Right Hair, Today: Top Stylists Share Preferred Choices – And What to Avoid

Jack Martin

Colourist located in the Golden State who excels at platinum tones. His clients include Jane Fonda and renowned personalities.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

I highly recommend a gentle drying cloth, or even a soft cotton T-shirt to towel-dry your locks. Many are unaware how much harm a standard towel can do, particularly for grey or color-processed hair. This minor adjustment can really reduce frizz and breakage. Another inexpensive must-have is a broad-toothed comb, to use in the shower. It protects the hair while removing knots and helps keep the health of the individual hairs, notably following coloring.

Which investment truly pays off?

A high-quality styling iron – ceramic or tourmaline, with adjustable temperature options. Grey and blonde hair can become discolored or suffer heat stress without the right iron.

Which popular practice is a definite no-go?

At-home lightening. Social media makes it look easy, but the truth is it’s one of the biggest gambles you can do to your hair. I’ve witnessed clients melt their hair, break it off or end up with striped effects that are extremely difficult to fix. I also don’t recommend long-term smoothing services on bleached or silver hair. These formulations are often excessively strong for already fragile strands and can cause lasting harm or discoloration.

What frequent error do you observe?

People using the wrong products for their hair type or colour. A number of people misuse colour-correcting purple shampoo until their silver or blond hair looks lifeless and muted. A few overdo on strengthening conditioners and end up with stiff, brittle hair. The other major issue is thermal styling minus a barrier. If you’re using styling appliances without a defensive spray or cream, – notably with color-treated strands – you’re going to see discoloration, dehydration and damage.

What would you suggest for thinning hair?

Shedding demands a multifaceted plan. For direct application, minoxidil is highly proven. I often suggest scalp formulas with active ingredients to boost blood flow and promote root strength. Applying a cleansing scalp wash often helps eliminate impurities and allows solutions to be more efficient. Supplements such as Nutrafol or Viviscal Pro have also shown notable improvements. They enhance overall health for hair benefits by correcting endocrine issues, tension and nutritional deficiencies.

In cases requiring advanced options, platelet-rich plasma treatments – where a concentration from your blood is administered – can be effective. That said, I always suggest getting a professional diagnosis beforehand. Hair loss is often tied to underlying health issues, and it’s important to get to the root cause rather than seeking quick fixes.

A Hair and Scalp Specialist

Trichologist and brand president of Philip Kingsley 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 snip damaged ends myself fortnightly to maintain tip integrity, and have highlights done every eight weeks.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

Building fibers are truly impressive if you have see-through sections. The fibres cling electrostatically to your own hair, and it comes in a range of colors, making it seamlessly blended. I personally applied it after childbirth when I had significant shedding – and also presently during some considerable hair loss after having a bad infection previously. As hair isn’t an essential tissue, it’s the first part of you to suffer when your diet is lacking, so I would also recommend a balanced, nutritious diet.

Which premium option is truly valuable?

If you have female pattern hair loss (FPHL), I’d say prescription hair-loss topicals. 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. I believe minoxidil mixed with supporting compounds – such as hormones, anti-androgens and/or anti-inflammatories – works best.

Which popular remedy is ineffective?

Using rosemary essential oil for thinning. 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 hereditary thinning in males, so the study is basically saying they provide similarly low results.

Likewise, mega-doses of biotin. Few individuals have biotin insufficiency, so taking it is unlikely to do your hair any good, and it can skew thyroid readings in blood tests.

What’s the most common mistake you see?

In my view, we should rename "hair washing" to "scalp cleaning" – because the main goal of cleansing is to remove buildup, flakes, perspiration and dirt. Many individuals refrain from cleansing as they think it’s bad for their hair, when in fact the contrary is accurate – especially if you have dandruff, which is aggravated by oil buildup. If natural oils stay on the head, they break down and become inflammatory.

Unfortunately, what your scalp needs and what your hair likes don’t always align, so it’s a balancing act. However, if you cleanse softly and treat damp strands kindly, it shouldn't harm your hair.

Which options help with shedding?

With female pattern loss, minoxidil is essential. Scientific support is substantial 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 injections or laser devices.

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 resolve on its own. 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