Who says a lather and a rinse are the only way to give hair that freshly clean feel? Next time you want that impeccable salon style to last just a few days longer, try a dry shampoo. Just a few quick spritzes or dabs absorb the excess oil in your scalp sans water.

In fact, it’s not a bad idea to substitute a couple washes a week with dry shampoo to extend the life of your color. Think of it like dry cleaning for your hair: all the benefits of a regular wash in a more delicate cycle that won’t rinse away your hair’s perfect hue.

Like any hair product, there are as many dry shampoos out there as are there are hair types, so we’d thought we’d help you choose by pointing out a few of our favorites.

Spritz and Go
TRESemmé's Fresh Start dry shampoos come in three styles—Volumizing, Strengthening, and Smoothing—to suit different hair types and needs. Choose from their mineral clay, vitamin B-12, or vitamin H-infused formulas to give hair extra body, protection, or texture.

A great budget-friendly pick for fine hair, Umberto Beverly Hills Dry Shampoo is known for the extra body it adds to roots as it dries out oil. Available exclusively at Target, it has a whitish color that works best with lighter hair colors. For brunettes, we’d recommend Bumble and Bumble’s Hair Powder, which comes in four shades, including brown and black to blend in seamlessly with inky locks.

The Powder Room
If you’re allergic or sensitive to aerosol sprays, a dry shampoo powder is your best friend. Rub a small amount of Osis Dust It onto your palms to give hair a mattifying boost of volume, or try Keratin Complex, which comes with an applicator brush for you to powder up your scalp. Separate your hair into one- to two-inch sections, working in the powder at the roots. Finish off with a quick brush-through and you’re good to go!

Do you dry shampoo? What’s your secret to making your style last between washes?

Photo by KamaSitra.

Every year, our creative partners at Wella Professionals identify four emerging hair trends with the help of some of the world’s most sought-after forecasters. This year’s key looks embody female personalities that currently influence every facet of fashion and beauty. Wella showcased all four trends backstage at the Spring 2012 fashion shows, giving us a glimpse at the styles you can look forward to in the year ahead:

Grace: The Modern Muse
Grace is the leading lady, poised and perpetually glamorous without even trying. Such effortless elegance translates into healthy shine, polished styles, and glamorous, bouncy blowouts—exactly what you’d expect to see on the red carpet.

Blaze: The Femme Fatale
Blaze’s statement styles and Latin flair steal the spotlight and emit sensuality. High gloss hair gets even more dramatic with graphic styles and daring, sculpted shapes. The whole trend is about the girl feeling like an entertainer— think ‘20s burlesque dancer.

Celeste: The Free Spirit
Celeste is an ethereal, otherworldly persona who cannot be pinned down. Her futuristic look is simple and sleeked to perfection. In a sophisticated nod to the pastel trend, subtle wisps of rose gold and peach-hued make for a modern look that’s wearable for the everyday girl.

Roxy: The Scene Stealer
Roxy is life of every party and personifies the ‘70s club culture. Her bold and attention-grabbing style doesn’t shy away from size, shape, and lots of raw texture. Color also plays an integral role with a cool red palette, deep enough to make a statement but with an edge of sophistication.

Naturally we’ve been experimenting with these trends in the salon and can’t wait to share them with clients. "I love Roxy as she reminds me of my disco days,” says co-founder and creative director Rick Wellman. “I’m also attracted to Grace for her natural appeal towards color.” The only question is: Which girl will you choose to be in 2012?

Photo by Wella.

The Lob. The Pixie. Pink hair. Crimped hair. Trends come and go as quickly as a New York minute. But not before most of us wonder: Should I or shouldn’t I? How do you decipher the right from the wrong, the good from the bad, the flattering from the disastrous? Patrick Melville Salon colorist Alexandra Matiz makes her case for embracing trends without being a slave to them:

I love trends for the inspirational value they add to the beauty industry. It’s a call to continually reinvent yourself and stay on the cutting-edge of style. I encourage my clients to switch things up regularly — it doesn’t have to be anything crazy, just a small shift can be so uplifting.

Trends are just guidelines, not set in stone. You can — and should — interpret them and make them your own. But first you need to understand the difference between “trend” and “fashion.” A trend is the forecast of the fashion or beauty to come in six months or a year. This version is usually softer and more consumer-friendly. They key is to choose a trend that will suit your face shape, coloring, personality and lifestyle. This is where your stylist comes in. He or she can ensure that a trend is right for you, and makes you look your best. Hair is our greatest accessory. Without change you’ll get bored, so have fun with it!

Photo by Melisaki.

We tease men about it, but thinning hair is no joking matter when it comes to women. For many, it’s a source of shame and embarrassment, especially in our culture, where thick, lustrous hair is a prized possession. Even if it’s not something we talk about at cocktail parties, thinning hair in women is not as uncommon you might think. In fact, according to The New York Times, 30 million women in America—roughly one in four—have thinning hair. Although thinning hair is sometimes hereditary, there are steps we can all take to prevent or minimize it:

1. The healthier your diet, the healthier your hair.
The iron in leafy greens and Vitamin B12 in lean proteins keep hair strong and shiny. Omega-3s found in flax seed and salmon help promote hair growth and a healthy scalp. If you aren’t getting enough of these nutrients in your diet, consider taking supplements.

2. Manage stress.
“Pulling out your hair” may be a figure of speech, but extreme or prolonged stress can literally cause your hair to fall out.

3. Be proactive.
If you experience unexpected thinning or loss, see your doctor. It may be the result of an underlying—and treatable—health issue, such as an infection or autoimmune disorder.

4. Switch to a gentler products.
Synthetic ingredients can dry hair out and cause breakage. Our new natural hair care line, O’right, is eco-friendly yet extremely effective.

5. Go easy.
Frequent styling, over-brushing, and constant use of heat tools weaken strands and causes breakage. Likewise, severe hairstyles such as tight buns and ponytails pull on hair can lead to loss and thinning.

6. Shampoo less often.
Wet hair is more elastic than dry hair and more prone to breakage.

7. Don’t skip your scalp.
Our Nioxin Scalp Renew treatment is a gentle dermabrasion for the scalp that unclogs pores, increases cellular renewal and rejuvenates hair growth.