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A Color Specialist

Hair Color Expert based in California who specialises in grey hair. His clients include celebrated actors and renowned personalities.

What affordable item can't you live without?

My top pick is a soft fabric towel, or even a soft cotton T-shirt to remove moisture from your strands. It's often overlooked how much stress a standard towel can do, notably with lightened or dyed strands. This minor adjustment can really lessen brittleness and splitting. A second budget-friendly essential is a large-gap comb, to use in the shower. It shields your locks while smoothing out tangles and helps maintain the integrity of the hair shafts, particularly post-bleaching.

Which investment truly pays off?

A top-tier thermal appliance – featuring innovative technology, with precise heat settings. Grey and blonde hair can become discolored or suffer heat stress without the proper tool.

Which popular practice is a definite no-go?

Self-applied color lifting. 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 severely damage their locks, snap their strands or end up with bands of colour that are extremely difficult to fix. I would also avoid keratin or permanent straightening treatments on color-treated or grey hair. These formulations are often too aggressive 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. Certain clients overapply violet-based cleansers until their silver or blond hair looks drab and lacking shine. Some depend excessively on protein-rich treatments and end up with unmanageable, weak locks. Another significant problem is thermal styling minus a barrier. In cases where you employ flat irons, curling irons or blow 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?

Shedding demands a multifaceted plan. Externally, minoxidil remains a top choice. I often suggest scalp serums with caffeine or peptides to enhance nutrient delivery and support follicle health. Using a scalp detox shampoo weekly helps clear out buildup and allows treatments to work more effectively. Supplements such as Nutrafol or Viviscal Pro have also shown great results. They support the body from the inside out by addressing hormonal imbalances, tension and nutritional deficiencies.

For those seeking higher-level solutions, blood-derived therapies – where your own platelet-rich plasma is injected into the scalp – can be effective. However, I consistently recommend consulting a skin or hair specialist initially. Shedding may relate to internal factors, and it’s important to identify the source rather than chasing surface-level fixes.

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Anabel Kingsley

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

How often do you get your hair cut and coloured?

I schedule cuts every ten to twelve weeks, but will snip damaged ends myself every two weeks to maintain tip integrity, and have highlights done every eight weeks.

Which low-cost item is a game-changer?

Toppik hair fibres are remarkably effective if you have areas of scalp visibility. 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 currently as I’m going through some marked thinning after having awful flu a few months ago. Since hair is non-vital, it’s the initial area to show decline when your diet is lacking, so I would also recommend a well-rounded, nutrient-rich diet.

Which premium option is truly valuable?

For those with genetic thinning in women, I’d say prescription hair-loss topicals. When dealing with temporary hair loss, known as TE, buying an non-prescription item is fine, but for FPHL you really do need medicated treatment to see the best results. I believe minoxidil mixed with supporting compounds – such as balancing elements, inhibitors and/or calming components – works best.

What should you always skip?

Rosemary extracts for shedding. It doesn’t work. 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 genetic balding in men, so the study is basically saying they work as little as each other.

Likewise, mega-doses of biotin. Rarely do people lack biotin, so taking it is unlikely to do your hair any good, and it can affect thyroid test results.

What blunder stands out often?

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 notice clients skipping washes as they think it’s bad for their hair, when in fact the contrary is accurate – particularly with flaky scalp, which is intensified by sebum accumulation. When sebum remains on the skin, they break down and become inflammatory.

Sadly, scalp requirements and hair preferences may conflict, so it’s a careful compromise. Provided you wash delicately and manage wet locks gently, it won’t be damaging to your strands.

What solutions do you suggest for thinning?

With female pattern loss, minoxidil is essential. It's backed by strong research and tends to be most effective combined with additional ingredients. If you then want to try other things to support minoxidil’s effect, or you prefer not to use it or are unable, you could try collagen induction therapy (with a specialist), and perhaps injections or laser devices.

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