Trend Hair Style of 2010

Americans want to look Brazilian, Mexicans want to look Colombian, and the French want to look like Julia Roberts. Women everywhere are abandoning their roots and reinventing themselves through hair color.

*Stats from Clairol, EuroMonitor International, L'Oréal Paris, Redken, and Wella; with contributions from Marie Claire editions in Arabia, the Czech Republic, France, India, Latin America, and the U.K.

Hues of the World

Aztec Red: South of the border, bellezas experiment with a full spectrum of shades, but fiery red is currently Mexico's fave.

"Mexican women indulge in frequent luxury color treatments--and flaunt it." -L'Oréal Paris, Mexico

• TEEN TINTS: 80 percent* of the Mexican female population color their hair from the age of 15.
• TO DIY FOR: In 2008, almost $490 million was spent on home-haircolor products.
• PARLOR GAME: More than 30 percent of a woman's income goes toward beauty products and services—salons are the social-meeting spots of choice in every city and town in Mexico.
• COLOR WARS: Well over half the women who dye their hair opt for brunette or red shades, a quarter go blonde, and about one-sixth go jet-black.
• CUTTING CORNERS: In low-income areas, salons allow patrons to bring in their own pharmacy-bought hair dye and charge just a service fee.
• PAINT THE TOWN: Blonde shades are more popular in northern Mexico.
• TREND WATCH: Mexican women will follow Brazil's lead, adding golden highlights to chocolate and mahogany bases.
  Pictured: Dulce Maria

Czech Mates: There's been a spike in interest since 2002, as Eastern Bloc haircolor sales increased almost 180 percent.

"Women in the Czech Republic go for bold color and don't shy away from short haircuts." -Petra Mechurová, owner, Petra Mechurová Hair Design, Prague

• FOILED AGAIN: Nine out of 10 women in the Czech Republic color their hair.
• TO DIY FOR: In 2008, the average Czech woman spent $24 a year to keep her tresses freshly hued.
• CUTTING CORNERS: The average monthly salary converts to about $900, and it can cost $140 for professional color versus about $5 for an at-home formula. Most prefer to invest in edgier cuts over pricey color.
• TOUCH-UP TIME: Every four to eight weeks; those going gray go more often.
• NATURAL FIX: With the green movement gaining momentum, there's increasing demand for eco-friendly, less abrasive colorants like henna and other natural dyes.
• TREND WATCH: Precise, natural highlights—à la Jennifer Aniston—reign in metropolitan areas, while extravagant reds and blondes are popular among small-towners.

Pictured: Hana Soukupova

• TO DIY FOR: $1.6 billion plus was spent in 2008 in the U.S. on at-home hair colorants.
• FOILED AGAIN: Almost 60 percent of the female population ages 18 to 64 have colored their hair at least once.
• PARLOR GAME: Most American women getting in-salon color go lighter.
• CUTTING CORNERS: Since the recession, salons have noticed an increase in clients alternating between highlights and single-process lightening.
• BFF KNOWS BEST: Over 25 percent of women look to their friends for shade inspiration.
• PAINT THE TOWN: Los Angeles is inspired by the single-process look of Hollywood stars; New York favors the subtle lowlights of the fashion set.
• TREND WATCH: You're getting warmer! Golds will be woven into blondes and reds, warm highlights added to browns, and violets to blacks.

CUTTING CORNERS: New 10-minute kits mean more Brits can touch up their roots at home.

TOUCH-UP TIME: One month or more—grown-out roots are more likely an homage to Madonna's post-punk look than the kaput economy.

TREND WATCH: Influenced by Brit catwalkers, champagne blonde (like Agyness Deyn and Kate Moss) and more eccentric shades (think Lily Cole's bright red) will be big for spring.

• PAINT THE TOWN: In big cities, it's not uncommon to see mems (short for memsahibs, aka Westernized, educated women) sporting blonde, blue, red, or purple highlights.
• NATURAL FIX: Most of the population uses henna-based dyes.
• TREND WATCH: While the great majority of Indian women have black hair, those with lighter complexions will experiment with blonde highlights. Women with deeper skin tones add subtle copper and mahogany tints.

Arabian Brights: Lebanese women—among the most liberal femmes in the Middle East—spend copious amounts of time and money on salon color treatments.

• TEEN TINTS: Most women start coloring their hair between the ages of 18 and 20, and change shades frequently from then on.
• TO DIY FOR: Between 2002 and 2007, at-home colorant sales increased 29 percent.
• PARLOR GAME: Lebanese women visit the salon at least once a week--and twice for special occasions.
• SINGLE AND LOVING IT: The preference is single process over highlights.
• TOUCH-UP TIME: At least once a month, thanks to inexpensive rates.
• NATURAL FIX: One-tenth of women here use henna.
• TREND WATCH: 20- and 30-somethings have a taste for chocolate shades; those in their 40s and 50s gravitate toward golden blonde.