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A Color Specialist

Hair Color Expert based in the West Coast who excels at silver hair. His clients include Hollywood stars and well-known figures.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

I swear by a soft fabric towel, or even a smooth cotton shirt to towel-dry your locks. It's often overlooked how much stress a regular bath towel can do, notably with lightened or dyed strands. This minor adjustment can really lessen brittleness and splitting. Another inexpensive must-have is a wide-tooth comb, to use during washing. It shields your locks while smoothing out tangles and helps maintain the integrity of the hair shafts, particularly post-bleaching.

What item or service justifies the extra cost?

A top-tier thermal appliance – featuring innovative technology, with adjustable temperature options. Grey and blonde hair can develop brassy tones or get damaged without the right iron.

What style or process should you always avoid?

DIY bleaching. Social media makes it look easy, but the truth is it’s one of the most hazardous actions you can do to your hair. I’ve seen people melt their hair, experience breakage or end up with striped effects that are incredibly challenging to remedy. I would also avoid chemical straightening processes on color-treated or grey hair. These chemical systems are often overly harsh for weakened hair and can cause long-term damage or undesired tones.

What frequent error do you observe?

Clients selecting inappropriate items for their specific hair needs. A number of people misuse toning shampoo until their blonde or grey strands looks lifeless and muted. A few overdo on protein-rich treatments and end up with rigid, fragile strands. The other major issue is using hot tools sans safeguard. In cases where you employ flat irons, curling irons or blow dryers without a defensive spray or cream, – particularly on bleached locks – you’re going to see discoloration, dehydration and damage.

What would you suggest for thinning hair?

Hair loss needs a multilayered approach. Topically, minoxidil is still one of the most effective treatments. I often suggest follicle treatments containing stimulants to enhance nutrient delivery and promote root strength. Using a scalp detox shampoo weekly helps remove residue and allows treatments to work more effectively. Internal support including clinical supplements have also shown great results. They enhance overall health for hair benefits by addressing hormonal imbalances, stress and lack of vital nutrients.

For those seeking higher-level solutions, platelet-rich plasma treatments – where your own platelet-rich plasma is injected into the scalp – can be successful. However, I consistently recommend getting a professional diagnosis beforehand. Shedding may relate to internal factors, and it’s important to determine the origin rather than seeking quick fixes.

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Anabel Kingsley

Scalp and Hair Scientist and brand president of Philip Kingsley services and items for shedding.

What’s your routine for trims and color?

I get my hair cut every 10 to 12 weeks, but will remove split ends personally fortnightly to keep my ends healthy, and have lightening sessions every eight weeks.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

Building fibers are truly impressive if you have see-through sections. The fibres cling electrostatically to your own hair, and it comes in a variety of shades, making it virtually undetectable. I used it myself in the postpartum period when I had a lot of hair fall – and also currently as I’m going through some marked thinning after having a severe illness recently. As hair isn’t an essential tissue, it’s the earliest indicator of health issues when your intake is insufficient, so I would also recommend a well-rounded, nutrient-rich diet.

What justifies a higher investment?

If you have female pattern hair loss (FPHL), I’d say prescription hair-loss topicals. Regarding increased shedding, or telogen effluvium, buying an non-prescription item is fine, but for FPHL you really do need prescription-strength formulas to see the most effective improvements. In my opinion, minoxidil compounded with other hair-supportive actives – such as balancing elements, inhibitors and/or calming components – works best.

Which hair trend or treatment would you never recommend?

Rosemary oil for hair loss. It's ineffective. The whole thing stems from one small study done in 2015 that compared the effects of a mild minoxidil solution versus rosemary extract. A 2% strength minoxidil isn’t enough to do much for hereditary thinning in males, so the study is basically saying they provide similarly low results.

Likewise, mega-doses of biotin. Few individuals have biotin insufficiency, so using it may not benefit your strands, and it can skew thyroid readings in blood tests.

Which error is most frequent?

In my view, we should rename "hair washing" to "scalp cleaning" – because the primary purpose of washing 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 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. If oils are left on your scalp, they break down and become inflammatory.

Regrettably, follicular health and strand desires can differ, so it’s a careful compromise. Provided you wash delicately and manage wet locks gently, it shouldn't harm your hair.

Which options help with shedding?

For genetic thinning in women, start with minoxidil. It has the most robust evidence behind it and tends to be most effective combined with additional ingredients. If you then want to try other things to support minoxidil’s effect, 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.

In shedding cases, root cause analysis is crucial. Increased hair loss often stems from an underlying issue. In some instances, the trigger is short-term – such as illness, infection or high stress – and it will clear up naturally. Alternatively, endocrine issues or nutrient shortages may be the cause – the typical deficiencies involve iron, B12 and vitamin D – and to {treat the hair loss you need to treat the cause|address shedding, target the underlying issue|combat thinning, focus