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An Expert Colorist

Colourist operating from the West Coast who excels at platinum tones. His clients include Hollywood stars and renowned personalities.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

I swear by a microfibre towel, or even a smooth cotton shirt to dry your hair. Most people don’t realise how much damage a standard 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 detangling and helps maintain the integrity of the strands, particularly post-bleaching.

What item or service justifies the extra cost?

A professional-grade heat styling tool – made with advanced materials, with precise heat settings. Grey and blonde hair can yellow or burn easily without the proper tool.

Which popular practice is a definite no-go?

DIY bleaching. Online tutorials can be misleading, but the actual fact is it’s one of the biggest gambles you can do to your hair. I’ve seen people melt their hair, experience breakage or end up with uneven tones that are nearly impossible to correct. I also don’t recommend chemical straightening processes on bleached or silver hair. Such treatments are often too aggressive for weakened hair and can cause long-term damage or undesired tones.

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

Individuals choosing unsuitable formulas for their specific hair needs. Some overuse colour-correcting purple shampoo until their blonde or grey strands looks lifeless and muted. Some depend excessively on high-protein masks and end up with rigid, fragile strands. Another significant problem is heat styling without protection. If you’re using styling appliances without a heat protectant, – notably with color-treated strands – you’re going to see brassiness, lack of moisture and splitting.

What would you suggest for thinning hair?

Hair loss needs a multilayered approach. For direct application, minoxidil is highly proven. I also recommend scalp formulas with active ingredients to stimulate circulation and support follicle health. Incorporating a clarifying shampoo regularly helps remove residue and allows products to perform better. Internal support including clinical supplements have also shown great results. They support the body from the inside out by addressing hormonal imbalances, stress and dietary insufficiencies.

For those seeking higher-level solutions, PRP therapy – where a concentration from your blood is administered – can be beneficial. That said, I always suggest 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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A Hair and Scalp Specialist

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

How often do you get your hair cut and coloured?

My trims are every couple of months, but will trim off splits at home every two weeks to preserve strand health, and have color touches every two months.

Which low-cost item is a game-changer?

Toppik hair fibres are absolutely amazing if you have thinning spots. They attach using static to your strands, and it comes in a assortment of tones, making it almost invisible. I personally applied it after childbirth when I had significant shedding – and also currently as I’m going through some considerable hair loss after having a bad infection previously. Because locks are secondary, it’s the initial area to show decline when your intake is insufficient, so I would also recommend a healthy, varied eating plan.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

For those with genetic thinning in women, I’d say doctor-recommended solutions. Regarding increased shedding, or telogen effluvium, buying an retail solution is fine, but for FPHL you really do need clinical interventions to see the best results. 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's ineffective. This belief comes from a minor study from 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 hereditary thinning in males, so the study is basically saying they work as little as each other.

Additionally, excessive biotin. Hardly anyone is biotin deficient, so using it may not benefit your strands, and it can alter thyroid level measurements.

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 remove buildup, flakes, perspiration and dirt. I see people avoiding shampooing 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. 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. Provided you wash delicately and manage wet locks gently, it is unlikely to cause damage.

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. Should you wish to enhance minoxidil's benefits, or you choose to avoid it or cannot tolerate 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. Increased hair loss often stems from an underlying issue. In some instances, the trigger is short-term – such as flu, Covid or a period of intense stress – and it will clear up naturally. Sometimes, hormonal problems or dietary gaps are responsible – the most common being ferritin (stored iron), vitamin B12 and vitamin D deficiency – and to {treat the hair loss you need to treat the cause|address shedding, target the underlying issue|combat thinning, focus