it
was because I’d slept enough, drunk enough water, or simply felt better
emotionally. My posture changed. My expression softened. The hair was part
of the picture, but not the whole story.

One of my favorite experiences came after I posted an illustration of “The
Bangs Regret.” It showed me trying to trim my own bangs at 1 a.m. with dull
scissors and too much misplaced confidence. In the next frame, the bangs
were far shorter than planned, and my expression said, “I have made a
mistake.”

People flooded the comments with their own versions of the same story:

• Someone who cut their hair using a YouTube tutorial and forgot to account for shrinkage.
• Someone who dyed their hair at home and ended up with accidental orange highlights.
• Someone whose “face-framing layers” turned into “accidental mullet.”

Reading those stories and turning a few of them into follow-up sketches
reminded me that hair is one of the most universal, low-stakes-but-feels-high-stakes
dramas we have. It’s not life or deathbut in the moment, it can have the
emotional weight of a plot twist.

Drawing good hair days taught me something else: they’re rarely just about
the hair. In those illustrations, I’m usually doing something I lovemeeting
a friend, finishing a project, going on a date, trying something new. The
hair looks great, but what makes the image feel joyful is the energy around
it. When I look back at those drawings, I remember the whole day, not just
the curls.

Over time, this project changed the way I talk to myself in the mirror.
I’m a little kinder on bad hair days because I know they’ll make for a good
story later. I’m more appreciative on good hair days because I know they’re
a gift, not a guarantee. And most of all, I’ve learned to see my hairevery
frizzy, flat, fluffy, tangled version of itnot as an enemy, but as a very
dramatic, very expressive side character in the larger comic of my life.

If you’ve ever wanted to scream at your reflection, I hope these
illustrations (and this article) remind you of three things:

1. You’re not alone; everyone has wild hair days.
2. Hair grows, styles change, and photos get lost in the algorithm.
3. There’s almost always something to laugh abouteven if it’s just the way your bun mysteriously migrated to the side of your head.

So the next time you’re tempted to declare a “bad hair day,” feel free to
upgrade it to “future great story day” instead. Your hair might not be
perfect, but it’s definitely interestingand that’s exactly what makes it
worth illustrating.