Men in Black…and Brown…Not Gray

The coronavirus lockdown spurred women to do-it-themselves when it came time to color their hair. At the height of the pandemic lockdown, Madison Reed's new customer volume increased 12 times, and Founder and CEO Amy Errett predicts the company’s top line for 2020 will be more than double that of 2019. All that color wasn't lost on gray-haired men either. This month, Madison Reed and eSalon will launch DIY hair color for men. 

Errett acknowledged that the popularity of the quarantine beard made it easy to introduce a men's line. After all, guys usually see the first sign of gray, not on their heads, but rather, on their chins. Madison Reed Mr. promises moderate, semipermanent coverage. 

eSalon's Colorsmith launch comes on the heels of a big uptick in sales, too. In April, eSalon saw six to seven times its normal order volume, and while things have slowed down slightly, the business is still seeing two times more new customers and a 20-30 % increase in customer retention. For 2020, revenue is expected to double, according to CEO Graham Jones.