Basics: Barbie Hair Care
If you want to craft with your dolls, hair is a basic skill. There are two main components- trims, and boil washes.
My personal preference is for hair styles that reflect reality. Very few people have waist length (or knee-length) hair! Also, doll hair tends to be thick and overwhelming. If you buy a lot of used dolls, like I do, you may be dealing with ratty mussy hair. Here's a good way to tidy it up.
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| No one needs this much hair. |
1. Give your doll a basic trim
Use good sharp scissors. Keep it longer than you want it to be for the first cut. It will probably not be a straight line for the first cut because doll hair is very thick. Take your time, and start longer than you plan to finish. You can always go shorter. |
| Needs a second trim! |
You may find some surprises, like a bad rooting pattern. Tinkerbell is nearly bald in the center of her head because she always wears a high bun. Keep it in mind for your final hair cut plans.
2. Prep for Boil Wash
Doll hair is made of plastic, so it reacts differently than human hair. Merely brushing it may make it frizzy and out of control. But boiling doll hair makes it flexible and willing to conform.
For a boil wash, all you need is a doll, freshly boiled water, cheap conditioner, and a flea comb! (Look in the pet care aisle.) I like to pour my boiling water into a separate bowl. Dunking your doll into the stove pot can melt hair if it touches the metal.
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3. Soak your doll's hair in the conditioner.
4. Brush your doll's head in the hot water.
Slowly comb it until it's glossy. Be sure to comb the hair down like gravity wants to go as well, or the hair will want to stay pointing up! (In Tinkerbell's case, leave the hair pointing up so it's ready for a new bun or ponytail.)
You may want to try pouring boiling water over an upright doll, then adjusting details with your comb.
4. Let the hair dry.
Don't trim immediately or it will melt together. (Boiled hair is almost melted- don't overdo it)
5. Trim again
When dry, comb the hair again so you can see it clearly and work on detail trimming.
You can cut vertically to thin the hair.
You can also divide portions of the hair aside with binder clips or rubber bands to focus on a smaller area. Here, I'm creating layers by trimming a vertical portion with a little curve.
This is a helpful project to do en masse once you have the swing of things.
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| that one day I decided everyone needed a haircut |
Boil Curling
Boil washes can also be used for making hair curl. (Pipe cleaners are a cheap option.) The hair sets into position when boiled. Just wrap your own curls into a pipe cleaner or a small hair curler, dunk the head into boiling water for 10 seconds, and let it dry overnight.
In the morning, remove the curlers. Gently use your fingers to set the hairstyle in place. A comb can help for a more wavy look, but it might mess up your spirals.
More Ideas for Boil Perms
Perm with cut up straw and pins for ringlets
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