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An Expert Colorist

Styling Professional located in the West Coast who focuses on silver hair. He works with Jane Fonda and Andie MacDowell.

Which budget-friendly product is a must-have?

I highly recommend a soft fabric towel, or even a gentle tee to remove moisture from your strands. Most people don’t realise how much stress a typical terrycloth towel can do, especially to silver or chemically treated hair. This one small change can really minimize flyaways and damage. Another inexpensive must-have is a wide-tooth comb, to use during washing. It safeguards your strands while removing knots and helps maintain the integrity of the strands, especially after lightening.

Which investment truly pays off?

A top-tier thermal appliance – ceramic or tourmaline, with adjustable temperature options. Grey and blonde hair can yellow or burn easily without the right iron.

Which popular practice is a definite no-go?

At-home lightening. Social media makes it look easy, but the reality is it’s one of the biggest gambles you can do to your hair. I’ve witnessed clients melt their hair, snap their strands or end up with uneven tones that are extremely difficult to fix. 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 chronic issues or discoloration.

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

People using the wrong products for their hair type or colour. Some overuse violet-based cleansers until their blonde or grey strands looks flat and dull. Others rely too much on strengthening conditioners and end up with stiff, brittle hair. Another significant problem is heat styling without protection. If you’re using styling appliances without a defensive spray or cream, – particularly on bleached locks – you’re going to see yellowing, dryness and breakage.

What would you suggest for thinning hair?

Hair loss needs a multilayered approach. For direct application, minoxidil is highly proven. I often suggest follicle treatments containing stimulants to enhance nutrient delivery and promote root strength. Applying a cleansing scalp wash often helps remove residue and allows solutions to be more efficient. Internal support including clinical supplements have also shown notable improvements. They support the body from the inside out by addressing hormonal imbalances, tension and lack of vital nutrients.

For people looking for something more advanced, blood-derived therapies – where a concentration from your blood is administered – can be beneficial. Still, my advice is to consulting a skin or hair specialist initially. Hair loss is often tied to underlying health issues, and it’s important to get to the root cause rather than chasing surface-level fixes.

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A Trichology Expert

Follicle Expert and head of a renowned clinic clinics and product ranges for hair loss.

What’s your routine for trims and color?

My trims are every couple of months, but will snip damaged ends myself every two weeks to maintain tip integrity, and have lightening sessions every eight weeks.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

Toppik hair fibres are remarkably effective if you have see-through sections. They attach using static to your strands, and it comes in a variety of shades, making it seamlessly blended. I used it myself in the postpartum period when I had noticeable thinning – and also presently during some significant shedding after having awful flu a few months ago. As hair isn’t an essential tissue, it’s the initial area to show decline when your nutrition is inadequate, so I would also recommend a healthy, varied eating plan.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

In cases of hereditary hair loss in females, I’d say prescription hair-loss topicals. When dealing with temporary hair loss, known as TE, buying an retail solution is fine, but for FPHL you really do need prescription-strength formulas to see the best results. I believe minoxidil mixed with supporting compounds – such as hormones, anti-androgens and/or anti-inflammatories – works best.

Which popular remedy is ineffective?

Rosemary extracts for shedding. It's ineffective. The whole thing stems from one small study done in 2015 that compared the effects of a low-dose minoxidil with rosemary oil. A low concentration like 2% is insufficient to do much for male pattern hair loss, so the study is basically saying they are equally minimal in effect.

Likewise, mega-doses of biotin. Hardly anyone is biotin deficient, so using it may not benefit your strands, and it can skew thyroid readings in blood tests.

What’s the most common mistake you see?

I think the term “hair washing” should be changed to “scalp cleansing” – because the main goal of cleansing 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 damaging to their locks, when in fact the contrary is accurate – especially if you have dandruff, which is aggravated by oil buildup. 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 balancing act. However, if you cleanse softly and treat damp strands kindly, it won’t be damaging to your strands.

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

For genetic thinning in women, start with minoxidil. Scientific support is substantial and tends to be most effective combined with additional ingredients. 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 platelet-rich plasma or light treatments.

With telogen effluvium, investigation is key. Noticeable thinning usually relates to a health trigger. Sometimes, the cause is transient – such as flu, Covid or a period of intense stress – and it will resolve on its own. Sometimes, hormonal problems or dietary gaps are responsible – 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