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A Color Specialist

Styling Professional operating from California who excels at grey hair. Among his clientele are Hollywood stars and Andie MacDowell.

Which budget-friendly product is a must-have?

My top pick is a soft fabric towel, or even a gentle tee to remove moisture from your strands. Most people don’t realise how much damage a standard towel can do, especially to lightened or dyed strands. This one small change can really minimize flyaways and damage. Another affordable staple is a wide-tooth comb, to use while conditioning. It shields your locks while removing knots and helps preserve the strength of the individual hairs, notably following coloring.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

A professional-grade heat styling tool – ceramic or tourmaline, with adjustable temperature options. Silver and light-coloured hair can yellow or burn easily without the correct device.

Which hair trend or treatment would you never recommend?

DIY bleaching. Social media makes it look easy, but the reality is it’s one of the biggest gambles you can do to your hair. There are cases where individuals melt their hair, break it off or end up with striped effects that are nearly impossible to correct. I also don’t recommend chemical straightening processes on color-treated or grey hair. These chemical systems are often excessively strong for delicate locks and can cause chronic issues or color changes.

What’s the most common mistake you see in your salon?

People using the wrong products for their particular strand characteristics. A number of people misuse violet-based cleansers until their silver or blond hair looks flat and dull. Others rely too much on strengthening conditioners and end up with stiff, brittle hair. Another significant problem is heat styling without protection. When applying hot tools or dryers without a protective product, – particularly on bleached locks – you’re going to see discoloration, dehydration and damage.

Which solutions help with shedding?

Hair loss needs a multilayered approach. Topically, minoxidil is still one of the most effective treatments. My advice includes follicle treatments containing stimulants to boost blood flow and promote root strength. Incorporating a clarifying shampoo regularly helps remove residue and allows solutions to be more efficient. Supplements such as Nutrafol or Viviscal Pro have also shown positive outcomes. They support the body from the inside out by balancing body chemistry, anxiety and lack of vital nutrients.

For people looking for something more advanced, blood-derived therapies – where a concentration from your blood is administered – can be beneficial. Still, my advice is to seeing a dermatologist or trichologist first. Thinning can be linked to medical conditions, and it’s important to get to the root cause rather than chasing surface-level fixes.

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A Trichology Expert

Trichologist and brand president of Philip Kingsley services and items for shedding.

How frequently do you schedule salon visits?

My trims are every couple of months, but will trim off splits at home bi-weekly to preserve strand health, and have color touches every two months.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

Toppik hair fibres are remarkably effective if you have areas of scalp visibility. The fibres cling electrostatically to your own hair, and it comes in a assortment of tones, making it almost invisible. I used it myself in the postpartum period when I had noticeable thinning – and also now while experiencing some considerable hair loss after having a bad infection previously. As hair isn’t an essential tissue, it’s the earliest indicator of health issues when your nutrition is inadequate, so I would also recommend a healthy, varied eating plan.

Which premium option is truly valuable?

If you have female pattern hair loss (FPHL), I’d say doctor-recommended solutions. When dealing with temporary hair loss, known as TE, buying an retail solution is fine, but for FPHL you really do need clinical interventions to see the best results. In my opinion, minoxidil compounded with other hair-supportive actives – such as balancing elements, inhibitors and/or calming components – works best.

Which popular remedy is ineffective?

Rosemary extracts for shedding. It's ineffective. This belief comes from a minor study from 2015 that compared the effects of 2% minoxidil to rosemary oil. A low concentration like 2% is insufficient to do much for genetic balding in men, so the study is basically saying they are equally minimal in effect.

Additionally, excessive biotin. Hardly anyone is biotin deficient, so consuming it probably won't help your locks, and it can skew thyroid readings in blood tests.

What’s the most common mistake you see?

Personally, I prefer "scalp cleansing" over "hair washing" – because the real aim of shampooing your hair is to rid your scalp of old oils, dead skin cells, sweat and environmental pollution. I notice clients skipping washes as they think it’s damaging to their locks, when in fact the reverse is correct – particularly with flaky scalp, which is worsened by the presence of excess oils. If natural oils stay on the head, they break down and become inflammatory.

Regrettably, follicular health and strand desires can differ, so it’s a delicate equilibrium. However, if you cleanse softly and treat damp strands kindly, it shouldn't harm your hair.

Which product, treatment or supplement would you recommend for hair loss?

For genetic thinning in women, start with minoxidil. It's backed by strong research and tends to be most effective combined with additional ingredients. Should you wish to enhance minoxidil's benefits, or you prefer not to use it or are unable, you could try micro-needling (under professional care), and perhaps PRP or low-level laser therapy.

For TE, you need to do some detective work. Excessive daily shedding occurs in response to an internal factor. Occasionally, the reason is temporary – such as sickness, virus or emotional strain – and it will resolve on its own. Sometimes, hormonal problems or dietary gaps are responsible – the most common being ferritin (stored iron), vitamin B12 and vitamin D deficiency – and to {treat the hair loss you need to treat the cause|address shedding, target the underlying issue|combat thinning, focus