When celebrity hairstylist Barb Thompson was prepping Olivia Wilde for the 2026 Met Gala, she didn’t reach for an exclusive salon treatment to refresh her client’s roots. Instead, she reached for a $38 kit available at Ulta.
Thompson used Madison Reed’s Root Perfection Root Touch Up Kit—specifically shade 7N (Alba)—to refresh Wilde’s regrowth before she hit the carpet, and the results were undeniably camera-ready.
“Leading up to the Met Gala, one of our biggest priorities was refreshing Olivia’s color so it felt bright, fresh and polished,” Thompson says. “For root maintenance, I used Madison Reed Root Perfection Root Touch Up Kit in Shade 7N. It only takes 10 minutes and is a great solution for busy schedules or travel when there isn’t always time for a full salon appointment.”
Ten minutes? Under $40? The Met Gala red carpet? Hard to argue with that.
So, what makes this kit worthy of fashion’s most photographed night? For starters, it delivers 100-percent gray coverage and is designed specifically for the T-zone—your hairline and part line—making touch-ups precise and effortless. It also extends time between salon visits by up to three weeks, which Thompson says made it the perfect pre-event solution.
The formula—and its hair-health benefits—are just as impressive as the results. Madison Reed’s Smart 8-Free formula skips ammonia, parabens, resorcinol, PPD, phthalates, gluten, SLS and titanium dioxide, while infusing strands with keratin, argan oil and ginseng root extract for color that doesn’t just cover—it helps improve the look and feel of hair. “I love this product,” says one happy Ulta Beauty reviewer. “In every use, it makes my hair texture super soft and beautiful.”
The Madison Reed Root Perfection Root Touch Up Kit ($38) is available at Ulta Beauty, Walmart and Madison-Reed.com.
