Madison Reed
Madison Reed is a hair color and hair care brand founded in 2013 by Amy Errett. It sells salon-quality at-home hair color kits and operates Hair Color Bars across U.S. cities, with retail partnerships at Ulta Beauty, Walmart, and Amazon.
The Story
Amy Errett started Madison Reed at age 56, after being fired from a CEO role and nearly walking away from business altogether. The idea came from her wife, who had gone gray at 25 and couldn't find at-home color that didn't feel harsh or chemical-heavy. During a Saturday errand run, Errett wandered into the hair color aisle at a drugstore, bought 30 boxes, took them apart, and concluded the category was badly underserved.
In 2013, Errett raised a $4 million Series A and partnered with an Italian manufacturer — the 11th one she pitched, after the first 10 told her a "gentler" formula wouldn't work. They launched in 2014 with 19 shades and a color-matching algorithm, but the Groupon trial that brought 7,000 customers in barely converted any of them. That failure taught the team a hard lesson about deal-seekers versus real customers.
The company found its footing after Ulta Beauty reached out unsolicited in 2017, and the first Hair Color Bar opened in New York's Flatiron district. When the pandemic forced salons to close, Errett chose to keep all 300 Color Bar staff employed, retraining them as remote colorists to handle a flood of 16,000 daily customer inquiries.
By 2025, Madison Reed is a profitable, multi-channel brand — online store, Hair Color Bars across the country, and retail shelves at Ulta, Walmart, and Target — with close to 100 shades and an AI-powered color quiz that converts 30% better than any other traffic source on the site.
Key Facts & Metrics
Products
Hair Color Bar Service
In-salon professional hair color service at Madison Reed's own Hair Color Bar locations. 90-minute appointments using the same at-home color formula applied by licensed colorists.
Gray Escape Hair Mascara
Award-winning touch-up hair mascara for covering stray grays on the go. As seen on The Today Show, available in multiple shades.
Radiant Hair Color Kit
Prestige at-home hair color kit with 8-free formula — no ammonia, PPD, or harsh chemicals. Includes developer, color cream, and a conditioning treatment in 100 shades.
Color Bar Gift Card
Gift card redeemable for Hair Color Bar services or Madison Reed products. Available in various denominations.
Company Timeline
2013 — Madison Reed founded
Amy Errett launched Madison Reed at age 56 with a $4 million Series A. Named after her daughter, the company started as a direct-to-consumer brand selling salon-quality hair color without harsh chemicals like ammonia and PPD.
2014 — Official launch with 19 shades
After 15 months of development, Madison Reed launched with 19 hair color shades formulated in Italy and an 18-question color-matching algorithm. A Groupon promotion brought 7,000 trial customers but almost none returned.
2017 — Ulta partnership and first Hair Color Bar
Ulta Beauty reached out after a buyer heard Madison Reed's podcast ad. That same year, the first Hair Color Bar opened in New York's Flatiron district, marking the transition from pure DTC to an omnichannel brand.
2019 — Rapid retail expansion and $100M revenue
Madison Reed expanded to nine Hair Color Bar locations and reported approximately $100 million in revenue with 130% year-over-year growth, with retail partnerships at Ulta, Walmart, Sally Beauty, and Amazon.
2020 — Pandemic pivot and e-commerce surge
When salons closed during the pandemic, Errett chose to keep all 300 Color Bar staff employed, retraining them as remote colorists to handle 16,000 daily customer inquiries. The e-commerce business exploded while the company expanded Hair Color Bar locations by taking advantage of depressed commercial real estate.
2023 — Profitability milestone
Madison Reed crossed into profitability, confirming the viability of its multi-channel model spanning direct-to-consumer e-commerce, Hair Color Bars, and wholesale retail partnerships.
