Madison Reed: A Love Affair For Hair

Outfit Details:
Cynthia Rowley Wetsuit, LeSpecs Shades, Majorelle Mini Sundress, Diff Eyewear Aviators, Madison Reed

I’m a Boho beach girl which means my blonde locks usually need a bit of extra TLC. I’m thrilled to have discovered a company with a vision that’s in perfect alignment with my own, Madison Reed. You have to love a company with both a conscience and a high level of integrity. Madison Reed, named after the Founder Amy’s daughter, is a different kind of hair products company. It’s on a mission to make the world beautiful without using many of the harmful chemicals and toxins found in most commercial beauty products. They’ve done away with ammonia, parabens, resorcinol, PPD, phthalates, and gluten while adding keratin, argan oil and ginseng extract to maintain the integrity of the hair.

There’s a lovely video on the Madison Reed site showing Amy with her daughter. Clearly, Madison was a powerful inspiration for Amy’s vision, as she began talking to women to find out their personal experience with hair color. The women Amy talked to were struggling with finding time in their busy lives to do things for themselves such as coloring their hair. They were concerned about their health, and the toxic chemicals they were putting on their skin. Amy felt that there must be a better way and her sweet daughter basically served up some of her own medicine by telling her that she could do anything if she put her mind to it. With that, Madison Reed was born! Well Madison was already born … and the company followed suit!

I absolutely love that they high tailed it over to Milan, Italy, to source the ingredients while operating under strict EU guidelines. As a woman recovering from a life threatening illness, finding products with the lowest amount of chemicals and toxicity has been a mission of my own and I was grateful to discover Madison Reed. I couldn’t trade life by the beach, but the elements are tough on a gal’s hair. Aren’t you always searching for the perfect product to extend the life of your hair color? Madison Reed delivers like nothing else I’ve tried.  And they’ve included a special offer for new customer: Use the code CATHERINEO for a 10% savings and free shipping! They carry a full line of shampoos, conditioners, and shine enhancing products as well as their well known home hair color kits. They recently introduced a root touch up powder that has rocked my world. Ever open the shower door and think you walked into a CVS?! No more!

I was heading up to Santa Barbara a few weeks ago for a photoshoot when Madison Reed kindly express shipped a box of products to my hotel. Opening the box, I was a kid in a candy store ready to experiment. My super fine blonde hair tends to fade quickly in the California sun and salt water. Their shampoos and conditioners use high quality ingredients that are designed to help you hold onto that hair color. Their Gloss products deliver instant radiance to your hair, holding up as well as the expensive salon treatments. Designed to give a boost to colored hair by reviving it and adding a gorgeous reflective shine. I can’t live without their Tame product. Not only does it do a number on those pesky flyaways, the UV protection helps keep my hair color from fading. It was a blustery day, and I was about to head off on my first sailboat ride with friends, so I was grateful to have Madison Reed to repair my wind socked hair.

Waking up the next morning, I headed straight to the beach. There’s a gorgeous pier by the Santa Barbara Harbor which quickly caught my attention.  Shimmying into a colorful wetsuit by Cynthia Rowley from Shopbop and some shades from LeSpecs, I couldn’t wait to hit the water. The temperature was on the cool side, so I was glad for the added warmth of the wetsuit. There’s nothing like the crisp cool feeling of sea and salt water. This Boho girl was in heaven. Santa Barbara has a climate that’s reminiscent of the Mediterranean. I spent some time in my daily meditation before jumping in the surf. I like to spend as much time as possible at the beach. It’s my happy place. Following a dip in the ocean, it was back to the hotel for some serious hair repair.

I started with their luxurious shampoo and conditioner, following up with some major shine therapy. I selected products from their Nourishing Line because that’s exactly what a hair doctor would have ordered. Next up was the Gloss for a little color revival. Did I need a color boost or was the clear shine in order? I decided to go for the clear shine to add some vitality to my wind blown locks. I finished it off with a touch of Style, a lovely vitalizing treatment applied to wet hair prior to styling. You have to love the added UV protection in the hot California sun.

After six weeks, it was time to show you how well my hair color stood the test of time. I chose a casual white sundress by Majorelle from Blvd. in Manhattan Beach. I threw on a pair of classic aviators from Diff Eyewear. Diff is one of those companies making a true difference in our lives by cutting out the middle man and lowering costs. They even donate a free pair of reading glasses in rural Africa for every pair sold! Now, that’s another company with a conscience. Follow them on Instagram @diffeyewear. And if that’s not enough use the code CAT15 to nab 15% off of a new set of shades!

This look felt light, free and easy, echoing the feeling of my shiny blonde locks. Did my hair color hold up? Well, you know that feeling when you leave the salon and you can’t help but peek in the mirror to see those strands glistening back at you? Looking at my hair, you wouldn’t know that it was time to head back to the salon. The root touch up powder kept my roots at bay and my hair color was almost as vibrant and shiny as the day I had it done! Madison Reed, you’ve won me over. And, next time I head to the salon, I’m bringing along my Madison Reed home hair color kit. The company makes it as easy as possible with a lovely customer care team and instructions that are crystal clear; it’s never been easier to color your hair at home. If you’re at all like me and pressed for time, you can bring in their home color kit to gently color your hair in the healthiest way possible. Not only are you saving money but you’re taking care of your health which is number one in my book. It’s a nice alternative to the products used in most salons. It’s so wonderful to know that a company genuinely cares for your health and well being. Madison Reed is just that kind of company.

It’s never long before you find me dancing in the waves. Quite honestly, when you feel beautiful, the world feels more beautiful and carefree. And, with Madison Reed, I feel more beautiful than ever before. It’s a company with a heart and a vision. I’m grateful to be a part of that vision as I won’t use anything but Madison Reed on my blonde locks any longer. They deliver on every count. It’s a company that truly cares about you and your health. Now, that’s what I call inner beauty and Madison Reed has it in spades. Cheers beauties. Be sure to visit the Madison Reed site and follow them on Instagram @madisonreedllb. They also have a fabulous blog with lots of hair color and beauty inspiration. And don’t forget the savings on your first order! Enter the code CATHERINEO for 10% off and free shipping.

Thank you to Blvd. Manhattan Beach for this Boho mini from Majorelle and the coziest beach blanket by Head Regal. And many thanks to GumtreeLA for providing the beautiful backdrop. If you’re looking for that perfect holiday gift or to brighten your spirits, head over to GumtreeLA. It’s my go to for beautiful home decor. The white Moroccan ottoman is one I’ve been lusting after for awhile on Gumtree’s floor. You can find the Ottoman by Baida Design as well as the colorful and eclectic pillow collection by Cindy Ciskowski at GumtreeLA.com. The rug is by Fab Habitat. All home décor can be found at GumtreeLA with a new location opening November 30th in Manhattan Beach!

And a special CatherineGraceO shoutout to the LA County Lifeguard who took pity on a poor over loaded fashion blogger and her photog at 7 AM and helped us schlep it all back to the Jeep! Jamie, you are a true gentleman … and a lifesaver!