I Thought Gray Coverage This Good Only Could Only Be Achieved at a Salon. I Was Wrong.

My first gray hair made its grand appearance at the photo shoot for my quinceañera, and I've been on a lifelong battle to fight the grays.

There I was, looking super cute in my black fit-and-flare skirt, black and white one-strap top, and matching black hat. My hair was pressed and fell to the top of my shoulders. Chicness personified.

Except for the single, glaring gray hair! (To my horror, this was also the one photo my mother decided to have blown up and framed to hang in our living room). My canas and I have been battling it out ever since.

Then a friend introduced me to Madison Reed in 2020. It was still early in the panini (I refuse to use the other p-word), and it was hard to find dyes or other hair products on the shelves. Going to the salon was still out of the question and my friend had a coupon. I figured I had nothing to lose. What I thought would be a one-time experiment turned out to be a full-fledged commitment. Here’s why…

Expert Salon Advice for Perfect Color

Even after taking the online color quiz, I wasn’t sure which color would be a close match to my natural hair. I reached out to the Color Crew and was surprised to be paired with an actual human who asked me to send her pictures of my hair in natural light, asked about my hair goals, and suggested not only the best color for me (it was an exact match, I kid you not!) but a hydration boost and color reviving gloss to use in between coloring sessions.

Convenient At-Home Hair Care

Madison Reed gives you everything you need for a one-time hair coloring session in one box, delivered right to you. The box literally has it all: a pair of gloves, hair dye, and activator, a cap to wear while your color processes, shampoo and conditioner (that are sulfate-free), barrier cream to prevent getting dye stains on your skin, and a cleansing wipe to clean off the dye that inevitably gets on your forehead and ears anyway.

Affordable Touch-ups On Your Schedule

Not only does Madison Reed deliver salon-quality results in the convenience of your own home but its subscription DIY hair color kit costs less than $30. I can also change the frequency of my box shipment whenever I need to. The biggest issues I have with going to the salon are the time it takes and the price you have to pay. I’m at a point now where my grays need to be touched up every 4 weeks. There is no way I could afford to go to the salon that often, and I’m not ready to rock the salt and pepper look just yet.

Curly Girl Method Friendly

Now here’s what you don’t get–ammonia, phthalates, parabens, or any of the other chemicals that damage the scalp and change the texture of your hair. If you’re a natural girl like me, you know how important it is to keep the chemicals to a minimum to preserve your curl pattern. If anything, my hair feels softer and has more of a shine after it’s freshly dyed, unlike other products that would make it feel hard and look straw-like for a few washes.

The Takeaway

Madison Reed is the best of both worlds - expert salon advice and the convenience of at-home hair care. I know, that sounds like a sales pitch, but anyone who knows me will tell you–I’m allergic to commitment. I swap hair products like most women swap shirts, but this stuff has me hooked. I’m coming up on my second anniversary with Madison Reed, so it’s fair to say that we’ll be together for the long haul.