Editorial Guidelines

Our standard

A reader should be able to take any look on this site to a salon and get it. That means exact lengths, honest upkeep numbers, a clear note on which textures and densities it suits, and the words to ask for it. If a page can't give that much detail, it isn't ready to publish.

What we cover

We cover short hair only: cuts that end at or above the collarbone, short hair for specific needs (fine, thick, curly, coily, gray, thinning), styling and maintenance, and growing short hair out. Keeping to one subject lets us go deeper on it than a general beauty site can.

How we research

• We start from real questions. Each guide begins with the questions readers actually ask about a cut, including the worries that come up in forums and salon chairs, not only search keywords.
• We review what already exists. We read the leading guides on a topic to see what they cover and, more usefully, what they leave out, then build the page around those gaps.
• We use professional consensus for technique. Cutting and styling advice reflects how stylists who specialize in short hair commonly work. Where professionals disagree, we say so.
• We cite primary sources for science. Claims about hair structure, growth, aging or scalp health link to peer-reviewed research or recognized medical bodies, not to other blogs.

How we write

• Every texture. Advice is checked for straight, wavy, curly and coily hair. A cut that works on fine straight hair can fail on dense curls, and we say when that happens.
• Specific, not flattering. We give lengths in inches or by landmark, trim intervals in weeks and styling time in minutes. We avoid claims that a cut suits everyone or will make you look younger.
• Honest limits. Every guide includes who a cut is not right for and what to try instead.
• Plain language. Salon terms such as graduation, point cutting or a tapered nape are explained the first time they appear.

Authors and review

Guides are researched and drafted by the Short Hairstyles Edit Editorial Team and reviewed by our expert panel, each member in their own field:

• Cutting technique and salon language: Adam Reed, London editorial hairstylist and salon owner
• Chief reviewer, every guide, with a focus on curly, coily and textured hair: Vernon François, hairstylist and educator
• Styling and everyday wear: Mara Roszak and Jen Atkin, celebrity hairstylists
• Hair loss, shedding and scalp health: Anabel Kingsley, consultant trichologist

A guide carries a "Reviewed by" line, with the date, only after that review has taken place, and a panel member's byline only on work they wrote. Until a guide has been reviewed, it is credited to the Editorial Team. We never invent experts, credentials, quotes, client stories or product tests, and we don't present general professional advice as one person's first-hand experience.

Conflicts of interest. Several panel members own or represent haircare brands, and each author page discloses which. Panel members never review product recommendations or comparisons that involve brands they own or represent, and their involvement doesn't change our rule of naming product types and ingredients rather than brands.

We use software tools, including AI-assisted tools, to help with research and drafting. Every page is checked against these guidelines and a published quality checklist before it goes live, and we remain responsible for everything we publish.

Health-related topics

Pages about thinning, hair loss, regrowth after illness, scalp conditions or chemical services (relaxers, perms, color) carry extra care. They give general information only, point readers to a dermatologist for diagnosis, and are reviewed by our consultant trichologist. Trichologists are hair and scalp specialists, not medical doctors, so these pages always point to a dermatologist for anything that needs a diagnosis. Nothing on this site is medical advice; see our disclaimer.

Images

Images show the cut described in the text, including its length and texture. We don't use photos of real people without permission, and we never credit an image to a photographer, salon or social account that did not create it. Where an image is an illustration or AI-generated rather than a photograph of a real client, we label it as such.

Independence

We are brand-neutral. We recommend product types and ingredients (for example, a light cream for fine curls or a matte paste for a textured pixie), never brands. We accept no payment, free products or other compensation for coverage, and the site does not currently carry advertising or affiliate links. If we introduce advertising, it will be clearly separated from editorial content and will never shape what we recommend.

Updates

We review guides regularly and update them when techniques, research or reader questions change. The date at the top of each article shows when it was published or last meaningfully updated. We don't change the date for cosmetic edits.

Corrections

If we get something wrong, we fix it. Email contact@shorthairstylesedit.com with "Correction" in the subject line, the page address and what you believe is incorrect. We review every report. Factual errors are corrected promptly, and when a correction changes the substance of the advice, we note it on the page.