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Jack Martin

Hair Color Expert located in the Golden State who excels at grey hair. His clients include Hollywood stars and Andie MacDowell.

Which budget-friendly product is a must-have?

My top pick is a microfibre towel, or even a soft cotton T-shirt to towel-dry your locks. It's often overlooked how much damage a standard towel can do, notably with lightened or dyed strands. A simple switch can really reduce frizz and breakage. A second budget-friendly essential is a broad-toothed comb, to use while conditioning. It safeguards your strands while detangling and helps keep the health of the individual hairs, especially after lightening.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

A professional-grade heat styling tool – featuring innovative technology, with adjustable temperature options. Silver and light-coloured hair can become discolored or suffer heat stress without the proper tool.

What style or process should you always avoid?

DIY bleaching. Online tutorials can be misleading, but the reality is it’s one of the most hazardous actions you can do to your hair. There are cases where individuals severely damage their locks, break it off or end up with striped effects that are extremely difficult to fix. I would also avoid chemical straightening processes on pre-lightened strands. Such treatments are often excessively strong for already fragile strands and can cause long-term damage or undesired tones.

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

People using the wrong products for their hair type or colour. A number of people misuse colour-correcting purple shampoo until their lightened locks looks flat and dull. Some depend excessively on high-protein masks and end up with stiff, brittle hair. The other major issue is heat styling without protection. In cases where you employ hot tools or dryers without a protective product, – 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 follicle treatments containing stimulants to stimulate circulation and promote root strength. Using a scalp detox shampoo weekly helps eliminate impurities and allows solutions to be more efficient. Oral aids like specialized formulas have also shown notable improvements. They support the body from the inside out by balancing body chemistry, tension and lack of vital nutrients.

For people looking for something more advanced, PRP therapy – where your own platelet-rich plasma is injected into the scalp – can be effective. Still, my advice is to consulting a skin or hair specialist initially. Thinning can be linked to medical conditions, and it’s important to identify the source rather than chasing surface-level fixes.

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Anabel Kingsley

Follicle Expert and leader in hair health clinics and product ranges for hair loss.

How often do you get your hair cut and coloured?

I get my hair cut every 10 to 12 weeks, but will trim off splits at home fortnightly to maintain tip integrity, and have color touches every two months.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

Toppik hair fibres are truly impressive if you have see-through sections. They attach using static to your strands, and it comes in a assortment of tones, making it almost invisible. It was my go-to post-pregnancy when I had noticeable thinning – and also currently as I’m going through some considerable hair loss 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 balanced, nutritious diet.

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 prescription-strength formulas to see the most effective improvements. In my opinion, minoxidil compounded with other hair-supportive actives – such as balancing elements, inhibitors and/or calming components – works best.

Which popular remedy is ineffective?

Rosemary extracts for shedding. It shows no real benefit. This idea originated from a limited 2015 research that compared the effects of 2% minoxidil to rosemary oil. A 2% strength minoxidil isn’t enough to do much for genetic balding in men, so the study is basically saying they work as little as each other.

Also, high-dose biotin. Hardly anyone is biotin deficient, so using it may not benefit your strands, and it can skew thyroid readings in blood tests.

Which error is most frequent?

Personally, I prefer "scalp cleansing" over "hair washing" – because the main goal of cleansing 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 reverse is correct – especially if you have dandruff, which is worsened by the presence of excess oils. When sebum remains on the skin, they decompose and cause irritation.

Regrettably, follicular health and strand desires can differ, so it’s a careful compromise. Provided you wash delicately and manage wet locks gently, it is unlikely to cause damage.

Which options help with shedding?

For genetic thinning in women, start with minoxidil. Scientific support is substantial and tends to work best when compounded with other hair-supportive actives. Should you wish to enhance minoxidil's benefits, or you choose to avoid it or cannot tolerate it, you could try microneedling (see a dermatologist), 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. Occasionally, the reason is temporary – such as sickness, virus or emotional strain – and it will improve spontaneously. Alternatively, endocrine issues or nutrient shortages may be the cause – 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