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Jack Martin

Styling Professional operating from the Golden State who excels at grey hair. His clients include celebrated actors and Andie MacDowell.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

My top pick is a microfibre towel, or even a smooth cotton shirt to remove moisture from your strands. Many are unaware how much harm a standard towel can do, notably with grey or color-processed hair. A simple switch can really minimize flyaways and damage. Another affordable staple is a broad-toothed comb, to use in the shower. It shields your locks while detangling 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 – made with advanced materials, with adjustable temperature options. Grey and blonde hair can yellow or burn easily without the right iron.

Which hair trend or treatment would you never recommend?

DIY bleaching. Internet videos often simplify it, but the actual fact is it’s one of the biggest gambles you can do to your hair. I’ve seen people cause irreversible harm, experience breakage 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 overly harsh for delicate locks and can cause lasting harm or discoloration.

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

Clients selecting inappropriate items 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. Others rely too much on protein-rich treatments and end up with rigid, fragile strands. The other major issue is using hot tools sans safeguard. When applying styling appliances without a heat protectant, – particularly on bleached locks – you’re going to see yellowing, dryness and breakage.

What would you suggest for thinning hair?

Hair loss needs a multilayered approach. For direct application, minoxidil is highly proven. I also recommend scalp formulas with active ingredients to boost blood flow and aid in hair growth. Incorporating a clarifying shampoo regularly helps clear out buildup and allows products to perform better. Internal support including clinical supplements have also shown notable improvements. They work internally to benefit externally by addressing hormonal imbalances, tension and dietary insufficiencies.

For those seeking higher-level solutions, blood-derived therapies – where a concentration from your blood is administered – can be successful. However, I consistently recommend 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 pursuing temporary solutions.

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Anabel Kingsley

Scalp and Hair Scientist and leader in hair health clinics and product ranges for hair loss.

How often do you get your hair cut and coloured?

My trims are every couple of months, but will remove split ends personally bi-weekly to maintain tip integrity, and have lightening sessions every eight weeks.

What affordable find is essential?

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 assortment of tones, making it virtually undetectable. It was my go-to post-pregnancy when I had noticeable thinning – and also presently during some considerable hair loss after having awful flu a few months ago. As hair isn’t an essential tissue, it’s the first part of you to suffer when your intake is insufficient, so I would also recommend a healthy, varied eating plan.

Which premium option is truly valuable?

For those with genetic thinning in women, 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 medicated treatment to see the best results. In my opinion, minoxidil compounded with other hair-supportive actives – such as balancing elements, inhibitors and/or calming components – works best.

Which popular remedy is ineffective?

Rosemary oil for hair loss. 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 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.

Likewise, mega-doses of biotin. Rarely do people lack biotin, so taking it is unlikely to do your hair any good, and it can affect thyroid test results.

Which error is most frequent?

In my view, we should rename "hair washing" to "scalp cleaning" – because the main goal of cleansing is to rid your scalp of old oils, dead skin cells, sweat and environmental pollution. I notice clients skipping washes as they think it’s damaging to their locks, when in fact the reverse is correct – particularly with flaky scalp, which is aggravated by oil buildup. If natural oils stay on the head, they break down and become inflammatory.

Regrettably, follicular health and strand desires can differ, so it’s a balancing act. Provided you wash delicately and manage wet locks gently, it is unlikely to cause damage.

Which product, treatment or supplement would you recommend for hair loss?

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 prefer not to use it or are unable, 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. Sometimes, the cause is transient – 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