33 Incredible Before-And-After Short Hair Makeovers By This Stylist (New Pics)

Bored Panda reached out to Galina to learn more about short haircuts from her perspective.

She shared what inspired her to challenge the traditional notion that femininity is tied to long hair, and how she conveys this message through her work.

Galina wrote: “A turning point came in my life when everything seemed to be falling apart. I found myself in an extremely difficult situation: my marriage was on the verge of divorce, doctors discovered a large tumor, and on top of that, I learned I was pregnant. My mother-in-law treated me with hostility, and in my new career path as a hairdresser, I was barely making any money, despite having had a stable income before.”

“Financial dependency weighed heavily on me – I couldn't afford even basic necessities: clothes, rent. Working in a mediocre salon for minimal pay, with few clients, I felt cornered. My husband didn't want children, and when I learned about the pregnancy and tumor simultaneously, I reached my breaking point. I faced a choice: jump from the 16th floor or find another way out. At that moment, I thought – I could always jump from the 16th floor, but why not try something new first, like shaving my head?

So I took this bold step – shaving my head completely. This decision, which seemed strange to many, became my salvation and a symbol of new life. Unexpectedly, I felt incredibly beautiful. Perhaps not in the traditional sense of femininity, but in a way that felt genuine and authentic.

This experience opened my eyes to the challenges faced by women without hair, especially those undergoing chemotherapy. I encountered a misunderstanding at work, where I was asked to wear a headscarf, faced rejections from clients who were afraid of a bald stylist, and dealt with judgment from other women.”

“That's when I understood my mission – to fight stereotypes about femininity. I realized that women might be bald for various reasons: by choice or due to circumstances. But most importantly, femininity isn't defined by hair length. It manifests in kindness, acceptance of others, inner strength, and beauty.

When women with long hair began to judge and criticize me, I saw that external attributes of femininity had nothing to do with true femininity. Real femininity isn't about hairstyles or appearance, but about being kind and understanding, accepting others as they are.

Now my goal is to show the world that femininity is multifaceted and doesn't depend on hair length or conforming to standards. It comes from within and manifests in our actions and attitudes toward others.”

“Through my personal transformation, I've become living proof that beauty and femininity transcend physical appearances. This journey has given me not just a new look, but a new purpose – helping other women understand that they too can break free from society's narrow definitions of beauty.

This experience has taught me that sometimes our darkest moments can lead to our greatest revelations. What started as an act of desperation became a powerful statement about self-determination and the true nature of femininity. Now, I work to create a world where every woman feels free to express her femininity in whatever way feels authentic to her, regardless of societal expectations or traditional standards of beauty.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​”

We asked Galina to share a memorable story of a client whose perspective or confidence was transformed after embracing a short hairstyle.

“A client came to me with a typical appearance – long, slightly wavy straw-colored hair, a plaid shirt, and simple pants. Her look could be called feminine, but it completely failed to reveal her true beauty and character. She dreamed of a serious relationship and marriage, but only attracted men who tried to take advantage of her financially.”

“The changes happened gradually, through several stages:

The first visit was cautious – minimal changes, as the client was very afraid to part with her length. I never pressure clients; it's important that the decision matures on its own.

A week later, she returned, ready for bolder changes. I cut it shorter, and that's when the first transformations began – hints of a new style and self-confidence started to emerge.

After a month, we ventured into an ultra-short cut. That's when her appearance truly came alive with new colors and dimension.”

“On the fourth visit, we went for a very short cut with blonde coloring. This became the final touch of complete transformation – she became an entirely different person.

The result exceeded all expectations. She met the man of her dreams – wealthy and interesting. When she showed him her old photos with long hair, he confessed, ‘I would have never approached you then.’ According to him, the short haircut made her stylish, modern, daring, and sexy.

Most importantly – this haircut helped reveal her true character. Everything that was previously hidden under the mask of ordinary appearance finally emerged. She gained not only a new look but also the self-confidence that attracts the right people into our lives.

This is just one of many transformation stories that show how changing a hairstyle can become a catalyst for deep personal changes and new opportunities in life.”

“Through this experience, we can see that a haircut is more than just a change in appearance – it's a gateway to discovering one's authentic self. When we dare to break free from conventional standards of beauty, we often find that our external transformation leads to profound internal changes.

The most beautiful part of this story isn't just the physical transformation, but how it empowered her to embrace her true identity. It shows that sometimes, what we perceive as a risky change can be the very thing that leads us to the life we've always wanted. True beauty emerges when we have the courage to express our authentic selves, regardless of societal expectations.”

Regarding staying up to date with trends in short haircuts and her approach to blending innovation with timeless styles, Galina responded: “My approach to creating haircuts is built on several key principles:

Individual client perception:

- Carefully studying a person's appearance;

- Listening to what drives the client, what they talk about;

- Trying to understand their lifestyle and character;

- Imagining how to reveal their individuality through the haircut.

Sources of inspiration:

- Actresses' looks in movies and media;

- Advertising campaigns;

- Style of modern influencers;

- Characters from books and their descriptions.”

“My creative process differs from the traditional approach to trends. I don't follow other hairdressers' work, and I especially don't focus on the Russian hairdressing industry. Instead, I create new looks through synthesis:

- Collecting interesting details from various sources;

- Combining elements seen in films;

- Uniting impressions from books I've read;

- Creating a new, unique picture in my imagination.

In my mind, each client appears in different images, and I choose the one that will best highlight their individuality. This isn't about following trends, but creating a personalized style that reflects the person's personality and helps them reveal themselves.”

“The main thing in my work is not to copy existing haircuts, but to create new images, drawing inspiration from various manifestations of beauty in modern culture and art.

This creative approach allows me to stay authentic while delivering truly unique results. Instead of being confined by current trends, I let my imagination and artistic vision guide me, always keeping the client's personality at the center of the creative process.

When you're not bound by conventional trends, you have the freedom to create something truly special. Every client becomes a canvas for artistic expression, but one that's deeply rooted in their own personality and desires.

The beauty of working beyond trends is that it creates timeless results. Rather than following fashion that will inevitably change, we create looks that reflect the eternal aspects of a person's character and soul.”

When we asked Galina if she has ever faced resistance or skepticism from clients or peers regarding short haircuts and femininity, she wrote: "When I started my journey as a master of short women's haircuts, I faced an incredible level of aggression and rejection. Daily, I received more than 300 messages with threats and insults. People didn't just criticize my work – they threatened me with physical violence, wrote about throwing acid at me, about breaking my hands. Entire websites appeared on the internet dedicated to bullying me and my work.

It was especially painful to realize that the main stream of negativity came from fellow hairdressers. This led to a complete break with the professional community. I realized that people in the hairdressing industry could no longer be my colleagues. When you receive such an amount of hatred daily from people in your profession, trust is irreversibly destroyed.”

“This experience profoundly affected me as a person. I became withdrawn and started avoiding people. The constant flow of negativity changed my perception of others – I began to see potential threats in everyone. Only now, years later, am I slowly beginning to restore my ability to trust people and communicate openly.

But time showed an amazing transformation. Those very hairdressers who bullied me during the first few years began to copy my style. They started promoting short haircuts, using my posts and repeating my words. And many ordinary people who initially wrote negative comments eventually became my clients.

There was a particularly memorable case when a client confessed to me right in the chair: ‘I used to write nasty things about you and called you a terrible master, but then I understood what you were talking about, and realized that you're actually a great master. I really love what you do.’”

“Although this experience left a deep mark on my soul, it made me stronger. I continue my mission of changing stereotypes about female beauty, and now, when I see negative reactions, I understand that this is often the first step toward acceptance and changing perspectives. Slowly but surely, society is beginning to accept a broader and more liberated understanding of femininity.

The journey of breaking stereotypes is never easy, but it's necessary for social progress. Every negative comment, every threat I received, paradoxically strengthened my resolve to continue my work. Because I understood that the strongest resistance often comes when you're truly changing something important in society.

What started as a personal battle has evolved into a movement for freedom of self-expression and redefinition of beauty standards. The transformation I've witnessed – from hatred to acceptance, from criticism to imitation – proves that persistent dedication to authentic vision can eventually overcome even the most deeply rooted prejudices.”

As for the advice to women hesitant about cutting their hair short due to societal or cultural stereotypes, Galina commented: “I often reflect on the nature of time and our decisions. While I believe in life after death, there's one undeniable truth: this particular life, in this body, with these opportunities, we live only once. And the greatest tragedy is to realize at the end of our journey that many doors remained unopened, many possibilities unexplored.

Let me share a personal experience. I'm 40 years old, and there are things I can never experience as I could have in my youth. For instance, those pure, naive romantic relationships of teenage years, when the heart hasn't hardened, when the world is perceived completely differently. Now, meeting people my age, I understand – we all carry our scars, our experiences. We can never again see the world through seventeen-year-old eyes. That moment is lost forever.”

“Another example from my life is my dream of celebrating New Year in Thailand. Year after year, I postponed this trip, considering it too expensive, telling myself: ‘Next year.’ Then COVID came, borders closed for two years, and I faced a realization – what if my life had ended during this time? I would never have fulfilled my dream.

Therefore, my advice to women who hesitate about getting a short haircut due to social opinion or cultural stereotypes is simple: act now. We never know how much time we have. Every day I wake up with the awareness of this truth, and it makes me value every opportunity for change and growth.

A haircut might seem like a minor decision compared to other life choices, but it's a symbol of something bigger – our readiness to live authentically, to follow our desires despite society's fears and prejudices. It's a step toward the freedom to be ourselves.”

“Don't let fear of judgment or cultural stereotypes dictate your choices. Because one day, looking back, you might regret not what you did, but what you didn't dare to do. And this regret might prove much heavier than any criticism from society.

Life is too short to live by others' rules. Act now, try new things, explore your boundaries. Because the moment of ‘later’ might never come.

We often trap ourselves in the illusion of having endless time, but each passing moment is unique and irreplaceable. Whether it's a dramatic change like a short haircut or pursuing a long-held dream, the time to act is now. The present moment is our only guaranteed reality, and it's here where we have the power to make choices that align with our true selves.

Remember that courage isn't about the absence of fear, but about acting despite it. Every time we choose authenticity over conformity, we not only transform our own lives but also inspire others to do the same. In the end, it's not the opinions of others that shape our legacy, but the courage we showed in living true to ourselves.”

Lastly, Galina added: “Dear readers, I want to address each of you with an important message: please be kinder to yourself. Start with the simplest thing – self-care. This isn't selfishness; it's the fundamental foundation for creating a better world.

My mission is to show women that they can be beautiful and happy. But true beauty begins with self-acceptance. When a woman looks in the mirror and accepts herself completely – with her unique ears, nose, height, with or without hair – this is the first step toward global change.

Why is this so important? Because a happy, self-loving woman raises kind and loving children. And these children, in turn, will be able to raise an even kinder generation. These aren't just beautiful words – this is the path to changing the world.”