An Expert Colorist
Colourist operating from California who specialises in platinum tones. He works with celebrated actors and well-known figures.
What affordable item can't you live without?
I highly recommend a soft fabric towel, or even a gentle tee to dry your hair. It's often overlooked how much damage a standard towel can do, notably with 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 safeguards your strands while detangling and helps keep the health of the hair shafts, particularly post-bleaching.
What item or service justifies the extra cost?
A high-quality styling iron – featuring innovative technology, with smart temperature control. Lightened strands can develop brassy tones or get damaged without the right iron.
Which popular practice is a definite no-go?
At-home lightening. Internet videos often simplify it, but the actual fact is it’s one of the riskiest things you can do to your hair. I’ve seen people melt their hair, snap their strands or end up with uneven tones that are incredibly challenging to remedy. I would also avoid long-term smoothing services on color-treated or grey hair. These chemical systems are often excessively strong for already fragile strands and can cause long-term damage or undesired tones.
What frequent error do you observe?
Individuals choosing unsuitable formulas for their particular strand characteristics. Certain clients overapply colour-correcting purple shampoo until their lightened locks looks drab and lacking shine. Others rely too much on protein-rich treatments and end up with unmanageable, weak locks. A further common mistake is heat styling without protection. In cases where you employ hot tools or dryers without a protective product, – notably with color-treated strands – you’re going to see yellowing, dryness and breakage.
Which product, treatment or supplement would you recommend for hair loss?
Hair loss needs a multilayered approach. For direct application, minoxidil is highly proven. My advice includes scalp serums with caffeine or peptides to enhance nutrient delivery and support follicle health. Incorporating a clarifying shampoo regularly helps clear out buildup and allows treatments to work more effectively. Supplements such as Nutrafol or Viviscal Pro have also shown positive outcomes. They support the body from the inside out by balancing body chemistry, stress and nutritional deficiencies.
For people looking for something more advanced, PRP therapy – where your own platelet-rich plasma is injected into the scalp – can be effective. However, I consistently recommend getting a professional diagnosis beforehand. Hair loss is often tied to underlying health issues, and it’s important to identify the source rather than chasing surface-level fixes.
A Trichology Expert
Scalp and Hair Scientist and brand president of Philip Kingsley clinics and product ranges for hair loss.
What’s your routine for trims and color?
I schedule cuts every ten to twelve weeks, but will remove split ends personally fortnightly to preserve strand health, and have lightening sessions every eight weeks.
Which bargain product do you swear by?
Hair-thickening particles are truly impressive if you have thinning spots. These particles bond to your existing hair, and it comes in a range of colors, making it almost invisible. I used it myself in the postpartum period when I had significant shedding – and also presently during 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 healthy, varied eating plan.
What justifies a higher investment?
For those with genetic thinning in women, I’d say prescription hair-loss topicals. For excessive daily hair shedding, AKA telogen effluvium (TE), buying an over-the-counter product is fine, but for FPHL you really do need prescription-strength formulas to see the most effective improvements. From my perspective, minoxidil combined with additional ingredients – such as endocrine regulators, blockers and/or soothing agents – works best.
Which popular remedy is ineffective?
Rosemary oil for hair loss. It's ineffective. This belief comes from a minor study from 2015 that compared the effects of 2% minoxidil to rosemary oil. A 2% strength minoxidil isn’t enough to do much for male pattern hair loss, 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 alter thyroid level measurements.
Which error is most frequent?
I think the term “hair washing” should be changed to “scalp cleansing” – because the main goal of cleansing is to remove buildup, flakes, perspiration and dirt. Many individuals refrain from cleansing as they think it’s harmful to their strands, when in fact the contrary is accurate – notably in cases of dandruff, which is aggravated by oil buildup. If natural oils stay on the head, they break down and become inflammatory.
Unfortunately, what your scalp needs and what your hair likes don’t always align, so it’s a balancing act. Provided you wash delicately and manage wet locks gently, it won’t be damaging to your strands.
Which options help with shedding?
For genetic thinning in women, start with minoxidil. Scientific support is substantial and tends to be most effective combined with additional ingredients. 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 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 sickness, virus or emotional strain – and it will resolve on its own. Sometimes, hormonal problems or dietary gaps are responsible – 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
