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A Color Specialist

Colourist based in California who excels at grey hair. Among his clientele are celebrated actors and Andie MacDowell.

Which budget-friendly product is a must-have?

I highly recommend a microfibre towel, or even a soft cotton T-shirt to dry your hair. Many are unaware how much harm a typical terrycloth towel can do, particularly for lightened or dyed strands. A simple switch can really reduce frizz and breakage. Another affordable staple is a large-gap comb, to use while conditioning. It safeguards your strands while removing knots and helps keep the health of the strands, notably following coloring.

What item or service justifies the extra cost?

A professional-grade heat styling tool – featuring innovative technology, with adjustable temperature options. Silver and light-coloured hair can develop brassy tones or get damaged without the correct device.

Which popular practice is a definite no-go?

DIY bleaching. Internet videos often simplify it, but the truth is it’s one of the riskiest things you can do to your hair. I’ve witnessed clients cause irreversible harm, experience breakage or end up with bands of colour that are nearly impossible to correct. I would also avoid long-term smoothing services on color-treated or grey hair. These formulations are often excessively strong for weakened hair and can cause lasting harm or discoloration.

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

Clients selecting inappropriate items for their hair type or colour. Certain clients overapply colour-correcting purple shampoo until their blonde or grey strands looks lifeless and muted. A few overdo on high-protein masks and end up with rigid, fragile strands. A further common mistake is using hot tools sans safeguard. When applying flat irons, curling irons or blow dryers without a protective product, – particularly on bleached locks – you’re going to see discoloration, dehydration and damage.

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

Thinning requires a comprehensive strategy. For direct application, minoxidil is highly proven. I also recommend scalp formulas with active ingredients to stimulate circulation and promote root strength. Incorporating a clarifying shampoo regularly helps eliminate impurities and allows solutions to be more efficient. Oral aids like specialized formulas have also shown notable improvements. They enhance overall health for hair benefits by balancing body chemistry, anxiety and dietary insufficiencies.

For those seeking higher-level solutions, platelet-rich plasma treatments – where your own platelet-rich plasma is injected into the scalp – can be beneficial. Still, my advice is to getting a professional diagnosis beforehand. Shedding may relate to internal factors, and it’s important to get to the root cause rather than pursuing temporary solutions.

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A Hair and Scalp Specialist

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

What’s your routine for trims and color?

My trims are every couple of months, but will snip damaged ends myself fortnightly to preserve strand health, and have highlights done every eight weeks.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

Hair-thickening particles are remarkably effective if you have areas of scalp visibility. These particles bond to your existing hair, and it comes in a variety of shades, making it virtually undetectable. I personally applied it after childbirth when I had noticeable thinning – and also now while experiencing some marked thinning after having a bad infection previously. Because locks are secondary, it’s the initial area to show decline when your nutrition is inadequate, so I would also recommend a balanced, nutritious diet.

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 medicated treatment to see the best results. I believe minoxidil mixed with supporting compounds – such as hormones, anti-androgens and/or anti-inflammatories – works best.

What should you always skip?

Rosemary oil for hair loss. It's ineffective. This belief comes from a minor study from 2015 that compared the effects of a low-dose minoxidil with rosemary oil. A low concentration like 2% is insufficient to do much for hereditary thinning in males, so the study is basically saying they are equally minimal in effect.

Likewise, mega-doses of biotin. Rarely do people lack biotin, so taking it is unlikely to do your hair any good, and it can skew thyroid readings in blood tests.

What blunder stands out often?

In my view, we should rename "hair washing" to "scalp cleaning" – because the main goal of cleansing is to remove buildup, flakes, perspiration and dirt. I notice clients skipping washes as they think it’s bad for their hair, when in fact the contrary is accurate – especially if you have dandruff, which is worsened by the presence of excess oils. When sebum remains on the skin, they deteriorate and lead to inflammation.

Unfortunately, what your scalp needs and what your hair likes don’t always align, so it’s a balancing act. However, if you cleanse softly and treat damp strands kindly, it shouldn't harm your hair.

Which options help with shedding?

For genetic thinning in women, start with minoxidil. It's backed by strong research and tends to work best when compounded with other hair-supportive actives. If you're interested in complementary therapies, or you choose to avoid it or cannot tolerate it, you could try microneedling (see a dermatologist), and perhaps injections or laser devices.

For TE, you need to do some detective work. Excessive daily shedding occurs in response to an internal factor. In some instances, the trigger is short-term – such as illness, infection or high stress – and it will clear up naturally. 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