At woman&home, the beauty team makes it our mission to test the latest hairstyling launches and assess which buys are truly the top tools on the market. Naturally, that includes Michael Douglas's brand and our beauty editor has carried out a full mdlondon BLOW Hair Dryer review to help you decide if it's the dryer for you.
RRP: £195
Added extras: Short nozzle, long nozzle
Weight: 360g
Power: 1600W
Cable length: 3 metres
Warranty: 3 years
They say three’s a trend and the best hairdryers seem to be getting smaller by the launch. First up, it was the Dyson Supersonic that led the way with a sleek smaller design in 2016, with the Shark Style iQ following in 2021. The Zuvvi Halo Hairdryer followed in early 2022, with the mdlondon BLOW Hair Dryer arriving later that same year. By that point, it was no surprise to see that it was smaller than your average dryer – but also, interestingly, much narrower.
If you’re not yet familiar with the man behind the brand, allow us to catch you up. Mdlondon is the brainchild of renowned hairdresser Michael Douglas and the name of both his salon and hair tool brand. With more than 35 years of experience in the industry, there’s very little he doesn’t know about hair. When he’s not working with big-name brands or sharing hair advice on his Instagram channel, he’s styling the (impressively glossy) hair of his girlfriend Davina McCall.
Douglas’ aim with mdlondon is to demystify the world of hairstyling, giving uncoordinated mortals like me the tools they need to achieve salon-worthy hair at home, without spending hours styling or ending up deflated and with arm-ache. Let’s see if he’s managed it, eh? Read on for everything you need to know about the mdlondon BLOW Hair Dryer…
Our contributing beauty editor's full mdlondon BLOW Hair Dryer review
- RRP: £195
- Added extras: Short nozzle, long nozzle
- Weight: 360g
- Power: 1600W
- Cable length: 3 metres
- Warranty: 3 years
Our first impression of the mdlondon BLOW Hair Dryer
As I’ve already mentioned, the mdlondon BLOW Hair Dryer is much smaller than you’d expect, based on traditional hair dryers. But that’s not to say it’s flimsy; it still feels robust. It’s also ‘T’ shaped, so the weight and shape are evenly distributed between the front and the back. Not only does this make it easier to store (a big pro if, like me, you don’t have much space for beauty gadgetry), but combined with the innovative shape, this also makes the styling process much more straightforward. One, it’s easier to manoeuvre into different positions (like switching from the front to the back of your head) and two, it’s also really light – meaning there’s no arm-ache by the time you’ve finished. It’s the perfect size for travel too, so you don’t have to invest in a second, holiday-only dryer or put up with the annoyance of trying to use something that’s attached to the wall.
Aesthetically speaking, it’s sleek and simple, making for a tool that you’d happily have on display. And instead of your classic black, it’s available in a choice of three eye-catching colourways (blue, blush and green) all of which are finished with gold accents.
In the box, you’ll also find two attachments. There’s a smaller, shorter nozzle which Douglas recommends for styling “fringes, quiffs and short hair”, plus a longer one which is ideal for styling larger sections of hair without compromising on a sleek finish. These attachments are described as magnetic but they don’t simply attach via magnetic force and still need to be clipped on. The magnets are there to attach them extra tightly, meaning they’re impressively secure. Although it’s not included with the dryer as standard, there is also the option to buy an additional diffuser attachment for £25.
How does the mdlondon BLOW Hair Dryer perform?
I know you shouldn’t judge a tool by its size, but I'll admit there was part of me that thought this might only be as good as a travel hairdryer rather than one to knock my beloved Dyson Supersonic off the top spot.
First things first, it’s easy to turn on (just press and hold the button on the side) and adjust the settings between a choice of three airflows and three temperatures. I flitted between them all a bit to begin with, finding the highest speed and middle heat settings worked best on my thick, naturally curly and frizz-prone hair. The buttons are quite reactive, so be mindful of this when holding the tool so as not to accidentally change them.
I’ve used this dryer both after leaving my hair to air dry for an hour or so and when it’s straight-out-of-the-shower sopping, and it works just as well in both scenarios. Though small, it feels mighty, with a comparable amount of "oomph" to its full-sized counterparts – while remaining one of the quietest hair dryers we've ever used. My hair felt soft and smooth after use, rather than dry or rough, which I’ve taken as an indication that it’s kind to my strands rather than frazzling them. There’s a cool shot, too, which is great for sealing your finished style.
The mdlondon dryer's narrow shape means that precision styling comes as standard even if you’re not using the nozzles, which is great for someone like me who’s aiming for a sleek and controlled finish. These attachments also haven’t fallen off once for me during styling – not even when I accidentally dropped the dryer. The only slight downside is that it takes a bit of welly to remove them, so switching between them isn’t an entirely seamless process.
Now, if you looked at my before and after photos and thought the finish could be glossier or smoother, let me put it on record that I don’t have the kind of hair that ever looks "salon-worthy" after styling with a hair dryer alone. Even my hairdresser, who is brilliant, relies on the straighteners to add shine. What I am looking for is a reduction in frizz, sleek lengths and smoothed out curls – all of which the mdlondon dryer delivered.
It’s not relevant to the performance, but I also wanted to draw your attention to the fact that, thanks to a reverse motor at the back, the mdlondon BLOW Hair Dryer is also self-cleaning. That means no tell-tale burning smell a couple of months into regular use, and no need to tediously pick fuzz out of the filter. It's a small but helpful pro – and just another way in which it saves us time.
How does the mdlondon BLOW Hair Dryer compare?
Criticising the mdlondon Blow Hair Dryer feels like nit-picking, because there’s really very little I didn’t like about it. As mentioned, the attachments take a bit of effort to get on and off, and I have found myself accidentally changing the temperature settings with my hand during drying. But other than that, there’s nothing to complain about here.
Of course, at £195 it’s still very expensive for a hair dryer – but when you compare it to £329.99 for the Dyson, it doesn’t feel quite so eye-watering. There is the benefit of a three-year guarantee, too, which is generous and does reassure you that it's a tool that’s built to last rather than one that will give up the ghost after a year.
Should I buy the MD London BLOW Hair Dryer?
I think the thing I love most about the mdlondon Blow Hair Dryer is that it doesn’t over-promise with big claims about a huge reduction in drying time or eliminating damage like other tools do. It simply quietly and confidently makes the process faster, more efficient and considerably easier.
The branding all feels very personal and helpful, too, with QR codes included on both the box and the instruction leaflet that take you straight to a video of Michael himself explaining how to make the most of this tool. It’s a nice, thoughtful touch and one that makes it feel like you’re not just buying a hair dryer, but benefitting from the expertise of a pro hairdresser, too.
Overall, if you’re looking for a new hair dryer that will dry your hair more quickly, that won't take up huge amounts of space in or on your dressing table and that will look good in the process, you can stop searching, because mdlondon's is the answer.
