Perfect Hair, Today: Top Stylists Share Favorite Items – And What to Avoid

A Color Specialist

Hair Color Expert located in the Golden State who excels at platinum tones. Among his clientele are Jane Fonda and renowned personalities.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

I swear by a microfibre towel, or even a gentle tee to remove moisture from your strands. Most people don’t realise how much damage a regular bath towel can do, notably with grey or color-processed hair. A simple switch can really minimize flyaways and damage. A second budget-friendly essential is a broad-toothed comb, to use while conditioning. It shields your locks while smoothing out tangles and helps keep the health of the individual hairs, especially after lightening.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

A high-quality styling iron – ceramic or tourmaline, with smart temperature control. Grey and blonde hair can develop brassy tones or get damaged 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 biggest gambles you can do to your hair. There are cases where individuals melt their hair, break it off or end up with bands of colour that are extremely difficult to fix. I would also avoid chemical straightening processes on bleached or silver hair. These formulations are often too aggressive for delicate locks and can cause chronic issues or color changes.

What frequent error do you observe?

Clients selecting inappropriate items for their particular strand characteristics. Some overuse colour-correcting purple shampoo until their silver or blond hair looks lifeless and muted. Others rely too much on high-protein masks and end up with stiff, brittle hair. The other major issue is using hot tools sans safeguard. If you’re using hot tools or dryers without a heat protectant, – particularly on bleached locks – you’re going to see discoloration, dehydration and damage.

Which solutions help with shedding?

Shedding demands a multifaceted plan. Topically, minoxidil is still one of the most effective treatments. My advice includes follicle treatments containing stimulants 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. Oral aids like specialized formulas have also shown positive outcomes. They enhance overall health for hair benefits by balancing body chemistry, stress and dietary insufficiencies.

In cases requiring advanced options, platelet-rich plasma treatments – where a personalized serum is applied – can be beneficial. Still, my advice is to getting a professional diagnosis beforehand. Shedding may relate to internal factors, and it’s important to identify the source rather than pursuing temporary solutions.

Anabel Kingsley

Scalp and Hair Scientist and brand president of Philip Kingsley services and items for shedding.

What’s your routine for trims and color?

I schedule cuts every ten to twelve weeks, but will remove split ends personally every two weeks to preserve strand health, and have highlights done every eight weeks.

Which low-cost item is a game-changer?

Hair-thickening particles 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 seamlessly blended. I personally applied it after childbirth when I had noticeable thinning – and also currently as I’m going through some considerable hair loss after having a bad infection previously. Since hair is non-vital, it’s the initial area to show decline when your nutrition is inadequate, 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. For excessive daily hair shedding, AKA telogen effluvium (TE), buying an non-prescription item is fine, but for FPHL you really do need medicated treatment to see the best results. From my perspective, minoxidil combined with additional ingredients – such as hormones, anti-androgens and/or anti-inflammatories – works best.

What should you always skip?

Using rosemary essential oil for thinning. It shows no real benefit. The whole thing stems from one small study done in 2015 that compared the effects of 2% minoxidil to rosemary oil. A 2% strength minoxidil isn’t enough to do much for male pattern hair loss, so the study is basically saying they work as little as each other.

Likewise, mega-doses of biotin. Hardly anyone is biotin deficient, so consuming it probably won't help your locks, and it can affect thyroid test results.

What’s the most common mistake you see?

In my view, we should rename "hair washing" to "scalp cleaning" – because the primary purpose of washing is to clear away sebum, debris, sweat and pollutants. 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 intensified by sebum accumulation. If oils are left on your scalp, 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 won’t be damaging to your strands.

What solutions do you suggest for thinning?

For genetic thinning in women, start with minoxidil. 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.

With telogen effluvium, investigation is key. Noticeable thinning usually relates to a health trigger. Occasionally, the reason is temporary – 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 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