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Jack Martin

Colourist located in the West Coast who focuses on silver hair. His clients include Jane Fonda and Andie MacDowell.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

I swear by a microfibre towel, or even a gentle tee to towel-dry your locks. It's often overlooked how much stress a regular bath towel can do, especially to silver or chemically treated hair. A simple switch can really lessen brittleness and splitting. Another inexpensive must-have is a wide-tooth comb, to use during washing. It protects the hair while smoothing out tangles and helps maintain the integrity of the hair shafts, especially after lightening.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

A top-tier thermal appliance – ceramic or tourmaline, with adjustable temperature options. Lightened strands can yellow or burn easily without the right iron.

What style or process should you always avoid?

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 witnessed clients cause irreversible harm, experience breakage or end up with striped effects that are extremely difficult to fix. I would also avoid chemical straightening processes on bleached or silver hair. These chemical systems are often excessively strong for already fragile strands and can cause chronic issues or undesired tones.

Which typical blunder stands out?

People using the wrong products for their specific hair needs. Certain clients overapply colour-correcting purple shampoo until their silver or blond hair looks lifeless and muted. Some depend excessively on protein-rich treatments and end up with rigid, fragile strands. A further common mistake is heat styling without protection. When applying hot tools or dryers without a protective product, – especially on pre-lightened hair – 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. For direct application, minoxidil is highly proven. I often suggest scalp formulas with active ingredients to stimulate circulation and support follicle health. Applying a cleansing scalp wash often helps clear out buildup and allows solutions to be more efficient. Supplements such as Nutrafol or Viviscal Pro have also shown great results. They work internally to benefit externally by correcting endocrine issues, stress and dietary insufficiencies.

For people looking for something more advanced, PRP therapy – where a personalized serum is applied – can be beneficial. That said, I always suggest consulting a skin or hair specialist initially. Hair loss is often tied to underlying health issues, and it’s important to identify the source rather than chasing surface-level fixes.

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Anabel Kingsley

Follicle Expert and head of a renowned clinic services and items for shedding.

How often do you get your hair cut and coloured?

I get my hair cut every 10 to 12 weeks, but will remove split ends personally bi-weekly to keep my ends healthy, and have color touches every two months.

What affordable find is essential?

Hair-thickening particles are absolutely amazing if you have see-through sections. They attach using static to your strands, and it comes in a variety of shades, making it virtually undetectable. It was my go-to post-pregnancy when I had significant shedding – and also presently during some marked thinning after having awful flu a few months ago. Because locks are secondary, it’s the initial area to show decline when your intake is insufficient, so I would also recommend a balanced, nutritious diet.

Which premium option is truly valuable?

In cases of hereditary hair loss in females, I’d say medicated treatments. 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 optimal outcomes. From my perspective, minoxidil combined with additional ingredients – such as hormones, anti-androgens and/or anti-inflammatories – works best.

Which hair trend or treatment would you never recommend?

Using rosemary essential oil for thinning. It's ineffective. The whole thing stems from one small study done in 2015 that compared the effects of 2% minoxidil to rosemary oil. A low concentration like 2% is insufficient 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 skew thyroid readings in blood tests.

What blunder stands out often?

Personally, I prefer "scalp cleansing" over "hair washing" – because the primary purpose of washing is to rid your scalp of old oils, dead skin cells, sweat and environmental pollution. Many individuals refrain from cleansing as they think it’s harmful to their strands, when in fact the opposite is true – particularly with flaky scalp, which is worsened by the presence of excess oils. If oils are left on your scalp, they decompose and cause irritation.

Regrettably, follicular health and strand desires can differ, so it’s a careful compromise. But as long as you are gentle when you shampoo and handle wet hair with care, it is unlikely to cause damage.

What solutions do you suggest for thinning?

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 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. Occasionally, the reason is temporary – such as sickness, virus or emotional strain – and it will improve spontaneously. 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