Base Hair Studio is a hair salon at 14 Colombo Street in Cashmere, Christchurch, established in Cashmere in 2011 and relaunched under the Base name in 2023 by owner Teri Tinirau. Previously known as Sugar Hairdressing, the studio brings together a small collective of experienced stylists under one roof, offering a fresh approach to hair care for Christchurch locals.
Teri, a qualified hairdresser and Redken Certified Colourist with over 17 years in the industry, leads the studio alongside Senior Stylist Kayla Austin, a colour specialist with 13+ years of experience who also cuts and styles, and Studio Support Kelly. The salon stocks Redken, Davines and GHD, and is a member of Sustainable Salons.
Services span everyday cuts and blow waves, special-occasion styling including wedding hair, Redken treatment add-ons, and an extensive range of highlighting, balayage, colour and chemical treatments, including the Qiqi Vega Smoothing System — a chemical-free, chlorine- and salt-resistant smoothing treatment described as an industry first. Easy parking is available on Colombo Street, and the studio applies a 12-hour cancellation notice policy across all services.
On Colombo Street in Cashmere, Base Hair Studio has been part of the Christchurch hairdressing scene since 2011, originally trading as Sugar Hairdressing before owner Teri Tinirau relaunched the salon under the Base name in 2023. The idea behind the relaunch was simple: bring a collective of genuinely talented people together under one roof, in a salon built around expertise, innovation and enthusiasm.
Teri, the studio's owner and creative director, is a qualified hairdresser and Redken Certified Colourist with over 17 years in the industry. She describes hairdressing as a chance to connect and be creative — sculpting shape into hair and developing the right colour to accentuate each client's style, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach.
She's joined by Senior Stylist Kayla Austin, a colour specialist with more than 13 years of experience who also handles cutting and styling and isn't afraid of a challenging brief, and Kelly, who keeps the studio running smoothly on the support side.
The service menu covers the everyday essentials — barber cuts, cut and blow wave combinations, and dedicated pricing tiers for children's and youth cuts — alongside styling options like blow waves, heated styling, and hair up for special occasions. Wedding hair is also offered, priced on application given how much bridal styling can vary from client to client.
Where the studio really leans into its colour specialism is across highlights, balayage and global colour services. Options range from half head through to full head highlights, balayage lightening for a fresh look, and balayage refresh for maintaining existing colour — all of which include a gloss toner and blow wave as standard, and can be paired with a cut. Colour services follow a similar structure, from root retouches through to full global colour, with combined colour-and-highlight packages available for clients wanting a more complete transformation.
Redken ABC Intensive Moisture and Protein treatments are available as add-ons to any service, giving clients a way to support hair health alongside a colour or cut.
For more specialised needs, Base Hair Studio offers chemical straightening and traditional perming, alongside the Qiqi Vega Smoothing System — described by the studio as an industry-first, chemical-free smoothing treatment. It uses a proprietary hybrid of keratin and thermal straightening technology to gently transform hair texture while remaining resistant to chlorine and salt, and can complement other salon services like colour.
As a Redken Certified Colourist studio, Base stocks Redken, Davines and GHD, giving clients access to professional-grade products both in-salon and to take home. The studio is also a member of Sustainable Salons, reflecting an effort to run the business with an eye on environmental impact alongside the styling itself.
Base Hair Studio is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 9:30am to 8pm, Thursday 9:30am to 4pm, Friday 9:30am to 2pm, and Saturday 9am to 1pm, with Sunday and Monday closed. Easy parking is available right on Colombo Street, and the studio asks for 12 hours' notice for any cancellations across all services.
For Christchurch locals in the Cashmere area after a proper colour specialist or a reliable everyday cut, Base Hair Studio's small, experienced team and broad service range make it a solid neighbourhood option worth booking ahead for.