As a woman in midlife, hormonal shifts have caused significant changes to my hair, meaning I often have to try new products. But doing so is never easy, and the selection in Boots can feel totally overwhelming. So when I saw mdlondon’s new styling range - The Numbers - which simplifies styling by, yes, you guessed it, numbers, my interest immediately piqued.
Introducing the first six numbers at a press launch, Michael said: ‘I had this idea for a product range back in 1991, where I would just number them one to whatever, and that would be it. Make it a simple thing, with a number to help people, not a puzzle to solve - just make life easy. Just 1 and 2, and out the door - great, your hair looks fab.’
And his new wife, Davina McCall, is a big fan. Sat alongside her husband, she said: ‘I really need to talk about this because the 1 is amazing. If you're going to use something, use the 1. Talk about making it easy - imagine saying to somebody, could you just go and grab me a 1 and 3? It’s such a brilliant, easy concept.’
The Numbers range are:
- 1 - Hair Primer: a leave-in pre-styler for all outcomes: straight, waves, and curls, heat protection, and conditioning
- 2 - Volume & Shine Blow Out Spray: a spray to reduce frizz with heat protection for improved volume and conditioned shine
- 3 - Volume Curls & Waves Mousse: amazing curls and waves, helps tame frizz, diffuse, air dry, or blow out
- 4 - Hairspray That Holds: Reworkable, flexible, firm hold dry hairspray
- 5 - Voluminous Texture: Dry Shampoo with volumising long-lasting hold for all hair styles
- 6 - A Settling Finish: A cream clay that takes the edge off fluffy hairstyles for a natural texture and finish
The Numbers
The 1 is for everyone - suitable for all hair types seeking heat protection, dry, damaged or hard-to-manage. For natural curls and waves wanting definition - this is a multi-styling product that fits into any routine.
For anyone blow-drying their hair at home, The 2 is ideal for hair that needs volume and lift. Blow dry with to tame frizzy hair for a smooth, polished finish, or add in before air-drying for soft, frizz-free results.
Best for naturally curly and wavy hair, The 3 is ideal for anyone seeking defined, bouncy curls or anyone with frizzy textured hair that needs added control. Use to create sea-salted, textured looks.
The 4 is for styles that need to last all day - curls, waves, updos, ponytails, French rolls, messy buns and hair extensions needing hold. It smells incredible too.
The 5 does what it says on the tin - hair that needs more volume and texture. Use it to refresh styles between washes, create big beach waves and festival curls.
An easy way to tame flyaways and settle frizz, create beach waves and festival styles. Helps create naturally curly hair after styling and giving definition to short styles like pixie crops. Use to refresh styles on day two, three or four.
‘They are in order of use,' Michael says. 'Number 1 - hair primer - goes on first, and that would be for everyone,' Michael explains. 'Then number 2 or 3, depending on your hair type, or you could use both if you want an extra zap. 4 is hairspray, 5 is dry shampoo, and then 6 is a finish that you use at the very end.'
As well as being a super simple system to use, each product features a QR code on the front, which you scan to enter a WhatsApp chat where you can ask Michael anything about how it works and other hair-related questions via an AI system he has developed.
‘I’ve trained a small language model called The Knowing,” he says. 'I've lectured everything I've learned over the last 38 years in hairdressing into it - you can ask me anything to do with hair, and it will help.'
If you're looking through The Numbers and feel something is missing, don't worry. Numbers 7-12 are launching in September, and include a dry heat protection spray and one Michael himself is particularly excited about: 'Number 7 is a knockout'.
We'll be trying them all over the next few weeks, so stay tuned for a closer look at the range. One thing we can say now, though - they all smell incredible.
The Numbers are £15 each, available buy at mdlondon now, and in Boots early March.
