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An Expert Colorist

Colourist operating from the Golden State who excels at silver hair. His clients include celebrated actors and renowned personalities.

What affordable item can't you live without?

I highly recommend a microfibre towel, or even a smooth cotton shirt to remove moisture from your strands. Many are unaware how much damage a typical terrycloth towel can do, particularly for lightened or dyed strands. This one small change can really minimize flyaways and damage. Another inexpensive must-have is a large-gap comb, to use during washing. It safeguards your strands while removing knots and helps preserve the strength of the strands, especially after lightening.

What item or service justifies the extra cost?

A professional-grade heat styling tool – made with advanced materials, with adjustable temperature options. Grey and blonde hair can yellow or burn easily without the correct device.

What style or process should you always avoid?

At-home lightening. Online tutorials can be misleading, but the actual fact is it’s one of the most hazardous actions you can do to your hair. I’ve witnessed clients melt their hair, experience breakage or end up with bands of colour that are extremely difficult to fix. I also don’t recommend keratin or permanent straightening treatments on pre-lightened strands. These formulations are often too aggressive for already fragile strands and can cause long-term damage or undesired tones.

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

Clients selecting inappropriate items for their hair type or colour. Some overuse toning shampoo until their blonde or grey strands looks lifeless and muted. Others rely too much on high-protein masks and end up with stiff, brittle hair. Another significant problem 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 yellowing, dryness and breakage.

Which solutions help with shedding?

Thinning requires a comprehensive strategy. Topically, minoxidil is still one of the most effective treatments. I also recommend scalp formulas with active ingredients to boost blood flow and aid in hair growth. Applying a cleansing scalp wash often helps remove residue and allows products to perform better. Oral aids like specialized formulas have also shown notable improvements. They support the body from the inside out by balancing body chemistry, tension and lack of vital nutrients.

In cases requiring advanced options, platelet-rich plasma treatments – where a concentration from your blood is administered – can be beneficial. However, I consistently recommend consulting a skin or hair specialist initially. Shedding may relate to internal factors, and it’s important to get to the root cause rather than chasing surface-level 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 schedule cuts every ten to twelve weeks, 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?

Hair-thickening particles 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 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. Because locks are secondary, it’s the earliest indicator of health issues when your intake is insufficient, so I would also recommend a balanced, nutritious diet.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

If you have female pattern hair loss (FPHL), I’d say doctor-recommended solutions. For excessive daily hair shedding, AKA telogen effluvium (TE), buying an non-prescription item is fine, but for FPHL you really do need clinical interventions to see the best results. I believe minoxidil mixed with supporting compounds – such as endocrine regulators, blockers and/or soothing agents – works best.

Which popular remedy is ineffective?

Rosemary oil for hair loss. It shows no real benefit. The whole thing stems from one small study done in 2015 that compared the effects of a mild minoxidil solution versus rosemary extract. A mild formula such as 2% is inadequate to do much for genetic balding in men, so the study is basically saying they work as little as each other.

Additionally, excessive biotin. Hardly anyone is biotin deficient, 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?

I think the term “hair washing” should be changed to “scalp cleansing” – because the primary purpose of washing is to rid your scalp of old oils, dead skin cells, sweat and environmental pollution. I see people avoiding shampooing as they think it’s bad for their hair, when in fact the reverse is correct – especially if you have dandruff, which is intensified by sebum accumulation. If natural oils stay on the head, they deteriorate and lead to inflammation.

Regrettably, follicular health and strand desires can differ, so it’s a delicate equilibrium. But as long as you are gentle when you shampoo and handle wet hair with care, it won’t be damaging to your strands.

What solutions do you suggest for thinning?

For genetic thinning in women, start with minoxidil. It has the most robust evidence behind it and tends to show optimal results when mixed with supporting compounds. If you're interested in complementary therapies, or you simply don’t want to or can’t use it, you could try micro-needling (under professional care), and perhaps platelet-rich plasma or light treatments.

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 improve spontaneously. In other cases, thyroid imbalances or vitamin/mineral deficiencies are the driving factor – 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