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I knew they'd catch up to me eventually — gray hairs, that is.
Sprouting silver strands is something that happens in my family pretty early. In fact, I consider myself lucky that I didn't have noticeable ones until my 30s. But once I saw them in the mirror, standing in stark contrast to my mostly brown roots — and sometimes sticking up at weird angles — I couldn't get my eyes off of them, and I was convinced that everyone else was focused on them too.
To remedy this mid-pandemic panic in early 2021, I turned to Madison Reed. Though I don't consider myself a DIYer in the slightest, its at-home hair dye kits are simple enough for a novice like me to not just use, but master. For $30 and change every few months, plus an hour of work (most of which is me sitting on the couch with a haircap, letting it sink in while I catch up on shows), my grays disappear for weeks at a time. Not to mention, I always get compliments on how "rich" my brunette hair looks just after dyeing.
So when the brand offered me the chance to try one of its newer products, a customizable ColorSolve shampoo and conditioner set, I took it without question. And after just one wash, my grays no longer jumped out at me.
Buy It! Madison Reed ColorSolve Frizz Away Shampoo + Conditioner Set, $44–$51; madison-reed.com
Like any old shampoo and conditioner you'd find in the grocery store or pharmacy, these sets are formulated to cater to common hair needs. There's Daily Moisture for a boost of hydration, Total Volume for a lift, and Bond Building to "reinforce weak, fragile hair," per the brand. I went with the "intensely hydrating" Frizz Away, and if you're not sure which is your best bet, you can take a quick quiz and find out.
Where they differ is that they'll boost your color — red, blonde, or brunette — with a "color depositing shot" that comes in a separate container. Once your set arrives, you get to play lab scientist by mixing it into your shampoo just before you wash your hair. Then, when you're in the shower, let the shampoo sit for a couple minutes before rinsing to let it work its magic.
A word of warning: These shots are potent! To maintain my Siena Brown - 6NAV color and disguise any grays that popped up since my last dye job, Madison Reed sent me an intensely blue liquid that I was careful not to let spill on my white countertops while mixing. And when I'm in the shower, the shampoo immediately turns my palms light blue, even when I scrub my hands with body wash right away. However, it's always rinsed out completely by the time I've finished showering, and I've yet to find a blue stain on my fair skin, my beige bathroom tiles, or even my white gel manicure.
I've shampooed my hair with Madison Reed's products half a dozen times now, and the results I've seen are not just immediate, but also cumulative. While my hair dye subscription is scheduled to come every eight weeks, I only use the kit every three months, so I'll often delay a shipment to save a little money. But at this point, I've gone a few weeks past that point, and I'm not planning to pull it out until right before my friend's bachelorette party later this month, when we'll be taking lots of pictures.
Compared to the Color Therapy hair mask that the brand sent me to test a few months ago, the ColorSolve shampoo delivers better results and is easier to use. It certainly doesn't mask every gray that's on my scalp the way the dye does, but it dulls them well enough, especially the ones that seem to hold court around the crown of my head. As for the conditioner, it leaves my hair soft, moisturized, and a bit less frizzy, just like my favorite hair mask does.
I'll definitely be buying the shampoo again (you can purchase just the shampoo or just the conditioner on their own, if you don't want to go all in) to see what effect continued use has on my hair, and next time, I think I'll go for the Bond Building formula. If you want to give it a try yourself, first-time customers can use code WELCOME15 to get 15 percent off their purchase.
Buy It! Madison Reed ColorSolve Daily Moisture Shampoo + Conditioner Set, $44–$51; madison-reed.com
Buy It! Madison Reed ColorSolve Total Volume Shampoo + Conditioner Set, $44–$51; madison-reed.com
Buy It! Madison Reed ColorSolve Bond Building Shampoo + Conditioner Set, $44–$51; madison-reed.com
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