Breaking The Base: 5 Tips For Lifting Without Lightener

5 Tips For Bumping The Natural Base With Haircolor

Whether you call it a break base, base bump or base softening—this simple service is a great way to brighten and blend blondes, while blurring lines of demarcation. That’s why we’re sharing the dos and don’ts of lifting your client’s natural base without lightener from California-based blonding specialist Carly Zanoni, aka @the.blonde.chronicles on Instagram. Keep scrollin’ for tips and formulas!

Products Used

Hair Color

tbh – true beautiful honest Permanent Hair Color

Schwarzkopf Professional®

Hair Color

IGORA® VARIO BLOND SUPER PLUS POWDER LIGHTENER

Schwarzkopf Professional®

1. When To Base Bump

• Lift natural base 1 to 2 levels.
• Soften regrowth and lines of demarcation.
• Brighten the hair left out of highlights.
• Refresh appointments in between highlight services.
• Clients who aren’t afraid to see warm, golden hues.

2. How To Avoid Hot Roots

Carly always starts the application an inch away from the roots, then goes back and applies to the root area last. Here’s why: If you apply directly to the roots and they process for the entire base bump application, the natural heat from the scalp with lift the hair too much and cause hot roots.

3. Formulating For Soft Brightness

Here’s the KEY: Don’t formulate for lifting more than two levels. For example: Carly’s client (below) is a natural Level 7. That’s why she mixed Level 8 and 10 colors to bump her base to a bright yet soft, Level 9. See the two-step highlight and base bump transformation below and take the beaker to peep the color formulas!

Here’s How To Avoid Orange Results:

With a base bump, you want to be careful to not let the permanent color get too orange BUT it needs to be strong enough to get two levels of lift. That’s why Carly formulates with 20-volume developer—because 10-volume wouldn’t do enough and 30-volume would be too powerful.

Highlights & Base Bump—Peep The Transformation & Color Formulas!

• Formula A (highlights)

  Schwarzkopf Professional IGORA® VARIO BLOND PLUS Powder Lightener + 10-volume IGORA ROYAL Developer (1:1.5)

• Formula B (base bump)

  tbh - true beautiful honest 8-19 + 10-19 + 20-volume IGORA ROYAL Developer (1:1)

4. Speed Is KEY To Prevent Excessive Warmth

Say it with me: Don’t over-process 👏 Your base bump should only process for 7 minutes. Why? Typically, Schwarzkopf Professional tbh – true beautiful honest permanent color needs 30 to 45 minutes to lift and deposit the color. “But with base bumping, you only need a little bit of lift,” shares Carly. “So you want to get [the color] on and off before it gets too warm.”

5. Don’t Make This Common Mistake

You go to do a base break and end up with harsh, orange results—aka every colorist’s nightmare! Only use this technique on the right clients for the service. Trying to go too light and base bump a Level 5 or lower will cause excessive warmth.