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An Expert Colorist

Hair Color Expert based in California who excels at silver hair. He works with celebrated actors and Andie MacDowell.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

I highly recommend a gentle drying cloth, or even a smooth cotton shirt to dry your hair. It's often overlooked how much harm a standard towel can do, especially to silver or chemically treated hair. This minor adjustment can really reduce frizz and breakage. Another inexpensive must-have is a broad-toothed comb, to use during washing. It protects the hair while removing knots and helps maintain the integrity of the hair shafts, particularly post-bleaching.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

A high-quality styling iron – made with advanced materials, with precise heat settings. Silver and light-coloured hair can yellow or burn easily without the right iron.

What style or process should you always avoid?

At-home lightening. Internet videos often simplify it, but the truth is it’s one of the biggest gambles you can do to your hair. I’ve seen people severely damage their locks, snap their strands or end up with uneven tones that are nearly impossible to correct. It's best to steer clear of keratin or permanent straightening treatments on bleached or silver hair. These formulations are often too aggressive for already fragile strands and can cause long-term damage or color changes.

What frequent error do you observe?

Clients selecting inappropriate items for their particular strand characteristics. Certain clients overapply colour-correcting purple shampoo until their blonde or grey strands looks drab and lacking shine. Some depend excessively on high-protein masks and end up with stiff, brittle hair. A further common mistake is using hot tools sans safeguard. If you’re using flat irons, curling irons or blow dryers without a defensive spray or cream, – notably with color-treated strands – you’re going to see discoloration, dehydration and damage.

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

Shedding demands a multifaceted plan. For direct application, minoxidil is highly proven. I also recommend scalp formulas with active ingredients to enhance nutrient delivery and support follicle health. Using a scalp detox shampoo weekly helps clear out buildup and allows products to perform better. Supplements such as Nutrafol or Viviscal Pro have also shown positive outcomes. They work internally to benefit externally by addressing hormonal imbalances, tension and nutritional deficiencies.

For those seeking higher-level solutions, blood-derived therapies – where your own platelet-rich plasma is injected into the scalp – can be effective. That said, I always suggest seeing a dermatologist or trichologist first. Hair loss is often tied to underlying health issues, and it’s important to determine the origin rather than pursuing temporary solutions.

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Anabel Kingsley

Scalp and Hair Scientist and brand president of Philip Kingsley centers and lines targeting thinning.

What’s your routine for trims and color?

I get my hair cut every 10 to 12 weeks, but will trim off splits at home bi-weekly to maintain tip integrity, and have lightening sessions every eight weeks.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

Toppik hair fibres are absolutely amazing if you have thinning spots. They attach using static to your strands, and it comes in a range of colors, making it almost invisible. I personally applied it after childbirth when I had a lot of hair fall – and also presently during some considerable hair loss after having a bad infection previously. Since hair is non-vital, it’s the earliest indicator of health issues when your nutrition is inadequate, so I would also recommend a balanced, nutritious diet.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

For those with genetic thinning in women, I’d say prescription hair-loss topicals. When dealing with temporary hair loss, known as TE, buying an over-the-counter product is fine, but for FPHL you really do need medicated treatment to see the most effective improvements. From my perspective, minoxidil combined with additional ingredients – such as hormones, anti-androgens and/or anti-inflammatories – works best.

Which popular remedy is ineffective?

Using rosemary essential oil for thinning. It doesn’t work. This idea originated from a limited 2015 research that compared the effects of 2% minoxidil to rosemary oil. A mild formula such as 2% is inadequate to do much for genetic balding in men, so the study is basically saying they are equally minimal in effect.

Also, high-dose biotin. Hardly anyone is biotin deficient, so using it may not benefit your strands, and it can affect thyroid test results.

What’s the most common mistake you see?

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. Many individuals refrain from cleansing as they think it’s damaging to their locks, when in fact the contrary is accurate – notably in cases of dandruff, which is aggravated by oil buildup. If oils are left on your scalp, they break down and become inflammatory.

Sadly, scalp requirements and hair preferences may conflict, so it’s a careful compromise. But as long as you are gentle when you shampoo and handle wet hair with care, it is unlikely to cause damage.

What solutions do you suggest for thinning?

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. 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 injections or laser devices.

With telogen effluvium, investigation is key. Excessive daily shedding occurs in response to an internal factor. Occasionally, the reason is temporary – such as illness, infection or high stress – and it will clear up naturally. Alternatively, endocrine issues or nutrient shortages may be the cause – the frequent culprits include iron stores, B12 and D insufficiency – and to {treat the hair loss you need to treat the cause|address shedding, target the underlying issue|combat thinning, focus