Sunday, October 18, 2015

Blonde is Beautiful … @madisonreedllb


You’ve heard the saying, ‘Blondes have more fun,’ and I’m here to tell you being blonde is more fun for me.

You may recall a few posts back – No Books, Just Hair – I talked about wanting to color my hair using the Madison Reed Radiant Color Kit. Well, I finally had a chance to do it and I’m quite pleased how it turned out.

Hair before - Thoughts in Progress
Hair before color
I’m sharing some before and after photos of my hair to try and show you the change. However, the true color differences doesn’t show well using a cellphone camera. Also, I know you’ve heard (read) me say that my hair is straight and yet one photo show wavy hair. That’s how my hair looks when I take it down out of a single braid I wear it in 99 percent of the time.

Let me address a few points before I tell you how the actual process went.

      1. No, I didn’t become an instant platinum blonde from root to tips but I wasn’t expecting to. Had I put the color on the length a bit earlier than I did, it probably would have lightened it even more. The color did lighten my hair to a shade lighter, even more on top, and gave it a glossy shine that I like. I’m pleased with the shade it became.

      2. No, the solution didn’t cause my eyes to water or give me a headache. There was no harsh chemical smell, because there are no harsh chemicals in the solution. In fact, it was a pleasant scent that was a bit fragrant but not overpowering. It’s a smell you wouldn’t mind having in your house.

      3. Yes, the process took a bit longer than the over-the-counter color kits I’d used before. However, the extra time was my doing because I wanted to be sure I followed the instructions and left the product on my hair the correct amount of time. Once you’re familiar with the process it can easily be done in 40-45 minutes for short hair or 50-55 minutes for long hair (this includes the prep time).

Hair after - Thoughts in Progress
Hair after color
      4. No, the instructions weren’t hard to follow. But because my hair is past my waist, I couldn’t apply the product exactly as explained in the brochure or demonstrated in the video. Yeah, they have a tutorial video that walks you through the entire process. I couldn’t separate my hair into the four sections as it recommends, but I was still able to apply the solution to all the roots without any problems.

That’s just some of the highlights I wanted to be sure to point out. The only other major issue I noticed was my solution didn’t turn purple like it did when applied in the video. So I called the lovely folks at Madison Reed to see if I had done something wrong. No, it was what I had suspected. The cream color can change to purple when activated depending on the color you’re using. The lady in the video was dark headed. The color cream for blondes doesn’t go purple when activated, it just has a faint hint of a purple tint.

All the items you need to color your hair comes in the box from Madison Reed with the exception of a cape to wear to protect your clothing. You can use an old button-up shirt to serve the same purpose. To me there was no more drip from this solution than I have had with regular over-the-counter kits. In fact, this solution was a bit thicker and less messy.

Bangs Before - Thoughts in Progress
Bangs before
The box contains the radiant cream color, the conditioning color activator, two sets of gloves (not flimsy), a cap, cream to put along your hairline, a cleansing wipe to use to clean off any dye you get on your face, a small tube of nourishing color enhancing shampoo, and a small tube of nourishing color enhancing conditioner. And a side note, the box is very nice and packaged well to insure nothing is damaged when you receive it. You can also purchase an extra bottle of the cream color and activator if needed for long hair.

Due to the length of my hair and the pesky grey trying to find a permanent home, I had to leave the solution on for a total of 45 minutes where someone with short hair would only go for 35 minutes. With the cap on, I was able to do whatever I needed to do while waiting on the timer. The solution washed out without any problems and I followed up by using the shampoo and conditioner provided.

Bangs After - Thoughts in Progress
Bangs after
The entire process went really easy and I’m extremely satisfied with the outcome of the color and this home salon-style kit. In addition, my hair feels softer and silkier, as well as having a radiance to it. Will I use the Madison Reed Radiant Color Kit again, oh yeah.

Thanks for stopping by today and following along as I try new
products. Have you come across a new product that surprised you in a good way? Are you looking for a product for a specific reason but just can’t seem to find what you’re looking for?

*P.S. If you decide you want to try a Madison Reed Radiant Color Kit, drop me an email and I'll give you'll a referral to save $15 on your first order.

*This is a sponsored post and contains affiliate links. I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. I was provided the items mentioned above and could be compensated for the post. However, this post was written solely by me and all opinions are my own given honestly and freely. I will not share a post with you without believing in what I present to you.

9 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Alex, that's actually short compared to what it once was.

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  2. What a lovely shade of blonde, Mason! And it's nice to know the process worked well for you.

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  3. Is your hair really that long? I'm jealous! The color turned out great.

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    Replies
    1. Maria, my hair's really that long and used to be even longer. I think the color turned out great too.

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  4. Nice shiny color. It is lively. The color came out out evenly too.

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  5. It looks really, really good. No wonder you are happy.

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