Prestige beauty brand Madison Reed launches into Walmart stores

This week, omnichannel hair care brand Madison Reed is launching its prestige hair color products into over 1,500 Walmart stores across the US and on Walmart.com. As detailed in the company’s press release announcement, the launch will confirm that “in total, Madison Reed will have 28 SKUs [now available] across select stores and Walmart.com including their best-selling Radiant Hair Color Kit in 14 shades, Root Perfection in 5 shades, Color Reviving Gloss in 4 shades, Color Therapy Mask in 4 shades, and their Professional Color Tool Kit​.”

The launch follows the brand’s overall plan to continue to expand its retail footprint, and “comes during a year of explosive growth for the brand and is a deliberate decision to expand its loyal customer base with Walmart, a top beauty destination​,” the release said.

Additionally, “paired with Madison Reed’s 87 Hair Color Bars, thriving DTC business and existing retail presence at Amazon, Ulta Beauty and select Ulta Beauty at Target and Target locations​,” the release added, “Madison Reed is well-positioned for continued, fast-paced growth​.”

To learn more about the brand’s background and what the launch means to the company’s overall mission, we spoke with Amy Errett, Founder and CEO of Madison Reed for her insights.

About the Madison Reed brand

Since it was founded a decade ago, prestige beauty brand Madison Reed has “revolutionized the hair color industry​” with its “Smart 8-Free formulas developed in Italy, technology, personalized service, and the freedom to get salon-quality results at home or by a professional colorist in one of Madison Reed’s 87 and counting Hair Color Bars across the country​,” said Errett.

The brand’s mission is “deeply rooted in the belief that prestige, salon-quality hair color made without harsh ingredients should be accessible,” ​she added. Further, she explained, “to us this means empowering our guests to choose where and when they purchase our products and color their hair, so they have the freedom to enjoy gorgeous results on their own terms.” ​

Madison Reed’s product line was developed around its proprietary Smart-8 Free formula, which excludes “ammonia, parabens, resorcinol, PPD, phthalates, gluten, SLS, and titanium dioxide​,” but includes “nutrients that protect and pamper hair, including keratin, argan oil, and ginseng root extract​,” Errett shared. In addition to its extensive hair color collection, the brand also offers “color care products to protect, perfect, and refresh hair color, including gloss, hair treatments, masks, and a full line of styling products​,” she added.

The brand’s products have grown a ‘cult following’ over the past ten years and are backed by testing and demonstrated results. For example, said the company’s press release, Madison Reed’s “award-winning Radiant Hair Color Kit is dermatologist tested, and over 94% of users in an independent study agreed that their hair looked shiny, silky, and healthier, after use of the product​.” Further, the release added, the brand “is widely recognized as a category leader and is a five-time winner of the highly coveted Allure Best of Beauty Awards​.”

About the Walmart launch

About the launch into Walmart’s online and in-person locations, Errett said “as​ a true omnichannel brand, Madison Reed is dedicated to meeting our guests where they are and the beauty in this model is we are everywhere they need us.” ​To that end, she elaborated, “Walmart is a key partner in accomplishing this goal.”​ 

Regarding the retail partnership between the two organizations, Creighton Kiper, Vice President, Beauty, Walmart US added in the press release that “Walmart is committed to expanding its assortment to bring in new brands and products that are innovative, high-quality and on-trend. ​By collaborating with Madison Reed,” Kiper added, “we’re excited to make prestige hair color more accessible to all.” ​ 

Moving forward, Errett concluded, the launch is a ‘strategic move’ that is “the disruptor brand’s latest effort to deliver on its mission of empowering women who deserve to demand more, in their hair color and their lives, by making its prestige, salon-quality hair color with Smart 8-Free and Leaping Bunny Certified formulas accessible to customers wherever and whenever they need it​.”