Upgrade Your Color In 10 Minutes? It’s All About Breaking That Base

Before and after a base break with highlights using the new BLONDME Base Breaker from Schwarzkopf Professional®

Base breaking, base shifting, base bumping. No matter what you call it, it’s a technique that will elevate  your color work to next-level results. What’s more it’s quick and easy to do and adds revenue to your hair color tickets. The most successful colorists in the world consider base breaking a “must” in order to produce the sophisticated results their clients expect. Here’s what you need to know about this hair color “secret weapon.”

Get ready to geek out on all things base breaking in this tutorial and start-to-finish demo with Schwarzkopf Professional’s Ian Mayer-Marszalek.

SO WHAT EXACTLY IS BASE BREAKING?

According to Ian Mayer-Marszalek, Senior National Corporate Trainer for Schwarzkopf Professional®, base breaking starts with assessing a natural base color, then applying a formula that will lift that color slightly lighter. “Everyone’s hair gets mousy,” he explains. “Base breaking takes a bit of that mousiness out, so the natural hair after the service looks less dark and cold.” 

WHEN WOULD YOU BREAK THE BASE ON A COLOR CLIENT?

Base breaking helps to soften the roots so that there is less of a harsh contrast between the roots and ends, says Schwarzkopf Professional® Color Educator Josie Vilay. “I like to use base breaking on darker levels 1-4 when my guests want a lighter color than their natural shade.  This is definitely something to talk about during consultation because some clients prefer a more natural grow out while base breaking is more obvious when the natural hair grows out.”

@josievilay RESULTS!! BlondMe Base Breakers! Comes in 3 Tones. Soft Cool, Cool and Extra Cool #fypシ #winnipeg #balayagehair #hairtok #Blondme #hairtutorial #summerhair #blondehairstyles ♬ streets x kiss it better - sped up - INDRAGERSN

Here’s how Josie Vilay used BLONDME Base Breaker in Soft Cool to create a dreamy apricot blonde hue.

For Mayer- Marszalek, base breaking goes with highlights like mustard with hot dogs. “Sometimes people get highlights that are beautiful, but the surrounding natural hair may be too dark or cool in tone,” he notes. “Base breaking slightly and softly lifts the natural color so there isn’t as much contrast or ‘jump’ in between the highlights. I like to base break after a highlight service and also in between highlight services. For example, the client comes in for a ‘big visit’--highlights/balayage, color, cut, blow out. After about 4-5 weeks, the natural hair starts to grow out, leaving a harsh or highly noticeable regrowth. The reason it’s so harsh is because the natural hair is right up against the bright, light, highlighted hair. The contrast is very high. Base breaking in between highlight services softens the harsh coldness and darkness of the natural color.”

 

 

 

 

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Save this formula from Josie Vilay! It will become your go-to for creating THE blonde of the season!

WHAT IS THE BEST THING TO USE TO BREAK THE BASE?

“I love the new BLONDME Base Breaker from Schwarzkopf Professional®,” says Vilay. “It gives me up to one level of lift and a soft tone deposit in 10 minutes. It features the Integrated Bond Technology to minimize breakage. It comes in three cool formulas—Soft Cool, Cool and Extra Cool—to counteract unwanted warmth from undertones. Using BLONDME Base Breaker on busy days in the salon is so easy on the brain!”  

Mayer-Marszalek is also a fan of these new BLONDME Base Breaker formulas. “Trying to break the base with other products can often be too fast or unpredictable,” he says. For me, it’s like planting two trees with one seed. I can highlight and tone in one step, meaning it deposits whatever tone is in the bottle on the highlights and shifts and tones the base at the same time. BLONDME Base Breaker has become our go-to.”

BLONDME Base Breaker is ideal for use for a root transition either after or in-between foiling or balayage services.

HOW DOES BREAKING THE BASE IMPROVE A COLOR RESULT?

For Mayer-Marszalek, it’s all about refinement. “It’s taking the extra step for a refined total look,” he says. “We’ve all seen that person with heavily highlighted hair that looks dull or ‘salt and peppery.’ The dark, natural hair looks mousey, and the highlights look raw. Base breaking softens the ‘pepper’ and reduces that contrast between the light and dark hair.”

Vilay agrees. “Base breaking lets you create softer, brighter ranges of blondes. It’s a luxury service that you can offer your guests.”

HOW DO YOU CHARGE FOR BASE BREAKING?

There are a number of pricing strategies, and it’s important to land on one that suits your pricing strategy and your market. For Vilay, it’s a flat upcharge for base breaking. “I add an extra $10 to the toning price,” she explains, “because it adds an extra 10 minutes to our application time.”

Easy to mix, fast to apply and suitable for bowl and brush or bottle applications, BLONDME Base Breaker from Schwarzkopf Professional®” is fast becoming the product that top colorists are counting on to elevate their blonding services. Find out how to integrate BLONDME Base Breaker into your color lineup! Learn more.