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Jack Martin

Hair Color Expert based in the West Coast who excels at platinum tones. He works with Hollywood stars and well-known figures.

What affordable item can't you live without?

My top pick is a soft fabric towel, or even a gentle tee to dry your hair. Most people don’t realise how much stress a standard towel can do, notably with silver or chemically treated hair. A simple switch can really minimize flyaways and damage. Another inexpensive must-have is a large-gap comb, to use in the shower. It safeguards your strands while smoothing out tangles and helps maintain the integrity of the individual hairs, notably following coloring.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

A high-quality styling iron – ceramic or tourmaline, with adjustable temperature options. Grey and blonde hair can develop brassy tones or get damaged without the correct device.

Which hair trend or treatment would you never recommend?

At-home lightening. 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 cause irreversible harm, snap their strands or end up with uneven tones that are extremely difficult to fix. It's best to steer clear of long-term smoothing services on bleached or silver hair. Such treatments are often excessively strong for weakened hair and can cause lasting harm or undesired tones.

Which typical blunder stands out?

Clients selecting inappropriate items for their hair type or colour. Certain clients overapply colour-correcting purple shampoo until their blonde or grey strands looks flat and dull. Some depend excessively on high-protein masks and end up with stiff, brittle hair. The other major issue is thermal styling minus a barrier. When applying flat irons, curling irons or blow dryers without a defensive spray or cream, – especially on pre-lightened hair – you’re going to see discoloration, dehydration and damage.

What would you suggest for thinning hair?

Hair loss needs a multilayered approach. Topically, minoxidil is still one of the most effective treatments. My advice includes follicle treatments containing stimulants to enhance nutrient delivery and promote root strength. Using a scalp detox shampoo weekly helps eliminate impurities and allows products to perform better. Oral aids like specialized formulas have also shown notable improvements. They enhance overall health for hair benefits by balancing body chemistry, stress and nutritional deficiencies.

For those seeking higher-level solutions, blood-derived therapies – where a concentration from your blood is administered – can be successful. That said, I always suggest seeing a dermatologist or trichologist first. Hair loss is often tied to underlying health issues, and it’s important to identify the source rather than seeking quick fixes.

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Anabel Kingsley

Trichologist and head of a renowned clinic services and items for shedding.

How frequently do you schedule salon visits?

I get my hair cut every 10 to 12 weeks, but will trim off splits at home fortnightly to maintain tip integrity, and have highlights done every eight weeks.

What affordable find is essential?

Building fibers are truly impressive if you have areas of scalp visibility. These particles bond to your existing hair, and it comes in a variety of shades, making it seamlessly blended. It was my go-to post-pregnancy when I had a lot of hair fall – and also now while experiencing some significant shedding after having a severe illness recently. Since hair is non-vital, it’s the initial area to show decline when your intake is insufficient, so I would also recommend a well-rounded, nutrient-rich diet.

Which premium option is truly valuable?

If you have female pattern hair loss (FPHL), 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 clinical interventions to see the optimal outcomes. From my perspective, minoxidil combined with additional ingredients – such as balancing elements, inhibitors and/or calming components – works best.

Which hair trend or treatment would you never recommend?

Using rosemary essential oil for thinning. It doesn’t work. This idea originated from a limited 2015 research that compared the effects of a mild minoxidil solution versus rosemary extract. A 2% strength minoxidil isn’t enough to do much for male pattern hair loss, so the study is basically saying they are equally minimal in effect.

Additionally, excessive biotin. Few individuals have biotin insufficiency, so using it may not benefit your strands, and it can alter thyroid level measurements.

What blunder stands out often?

Personally, I prefer "scalp cleansing" over "hair washing" – because the real aim of shampooing your hair is to clear away sebum, debris, sweat and pollutants. 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 worsened by the presence of excess oils. If natural oils stay on the head, they decompose and cause irritation.

Unfortunately, what your scalp needs and what your hair likes don’t always align, so it’s a delicate equilibrium. 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. Should you wish to enhance minoxidil's benefits, or you simply don’t want to or can’t use it, you could try collagen induction therapy (with a specialist), and perhaps platelet-rich plasma or light treatments.

For TE, you need to do some detective work. Excessive daily shedding occurs in response to an internal factor. Occasionally, the reason is temporary – such as flu, Covid or a period of intense stress – and it will clear up naturally. 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