Accentuate the base, then blend the shade through as lowlights, and you have a whole new color service for spring.
Accentuate the base, then blend the shade through as lowlights, and you have a whole new color service for spring.

For a great new spring color concept, accentuate the base, instead of breaking it, says David Barron, owner of Barron’s London Salon in Atlanta, Georgia.

“Spring is a transition period between the darker colors of winter and the lighter colors of summer,” explains Barron. “This spring we plan to accentuate the base for many of our clients. This is the opposite of breaking the base, during which you lighten the base color to blend the highlights. In our version, you darken the base one-half to one full shade, and then blend that color though as lowlights. This creates the slightly rooty look that has become more popular since ombre has taken hold.

“The beauty of this technique is that you can still lighten up for spring by combining it with highlights; you’re just keeping the subtle depth of winter a bit longer. The technique also covers gray and adds subtle depth.”

To build your color business, suggest Base Accentuating as an add-on for clients who usually ask for spring highlights. Or, position it as an alternative to the traditional base break, which can take a client too light, too soon.

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