Who doesn’t love a good trip to the Blow Dry Bar? Ever wonder how those professionals get your hair so beautifully sleek and full of body? Madison Reed colorist Noelle shows you just how easy it is to achieve that professional quality voluminous style right at home in today’s hair tutorial!

NOTE: This style works best on straight or slightly wavy hair to get the most volume.

See full written instructions at the bottom of the page.

1. Wash and condition your hair using Madison Reed nourishing, color enhancing shampoo and conditioner set. Comb through your tresses using a big toothed comb. This will result in the least amount of damage to your wet locks!

2. Use a micro-fiber towel to gently squeeze out all excess moisture. The drier the hair the better the results!

NOTE: Avoid rubbing hair with a towel as it will damage your hair cuticles and make it look more frizzy.

3. Using a comb, section your hair into four horizontal sections (from temple to temple, ear to ear) and twist them into a bun. This will make the drying process MUCH easier.

4. If you have bangs or any shorter fringe around the face, start here as this section will dry the quickest. Using a round brush, swipe your bangs downward and side-to-side. Set your hair dryer to medium heat and direct the air-flow to blow downward from root to tip.

5. Release the bottom section of your hair and position the air flow downward towards the direction you will be brushing. Hold the round brush horizontally and curl your hair inward. Drape hair on your shoulder and allow it to cool off.

Pro tip: Using the cool button on your blow dryer to prolong your style.

6. Release the section of hair above this one and repeat step 5.

7. Release the section of hair above this one and repeat step 5 again. When you reach either side above the ears, the method of drying will change a bit. Hold the brush at a slightly vertical angle and twirl it inward. Don’t forget to use that cool button!

8. The final section at the top of the head is where you can get the most volume. Begin at the crown (back portion of this section) and position your brush horizontally. Round your hair inward and concentrate the air flow downward at the roots to get the most lift.

9. Finally, dry the remaining section of hair apply a light finishing spray.

What are you waiting for? Now is the perfect time to try Madison Reed’s healthier for you color! Happy October! Take $10 off your first purchase of Madison Reed hair color – just use the offer code OCTOBERLOVE at checkout.

This time of year you start hearing the same question you have heard since you were 2 years old – “What are you going to be for Halloween?” You can go a long way to achieving the perfect look with your costume when you have the right hairstyle. We have a few essential Halloween Hair Tutorials with fun, easy hairstyles courtesy of Madison Reed. 

• Add mousse to damp hair and blowout.
• Back tease the top back sections of your hair to get that slight bouffant look
• Smooth and spray hair, then add a headband to finish off the look

Now a style that can even work even for shorter hair:

• Create a deep side part in your hair
• Gather hair up in the back to create a top pony
• Curl hair in the pony under to create a faux bun
• Pin and spray as needed to keep the curls in place

• Curl all your hair in tight curls
• Use small tupperware container and hot glue some wig hair on it to create a base to place on top of your head
• Backcomb hair and pin locks to the base.
• Pin in lengths of dyed wig hair for color, or color individual locks of your own hair

• Gather hair up into a top side pony
• Do a quick back comb to bangs to get them to stay to one side
• Use hair chalk or pink and blue hair spray to add color to the bangs

Thanks to the team at Madison Reed for providing the images and the step-by-step instructions for these hairstyles.

What are you waiting for? Now is the perfect time to try Madison Reed’s healthier for you color! Happy October! Take $10 off your first purchase of Madison Reed hair color – just use the offer code OCTOBERLOVE at checkout.

When it comes to hair color we have a lot of different choices, but not very many of them are GOOD choices. It’s almost like the drugstore box colors and other online brands have totally dropped the “care” from hair care. Instead, they focus on making the least expensive product that ends up frying your hair and not taking your health into consideration at all.

Here are five hair-damaging chemicals found in most hair dyes:

1. Ammonia / Ammonium Hydroxide:

From our inception we created a formula that does not need ammonia. Other colors use it to increase shelf life, add hair pH, and blast open the hair shaft so their color can penetrate the cuticle.

• Ammonia is harsh on hair leaving it dull and limp
• Responsible for the pungent smell of most hair dyes
• Increases hair porosity, which weakens hair causing frizz and split ends, and leads to color fading
• Exposure to ammonia fumes can irritate skin, eyes, throat, and lungs, causing watery eyes, itchy scalps, coughing, and burning

2. Resorcinol:

A common ingredient in many hair colors, resorcinol is used as a dye. Our formula doesn’t need resorcinol.

• Resorcinol is frequent cause of allergic reactions to hair dye
• Can be toxic to the immune system

3. PPD (para-phenylenediamine):

A pigment used to create darker shades. We’ve eliminated PPD from all of our colors and instead use a safer alternative to create our rich, dark shades.

• A high skin sensitizer, PPD is proven to trigger allergic reactions to hair dye which can result in severe dermatitis, swelling, eye irritation, and tearing
• The EPA warns that long-term exposure can lead to asthma, gastritis, renal failure, vertigo, tremors, convulsions, and coma in humans

4. Ethanol Alcohol (isopropyl alcohol):

Known as Alcohol Denat, it’s used in the dye absorption process. We’ve replaced this alcohol with a naturally derived alternative that doesn’t dry hair the way ethanol does.

• Ethanol Alcohol is often the cause of dried out hair after dyeing

5. Parabens:

Known to be a controversial preservative, parabens are said to prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi. We don’t add parabens to our formulas.

• Parabens have little evidence to support their effectiveness

Madison Reed cares what you put in your hair and that’s why they have eliminated these ingredients from their hair color formula.

They re-engineered hair color by replacing harsh ingredients that are traditionally used in the coloring process with ingredients that are gentler on your hair and leave it healthier with longer lasting, salon-quality results.

What are you waiting for? Now is the perfect time to try Madison Reed’s healthier-for -you color! Happy October! Take $10 off your first purchase of Madison Reed hair color – just use the offer code OCTOBERLOVE at checkout.

Summer was awesome, but those sunny days lounging by the pool, exploring the great outdoors, hitting the beach and traveling far and wide have all been harsh on your hair.  Here are a few easy tips to repair your summer-damaged hair and get it back into shape.

1. Turn Down the Heat
Your tresses have been suffering the summer heat all season long. Give them a break by using a cooler hair dryer setting for a bit while your hair recuperates.

2. Stash the Irons
Try out some of the new fall styles that don’t require a flat or curling iron. Your hair will thank you, and you might find a look you like even better than your current style.

3. Get a Trim
After all the sun, wind, and chlorine it’s a wonder you have any nutrients left in your hair – and the result is split-ends and frizz. Getting a little trim is an easy way to start fresh for the fall.

4. Avoid Alcohol
…in your hair products that is. If you’re hair is already feeling dry and dehydrated, using styling products that have alcohol in them, like gel, will make your hair even more brittle.

5. Get a Good Brush
Use a boar bristle brush to brush your hair thoroughly at least once a day. This will help distribute your hair’s natural oils throughout your tresses and help your hair heal any damage on its own.

6. Do Some Deep Conditioning
It can be as easy as leaving a deep conditioner in instead of rinsing it out or trying out a new hair masque. Either way, your hair needs this like a cool drink of water on the hottest summer day.

7. Use a Healthier Hair Color
Looking to darken your shade for the fall? A lot of permanent hair color formulas contain ammonia, resorcinol, PPDs and alcohol, all of which can damage your hair far beyond what it’s already been through this summer. Give your hair a nutrient boost instead with Madison Reed hair color. We don’t use any of those chemicals! Instead we pack our salon-quality formula with naturally-derived ingredients like argan oil, keratin, and ginseng root extract for vibrant, long-lasting color in your favorite fall shades.

There are a few classic hairstyles we can go to when we need a great look in a hurry and the Top Knot is near the top of that list.  It is the ideal style for any occasion since it can easily be paired with a dressed up or casual ensemble for the perfect look. Jenny Balding, NYC Cutler/Redken Stylist, shares how to achieve this fabulous look:

• For best results, start with day two hair onwards as your hair will be easier to manage with an already ‘lived -in’ texture.
• Mist hair with dry shampoo, focusing primarily on the roots mainly – this will give your hair more texture, grip and volume.
• Then mist a light hairspray throughout for some hold and grip.
• Sweep your hair into high ponytail. Keep checking what it looks like from your profile so you position ponytail in the most flattering point of your head for your face shape.
• Take the ponytail and back-brush from the underneath lightly – this creates a slight disheveled texture.
• Sweep around the base of the ponytail and pin using U shaped hairpins. These really anchor the hair best which means you will only need 2 or 3 to secure.
• This creates perfectly disheveled topknot that looks ultra stylish and works for any event.

About Jenny Balding: Jenny is a Senior Stylist at New York City’s Cutler Salon and specializes in cutting and styling women and men of all hair lengths, textures, colors, and special occasions. Her personal mission is to help each client find the cut and style that works best for them and their lifestyle, not just the hottest trend, and she achieves this by working with the hair’s natural texture to create maximum versatility and fluidity. Jenny also lives the salon’s motto “bringing runway to reality” as she consistently leads shows each season during New York Fashion Week including Paola Hernández & 5:31 Jérôme. Her work backstage has also been seen on the runways of Marc Jacobs, Cynthia Rowley, Betsey Johnson, Proenza Schouler, Badgley Mischka and Carmen Marc Valvo. With inspiration from Fashion Week around the world, Jenny translates the season’s hottest trends into wearable, achievable, must-have styles for her clients.

You know those high-end hair care products that look awesome and you realllllly want to try, but you don’t know if you want to spend the money when you aren’t positive that you will ove them?  Well, this is your chance.  Beautystoredepot.com is having their annual Hair Care Sale which means it’s the perfect time to indulge yourself in those kinda pricey products you’ve always wanted to try. Here’s a great list: 

1. Kusco-Murphy Beach Hair
Kusco-Murphy Beach Hair is the next best thing to a day at the beach! Beach Hair gives you that tousled, textured, bed-head look. It separates and defines curls plus gives body and texture to straight hair. Created by Kevin Murphy for a Sports Illustrated cover shoot, to give the model sexy beach hair. A must try.

2. Sircuit Skin Liquid Crystal+ Hydrating Hair Bath
Liquid Crystal+ is simply the most spectacular shampoo on the planet! Super concentrated (no Sodium Laurel Sulfate), with very gentle surfactants including Amaranth S, a natural foaming peptide based on organic, protein rich amaranth, that restores balance and protects against fade, color loss, and breakage. 

3. Phyto Phytocyane Revitalizing Serum Ampules
A rejuvenating complex designed to counter temporary hair thinning caused by stress, fatigue, pregnancy, medication, or seasonal changes that leaves hair instantly fuller and more luxurious. This advanced formula stimulates microcirculation in the scalp to create healthy conditions for new hair growth, too. Phyto free gift included!

4. Amir Argan Oil Color Care Leave-In Creme
Amir Argan Oil Color Care Leave In Creme is a lightweight multipurpose leave-in conditioner that helps to nourish and repair damaged hair while also protecting your hair color. Infused with the nourishing powers of Argan Oil, your hair will be left ultra soft to the touch with a lustrous shine.

5. gloEssentials Re-Energize Dry Shampoo
Instantly cleanses and re-energizes without water or residue. Formulated with natural Hydrolyzed Silk Protein to provide smoothing and conditioning benefits for shinier, healthier hair. Use between washes or keep in your gym bag to refresh after a workout! 

Coupon code HAIRCARE takes 20% off everything on my list when applied at checkout at beautystoredepot.com. Free shipping and free gifts with every order, too! See what I mean? It’s time to give your wish list a try so shop before the sale ends on August 25th.

We have now passed the official start of summer and we are coming up quickly on the 4th of July.  There is no better time to try out a new summer color and have it delivered to your door on your own time schedule!  We have enough to cram into these summer days without having to book salon appointments.

Madison Reed offers 27 fabulous multi-dimensional colors from smashing blonde to rich deep reds, super sleek black and anything but ordinary browns. Whether you want a brand new look or just want to add depth to your existing color, Madison Reed’s long-lasting hair color is packed with rich nutrients like keratin, argan oil and ginseng root extract. Your hair will feel stronger, shinier and better than before you colored.

The Madison Reed formula is free of ammonia and resorcinol, taking the harsh out of hair color. And it smells nice too! The online tools help you pick your best color and if you still aren’t sure what color will be best, Madison Reed’s Color Advisor will take you through a few short questions to find your perfect color.

Madison Reed offers salon quality, handcrafted hair color delivered to your door on your schedule! Clear instructions, all the extras you may need and fabulous results really set Madison Reed apart from other home hair color options! New customers save 20% off their first order at Madison Reed through July 1, 2014 – just use the coupon code SUMMERLOVE at checkout.

Which shade will you choose?