Base Color Hair Ah, the turf of hair coloring – a land of mystery and excitement, and yet, as complex as a Shakespearean tragedy. Let’s unravel one such enigma today — the elusive “base color hair.” Ever heard of it? Of course, you have! You’re no stranger to the colorful world of salon jargon. Or worse, maybe you heard it for the first time at your last hair appointment and nodded blankly, pretending to understand the confusing lingo as you frantically googled under your apron. Here’s a simple breakdown for those of you still scratching your heads. Base hair color is the existing stage color of your hair (much like an actor preparing for a role), all set for that stunning new look. Essentially, your hair base color serves as the literal ‘foundation’ to the glorious, chaotic world of hairdressing – from lowlights to highlights to every shade possible in the hair color spectrum. So dear reader, why should you bother studying your base color like it’s some hair SAT prep? Because achieving that Pinterest-worthy hair color requires more than just a dream and a few tubes of dye. It’s about understanding your color baseline (pun intended) and its critical role in your hair color quests. So please sit back, relax, and let us take you on a whacky journey down the road of hair color enlightenment. You’ll either come out a base color genius or desperately wish you attended beauty school. Either way, we’ve got you covered. Buckle up; the base color journey starts right here! Unraveling the Intricacies of Base Color Hair Ah, the elusive world of the hair color wheel – a mystery to some and a playground for others. Let’s start by spinning that wheel and separating myth from reality, shall we? The hair color wheel is a fantastic visual representation of the different hues and shades your tresses can showcase. Jot down the warm vs cool tones saga in your to-dye-for diaries, as understanding the color wheel is the ABCs of hair coloring! Once you’ve dived into the hair color wheel, the eternal confusion of base color versus natural color hits you like a bad hair day! As our intro so eloquently puts it, base color is the current color of your hair, DIY disasters included. Meanwhile, the natural color is the one Mom and Dad gifted you, evidenced by those pesky roots peeking through your locks. “Factors determining base color hair?” you may ask. Oh, darling, this is the golden question! First, discuss genetics: you can blame your parents for your ashy blonde or raven-black tonality. Then, there’s the environment – all that sunlight turning you into a “sun-kissed” goddess, or as some might call it, “fried.” And finally, let’s not forget the history of chemicals and heat styling that you’ve subjected your locks to – they aren’t only one-night stands but long-term relationships. So there you have it, a whirlwind tour of the intricacies of base hair color. With this knowledge and a sassy sense of humor, you can now plunge and discover the wonders of hair coloring without being a deer in the headlights. Remember, your hair is your canvas; it’s time to get creative and paint a masterpiece that reflects your true self. Decoding the Expert Lingo: The inside scoop from professional colorists As an honorary expert in hair coloring, I want to let you in on a little secret. Brace yourselves because this might be the most shocking thing you’ve read today, next to the news about cats ruling the internet. Your base hair color, yes, that wildly vexing, mystifying incorporeal thing your hair seems to lean towards naturally, might not even be your natural hair color! Cue: collective gasps and monocle drops. You see, in this wonderfully chromatic journey where we choose to recolor the canvas on top of our heads, often the base color becomes this elusive entity trailing behind the dye bottle. If you think your base color is merely that untouched rootage peeking out between salon visits, you may be in for a surprise. The base color is a tabula rasa upon which all other colors dance. Let’s make this a tad simpler, shall we? Picture this, you’re a colorist, wielding your magical brush against the forces of single-tone hair tragicness. “How do you determine the base color?” You might ask, well, isn’t it obvious? You squint very hard at the client’s hair (ideally with a magnifying glass and an expression of grave wisdom), then nod thoughtfully. I kid, I kid. The truth is that colorists often base this on the combination of natural hair tone and the desired color. The undercoat (hair-speak for your hair’s natural pigment) also plays a significant role. Ah, the world of hair color levels! You thought the hair game was a walk in the park, only to discover you’re stuck in a labyrinth of hair levels, pigments, and hue nuances. Ever heard of the saying, “She’s at a level 10”? Well, they weren’t speaking about Super Mario. They were describing someone’s hair color level. It isn’t some covert colorist lingo. Hair color levels are an essential part of the hair coloring realm, dictating the depth and darkness of our tresses. Trust me, understanding them is as satisfying as completing a challenging crossword. It bestows you with an earth-shaking “aha” moment, leading to better conversations with your colorist and warding off color disasters (we’ve all had those horrifying “it looked different on the box” situations, no judgment here). So, look forward to embracing the complexities and intricacies of your lovely head of hair, whether it’s a shade of delightful sunset or a gloriously quirky blue. After all, the hair journey is just as delightful as that final “oh-so-gorgeous” color you aim for. Adventures with Base Color Hair: Your guide to experimentation Alright, folks, buckle up cause we’re diving headfirst into adventure! This isn’t Narnia, but the world of base hair color experimentation, which can feel just as mysterious, so let’s...