The new mdlondon The Numbers styling range cuts through the confusion with each product explaining exactly when to use it
mdlondon has launched The Numbers – a six-product styling range designed to work as a layering system.
Each product is numbered 1 through 6 based on when you use it in your styling routine.
The range includes a heat-protecting primer, blow-dry spray, mousse, hairspray, texture spray, and finishing paste.
Each product costs £15 from mdlondon.
There’s a persistent problem with hair styling products – most of them don’t tell you what they actually do or when you’re supposed to use them.
You end up with a bathroom shelf full of mousses, sprays, and creams and no idea which one to reach for or whether you can use two together without your hair turning into a sticky mess.
mdlondon – the brand behind the WAVE and BLOW – has just launched a styling product range that attempts to solve this exact issue.
It’s called The Numbers and it contains six products, numbered 1 through 6, designed to work as a layering system based on what you’re actually doing with your hair that day.
We’ve ordered the full range and will feedback once we’ve put them to the test, but in the meantime keep reading to learn everything about the new mdlondon Numbers range from Michael Douglas.
What is mdlondon The Numbers UK?
The Numbers from stylist Michael Douglas’ mdlondon brand is a six-product styling range where each product is assigned a number that corresponds to when you’d use it in your routine.
The logic is: start with The 1, add whichever middle numbers suit what you’re doing (blow-drying, curling, etc), and finish with The 4, 5, or 6 depending on the result you want.
This makes it clearer when you need each product and how they can be mixed together. That clarity extends to the formulas themselves, which are vegan, cruelty-free, and free from sulphates and parabens.
Everything’s also got that signature mdlondon scent: zesty orange and lemon with petitgrain.
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mdlondon The Numbers range
mdlondon The 1 – Hair Primer
This is your starting point, regardless of hair type or what you’re planning to do.
It’s a leave-in conditioning spray with heat protection up to 230°C, which makes it essential if you’re using straighteners, curling tongs, or a blow dryer.
The texture is light – more of a conditioning mist than a heavy cream – and it’s designed to go on damp, towel-dried hair.
The formula includes proteins and conditioning agents that supposedly make hair softer and easier to work with, whether you’re blow-drying it smooth or letting it air-dry into natural texture.
What’s useful here is that it works for everyone. Fine hair won’t be weighed down, thick hair gets the slip it needs for easier styling, curly hair gets definition without crunch. It’s also buildable: you can use a small amount if your hair’s fine or short, or pump out more if you’ve got longer or thicker hair.
mdlondon The 1 Hair Primer
mdlondon The 2 – Volume & Shine Blow Out Spray
This is specifically for blow-drying.
It’s a spray that adds volume at the roots and shine through the lengths, with heat protection built in.
The finish is smooth and bouncy rather than textured or matte – think salon blow-dry rather than lived-in waves.
You’re meant to spray it onto damp hair after The 1, then blow-dry as usual.
The formula includes volumising polymers that lift hair at the roots without making it feel stiff or sticky. It also helps the blow-dry last longer, which is handy if you’re someone who washes their hair every few days and wants the style to hold.
The key thing to understand is that this is designed to work with The 1, not replace it.
The 1 protects and conditions, The 2 adds volume and hold. If you skip The 1 and just use The 2, you’re missing the heat protection and the slip that makes blow-drying easier.
mdlondon The 2 – Volume & Shine Blow Out Spray
mdlondon The 3 – Volume, Curls & Waves Mousse
This is where things get specific. The 3 is a dense, creamy mousse designed for anyone enhancing natural curls or creating waves with a curling tool or diffuser.
It’s not a universal styling product, it’s specifically for texture and definition.
The formula is notably different from most mousses, which tend to be airy and dry hair out.
This one’s richer and more moisturising, with ingredients that help curls hold their shape without going crunchy or frizzy.
You apply it to damp hair (after The 1), scrunch it through, then either air-dry, diffuse, or curl with a tool.
If you’re using it with heated tools, it works alongside The 1’s heat protection. If you’re air-drying, it gives enough hold that your curls don’t fall flat by lunchtime.
The key is using less than you think – it’s concentrated, so golf-ball-sized amounts are plenty unless you’ve got very thick or long hair.hat you’d reach for.
mdlondon The 3 – Volume, Curls & Waves Mousse
mdlondon The 4 – Hairspray That Holds
This is a flexible-hold hairspray that’s genuinely reworkable, which is rarer than it should be.
Most hairsprays lock your hair in place and punish you if you try to touch it afterwards.
This one holds your style but lets you reshape, smooth, or add more product without everything turning sticky or flaky.
You spray it onto finished, dry hair – after you’ve blow-dried, curled, straightened, or whatever else you’ve done.
It works for everything from sleek ponytails to big bouncy curls to choppy pixie cuts. The hold is strong enough for all-day wear but flexible enough that your hair still moves and feels touchable.
It’s also layerable, so you can spray lightly for a natural hold or build it up for something more structured. And crucially, it doesn’t leave that crunchy, hairspray-hair feeling or visible residue on dark hair.
mdlondon The 4 – Hairspray That Holds
mdlondon The 5 – Voluminous Texture
This is a dry texture spray that works like a hybrid between dry shampoo and hairspray.
It revives volume on second or third-day hair, absorbs oil at the roots, and adds grip for styling.
If your hair’s gone flat overnight or you need to refresh a blow-dry without washing, this is what you’d reach for.
The formula is quite densely pigmented (though it doesn’t leave visible residue), and it has proper hold, so it’s not just for making your hair look cleaner, it actually helps restyle it.
You can use it at the roots for volume, through the lengths for texture, or on specific sections if you’re creating an updo or half-up style.
mdlondon The 5 – Voluminous Texture
mdlondon The 6 – A Settling Finish
This is a cream-clay finishing paste that smooths frizz, tames flyaways, and adds definition to any style.
It’s the last step –the thing you use after everything’s styled and dried – just to polish the finish.
The texture is quite thick, but a tiny amount goes a long way.
You warm it between your palms until it softens, then smooth it over the surface of your hair (not through it – this isn’t a styling product, it’s a finishing product).
It settles frizz without making hair look wet or greasy, and it adds a bit of separation and piece-y texture, which is particularly good on shorter hair or choppy layers.
mdlondon The 6 – A Settling Finish
mdlondon All Six The Numbers bundle
The complete Numbers collection gives you all six products to cover every styling scenario – from heat protection through to finishing.
You get The 1 (primer), The 2 (blow-dry spray), The 3 (curl mousse), The 4 (hairspray), The 5 (texture spray), and The 6 (finishing paste) for £90.
Buying them all makes sense if you regularly switch between different styles – blow-drying one day, curling the next, air-drying the day after – and want the flexibility to mix and match based on what your hair needs.
If you tend to do the same thing with your hair most days, you’re better off buying just the individual products that fit your routine.
But if you want the full system and the freedom to experiment, the bundle gives you everything in one go.
mdlondon All Six The Numbers bundle
mdlondon The Numbers first impressions
The range doesn’t include a curl cream for very dry or coily hair, or a strong-hold gel for sleek styles. It’s also missing a pre-wash treatment or mask, which means it’s purely for styling, not repair. That’s not a criticism, just an FYI. There’s also no travel sizes yet, which is a shame if you want to try the products before committing to full-size bottles.
Realistically, The Numbers isn’t revolutionary – it’s hair products with clear instructions. But that clarity is genuinely useful – and rare,
The formulas seem solid, the system makes sense, and the products don’t overpromise.
Whether it’s worth £15 per product depends on how much you value that clarity and whether you’re currently struggling with a confusing collection of styling products that don’t seem to work together.
The Numbers works best for people who:
- Use heat tools regularly and want proper heat protection
- Style their hair at home and find most products confusing
- Want products that layer together without guesswork
- Are happy to invest £15-£45 on styling products that’ll last several months
It’s not for people who:
- Rarely style their hair or prefer it completely product-free
- Have very specific needs (like extreme hold for updos, or heavy moisture for very dry, damaged hair)
- Are looking for budget options – this isn’t expensive, but it’s not cheap either
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