Right Hair, Today: Leading Experts Reveal Favorite Items – Plus Pitfalls to Steer Clear Of

An Expert Colorist

Styling Professional based in the Golden State who focuses on silver hair. Among his clientele are celebrated actors and Andie MacDowell.

What affordable item can't you live without?

My top pick is a soft fabric towel, or even a soft cotton T-shirt to towel-dry your locks. It's often overlooked how much harm a standard towel can do, particularly for lightened or dyed strands. A simple switch can really minimize flyaways and damage. Another affordable staple is a large-gap comb, to use in the shower. It shields your locks while detangling and helps maintain the integrity of the strands, particularly post-bleaching.

Which investment truly pays off?

A high-quality styling iron – ceramic or tourmaline, with precise heat settings. Lightened strands can develop brassy tones or get damaged without the correct device.

What style or process should you always avoid?

Self-applied color lifting. Online tutorials can be misleading, but the truth is it’s one of the riskiest things you can do to your hair. I’ve witnessed clients severely damage their locks, experience breakage or end up with striped effects that are incredibly challenging to remedy. I would also avoid long-term smoothing services on color-treated or grey hair. These formulations are often too aggressive for weakened hair and can cause chronic issues or discoloration.

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

Clients selecting inappropriate items for their particular strand characteristics. Certain clients overapply toning shampoo until their silver or blond hair looks drab and lacking shine. Some depend excessively on high-protein masks and end up with stiff, brittle hair. A further common mistake is heat styling without protection. In cases where you employ hot tools or dryers without a heat protectant, – notably with color-treated strands – you’re going to see brassiness, lack of moisture and splitting.

Which solutions help with shedding?

Shedding demands a multifaceted plan. Externally, minoxidil remains a top choice. I also recommend scalp serums with caffeine or peptides to stimulate circulation and promote root strength. Incorporating a clarifying shampoo regularly helps remove residue and allows products to perform better. Supplements such as Nutrafol or Viviscal Pro have also shown notable improvements. They work internally to benefit externally by balancing body chemistry, anxiety and nutritional deficiencies.

For people looking for something more advanced, PRP therapy – where a concentration from your blood is administered – can be successful. However, I consistently recommend 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.

Anabel Kingsley

Scalp and Hair Scientist and brand president of Philip Kingsley clinics and product ranges for hair loss.

How frequently do you schedule salon visits?

My trims are every couple of months, but will trim off splits at home fortnightly to preserve strand health, and have lightening sessions every eight weeks.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

Building fibers are absolutely amazing if you have areas of scalp visibility. The fibres cling electrostatically to your own hair, and it comes in a variety of shades, making it virtually undetectable. I used it myself in the postpartum period when I had significant shedding – and also currently as I’m going through some considerable hair loss after having a severe illness recently. Because locks are secondary, it’s the first part of you to suffer when your diet is lacking, so I would also recommend a healthy, varied eating plan.

What justifies a higher investment?

In cases of hereditary hair loss in females, I’d say doctor-recommended solutions. Regarding increased shedding, or telogen effluvium, buying an over-the-counter product is fine, but for FPHL you really do need prescription-strength formulas to see the optimal outcomes. From my perspective, minoxidil combined with additional ingredients – such as endocrine regulators, blockers and/or soothing agents – works best.

Which hair trend or treatment would you never recommend?

Rosemary extracts for shedding. It doesn’t work. This belief comes from a minor study from 2015 that compared the effects of 2% minoxidil to rosemary oil. A mild formula such as 2% is inadequate to do much for genetic balding in men, so the study is basically saying they are equally minimal in effect.

Likewise, mega-doses of biotin. Few individuals have biotin insufficiency, so using it may not benefit your strands, and it can affect thyroid test results.

What’s the most common mistake you see?

Personally, I prefer "scalp cleansing" over "hair washing" – because the real aim of shampooing your hair 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 aggravated by oil buildup. When sebum remains on the skin, they break down and become inflammatory.

Sadly, scalp requirements and hair preferences may conflict, so it’s a delicate equilibrium. However, if you cleanse softly and treat damp strands kindly, it is unlikely to cause damage.

Which options help with shedding?

For FPHL, your core treatment should be 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 simply don’t want to or can’t use 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. In some instances, the trigger is short-term – such as flu, Covid or a period of intense stress – and it will clear up naturally. 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