🔗 Share this article

An Expert Colorist

Colourist based in the West Coast who specialises in grey hair. Among his clientele are Hollywood stars and well-known figures.

What affordable item can't you live without?

My top pick is a gentle drying cloth, or even a smooth cotton shirt to remove moisture from your strands. Many are unaware how much damage a regular bath towel can do, notably with lightened or dyed strands. This minor adjustment can really minimize flyaways and damage. A second budget-friendly essential is a wide-tooth comb, to use during washing. It safeguards your strands while removing knots and helps keep the health of the strands, notably following coloring.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

A top-tier thermal appliance – featuring innovative technology, with adjustable temperature options. Grey and blonde hair can become discolored or suffer heat stress without the correct device.

Which hair trend or treatment would you never recommend?

At-home lightening. Social media makes it look easy, but the actual fact is it’s one of the biggest gambles you can do to your hair. There are cases where individuals melt their hair, experience breakage or end up with uneven tones that are incredibly challenging to remedy. I would also avoid keratin or permanent straightening treatments on pre-lightened strands. Such treatments are often excessively strong for delicate locks and can cause chronic issues or undesired tones.

What frequent error do you observe?

Clients selecting inappropriate items for their particular strand characteristics. A number of people misuse violet-based cleansers until their silver or blond hair looks drab and lacking shine. A few overdo on high-protein masks and end up with unmanageable, weak locks. Another significant problem is heat styling without protection. When applying styling appliances without a defensive spray or cream, – especially on pre-lightened hair – you’re going to see discoloration, dehydration and damage.

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

Hair loss needs a multilayered approach. Externally, minoxidil remains a top choice. My advice includes scalp serums with caffeine or peptides to boost blood flow and promote root strength. Applying a cleansing scalp wash often helps clear out buildup and allows products to perform better. Oral aids like specialized formulas have also shown great results. They support the body from the inside out by addressing hormonal imbalances, stress and lack of vital nutrients.

For people looking for something more advanced, blood-derived therapies – where your own platelet-rich plasma is injected into the scalp – can be effective. However, I consistently recommend seeing a dermatologist or trichologist first. Thinning can be linked to medical conditions, and it’s important to identify the source rather than chasing surface-level fixes.

---

Anabel Kingsley

Scalp and Hair Scientist and leader in hair health 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 snip damaged ends myself bi-weekly to preserve strand health, and have highlights done every eight weeks.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

Building fibers are remarkably effective if you have areas of scalp visibility. They attach using static to your strands, and it comes in a range of colors, making it almost invisible. I used it myself in the postpartum period when I had noticeable thinning – and also currently as I’m going through some marked thinning after having a bad infection previously. As hair isn’t an essential tissue, it’s the initial area to show decline when your intake is insufficient, so I would also recommend a balanced, nutritious diet.

What justifies a higher investment?

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 retail solution is fine, but for FPHL you really do need clinical interventions to see the most effective improvements. From my perspective, minoxidil combined with additional ingredients – 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 doesn’t work. The whole thing stems from one small study done in 2015 that compared the effects of 2% minoxidil to rosemary oil. A 2% strength minoxidil isn’t enough to do much for hereditary thinning in males, so the study is basically saying they are equally minimal in effect.

Also, high-dose biotin. Few individuals have biotin insufficiency, so taking it is unlikely to do your hair any good, 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 clear away sebum, debris, sweat and pollutants. I notice clients skipping washes as they think it’s damaging to their locks, when in fact the opposite is true – particularly with flaky scalp, which is worsened by the presence of excess oils. When sebum remains on the skin, they break down and become inflammatory.

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 is unlikely to cause damage.

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

With female pattern loss, minoxidil is essential. 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 collagen induction therapy (with a specialist), and perhaps PRP or low-level laser therapy.

For TE, you need to do some detective work. Noticeable thinning usually relates to a health trigger. In some instances, the trigger is short-term – such as sickness, virus or emotional strain – and it will clear up naturally. 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