Honest Review Madison Reed Haircolor

Call it making my life easier, striving for simplicity, or sheer laziness, but I tried Madison Reed home delivery hair color. It was a rare treat yo self moment.

Actually, they are becoming not so rare these days. I will do and try anything if it means less pain and less drain on me. I'm really working on my severe adrenal fatigue in 2019 because I feel it is the next key to a better life with Adhesive Arachnoiditis.

Onward!

A. I’ve done salon color for years, starting one month before I turned 31 when my grays were just more apparent. I could afford it, I had a job and a killer budget that let me save, pay rent, pay for grad school, and let me do “personal upkeep.”

B. When we were starting to save for IVF #leohusband took over my hair dying job with box dye. It was ok but not really the same level of a color match that I would get in the salon. I also tended to develop toward the red end of the spectrum of brunette each time. Plus, I had some nasty allergic reactions to some of the “drug store” hair color.

C. I eventually turned to Sally Beauty Supply and after talking with a guy who had the coolest blue and teal hair I could only dream about...I felt he steered me in the right direction.

He did!

I had a great color, the right developer, an additive to keep the red/gold out of my brunette, and another additive to tame those stubborn grays. The only problem was the nearest Sally’s was either a 30 minute drive with a billion traffic lights (not in sync) in one direction or a (gasp) trip to the mall in the other.

If you’re like me, I’d rather walk across broken wine glasses filled with rusty razor blades than go to an actual mall. It's a chronic pain patient's nightmare.

I went maybe once or twice a year to Sally's. It was definitely not enough to actually keep up the color on a consistent basis. Leaving me with several months where I just didn’t feel I was looking my best. #leohusband would totally argue this point but ya feel how ya feel, right ladies? gents? peeps?

So there I was, feeling upset from the giant scar on my forehead from my basal cell cancer removal, staring at my face, definitely noticing my gray hair...and in a moment of weakness I got bombarded with a Madison Reed commercial on Hulu.

I caved.

Honest Review Madison Reed Haircolor

I took their online color quiz and ended up with Modena Brown 5.5NNN.

It came and of course, the packaging was cool as hell.

They had a bottle, 2 sets of gloves, a cap, color and developer, shampoo and conditioner, a pre-skin prep, and an after coloring skin wipe.

I signed up for the 8-week delivery cycle, so I got a large sized color safe shampoo and conditioner 'as a gift.' Plus, you get a slight discount. Which means the hardest thing I have to do is check my mailbox to get it.

The application process:

Skin protectant cream applied great, nice to not use Aquafor like I normally do.

Doing the coloring:

Ok, so I would like to point out that I personally don't think doing your own color is all that hard. Then again I have multiple degrees in art, taught art for over 10 years, and have a slight OCD tendency to be a perfectionist when it comes to anything.

Therefore coloring my own hair (no #leohusband needed) is not an issue. I just take my time and make precise parts to apply the color. I also use my hands, encased in the nice gloves they supply and make sure my roots to ends get coated finger-paint style.

They include videos, a call line, which I did use, an app, and a website for help and reference. Strangely enough, my question was not answered on the videos, app, or website so I had to call.

What was my question?

Well, the instructions say to put the product on your hair length first, wait 20 mins, and then put it on your roots. Apply the cap and wait an additional 30 or so minutes.

Well folks, I've got a pixie cut.

I do not have "length."

So I had no idea what amount of time I was supposed to keep the product on and if I needed to be super anal retentive and truly get it on just my ends somehow and then do the roots.

Hence the phone call.

I will say I did pass the 5-minute hold mark (which is my internal 'I've been on hold too long' timer) on the phone. I grabbed my laptop and started typing a question into the live chat on their website when my call finally got picked up. Did I mention I'm also not the world's most patient person?

The CS rep was kind and courteous, answered my question, but definitely kept me on the phone longer than I would have liked. She kept repeating the same instructions/conversation three times. I don't know if this is corporate policy but I'm on the other end of the phone thinking, "Dude, I got it the first time."

She also kept using the phrase 'short-haired sisters' and 'long-haired sisters'...which I know is definitely a corporate decision on language but geez y'all, it's so hipster millennial.

via GIPHY

Anyway, I used the supplied bottle, parted, squeezed, and fingerpainted my way to better hair. Snapped the cap on my head, set a 55-minute timer (time CS rep and I agreed upon) and sat my happy butt down to watch some Stranger Things.

When the timer dinged I jumped in the shower to rinse and then used the supplied packets of shampoo and conditioner. I will say the shampoo and conditioner did feel awesome. It was how Herbal Essences should have felt. If you're thinking "I'll have what she's having..." Yes...it was just like that. You should honestly try this for the shampoo and conditioner alone.

So results...

It did look really good. It was not leaning toward golden or red but was a perfect brown. Glossy and definitely had highlights and lowlights that you just can't get from a box. I know, I've tried.

So am I sold...maybe. Sally's Beauty Supply is $7.00 cheaper but avoiding the hassle of getting across town and through traffic (not great during a pain flare), getting my shipment when I need it (it's not that I'm lazy...it's adrenal fatigue I swear!) is worth the extra $7.00. It totally beats paying $50 and up at the salon any day o the week. I'm calling this one a good buy.

I did not get paid to write this. It is an honest review based upon my experience. I used my own funds to purchase Madison Reed. However, if you are Madison Reed and want to contact me and become besties, just let me know.