Washing vs Restyling your doll's hair
Today's post is about washing doll hair.
I have seen countless methods online about the best ways to get the factory goo out of doll's hair or to cut the grease from similarly synthetic haired products such as extensions, wigs and make up brushes.
I have tried just about all of them, mostly on Monster High dolls since that is my current collection and they have given me TONS of trouble with the factory goo that they gel the doll's hair into place with.
All the methods that worked the best for me had one thing in common: dish detergent.
I've done cold laundry detergent but it actually made her hair even worse and much more sticky! Also shampoo or conditioner doesn't have the effect I wanted. They feel greasy in a different way or sometimes super soft but they don't get the kinks out from where her hair was strapped in the box.
I'm finding out that there is a difference in the ways to use these methods.
For simply washing the hair to get it clean again, dawn grease cutting dish detergent used as a shampoo and rinsed with warm water works best. This is for that once every 3 years wash to get your kid's toys clean or for the collectors to get that sticky feeling out of their new doll's hair when fresh out of the box. If your doll has straight and soft hair already but it's sticky from where they gelled it over so her side part would set (Scarah was like this), just a quick scrub and rinse works best. If it's a more curly haired girl or she has sticky hair but it's not crunchy/stiff just soak her in warm water first to get the gel a heads start on dissolving. I did this for Twyla)
Now, getting factory goo out of the hair may take some extra prep work. I've been finding that combing baby powder through the roots and on the stiffest parts of their hair (Usually the bangs and curls) will help get the major goo out before washing. Try rubbing the hair with your fingers and you'll feel the glue solidify so you can pull it out easier.... almost like a bugger....
When first getting it wet, also rub it in downward pulls away from the roots to dissolve the glue. You can feel it get slick as the glue melts away and the hair begins to feel normal again. Then proceed with dish detergent as normal.
This helps soften the hair to feel normal and not rock solid, but it still keep it's intended shape. For example: Lorna McNessie's curls or Draculaura's bangs and Toralei's short bob.
Skelita was the worst. Her hair was super sticky and her bangs were in a rubber band and gelled rock solid. I had to baby powder her entire head and gave her side bangs a double dose until it was soft. Then I soaked her like 3 times, each for a shorter duration than the last but always with fresh water so the glue wasn't getting back into her hair. But after the dish soap and air dry she's manageable and... although not silk soft, she's definitely bearable and not sticky anymore!
If you want to restyle her hair completely; maybe you want to straighten Laguna's waves to be sleek and soft for a whole new look. You want a 4 step method.
1= baby powder rubs if the hair is sticky or wavy (almost always)
2= soaking in slightly hotter water (but not boiling hot, or too hot to touch; this can melt the hair or weaken the inner glue holding in her roots) for 30 seconds
3 = rinse out with fresh water so the glue is removed or even go for a second soak in fresh water if it's still stiff. Really work each strand in your hands to pull off the glue.
4 = continue with dish detergent shampoo and warm rinse.
At this point if her hair isn't falling very straight and is still a curly mess try soaks on and off with warm to cold water for an additional 30 seconds. I just dip it back and forth long enough so the curls can loosen and set as they get straighter.
For every method drying is the same: pat dry with a cotton towel or cotton t-shirt. Never rub it vigorously or blow dry it for the same reasons we avoid boiling water. Synthetic hair reacts differently to products than human hair so also avoid spray in conditioners or anything of the sort. They can build up grease after a while.
I shake my doll's hair out after pat drying it and sometimes I even style it gently with a wide tooth comb even though this can weaken the hair and may pull out tufts if the inner glue has gotten soft.
The safest way to style it will be to sit her up or leave her on her stand to air dry over night.
Once fully dry you can brush, pull and set it in the new fashion by giving it a flash burst of cold air - blow dryers often have this option.
Let me know how this has helped you and if you have any questions or advice with similar methods.
I have seen countless methods online about the best ways to get the factory goo out of doll's hair or to cut the grease from similarly synthetic haired products such as extensions, wigs and make up brushes.
I have tried just about all of them, mostly on Monster High dolls since that is my current collection and they have given me TONS of trouble with the factory goo that they gel the doll's hair into place with.
All the methods that worked the best for me had one thing in common: dish detergent.
I've done cold laundry detergent but it actually made her hair even worse and much more sticky! Also shampoo or conditioner doesn't have the effect I wanted. They feel greasy in a different way or sometimes super soft but they don't get the kinks out from where her hair was strapped in the box.
I'm finding out that there is a difference in the ways to use these methods.
For simply washing the hair to get it clean again, dawn grease cutting dish detergent used as a shampoo and rinsed with warm water works best. This is for that once every 3 years wash to get your kid's toys clean or for the collectors to get that sticky feeling out of their new doll's hair when fresh out of the box. If your doll has straight and soft hair already but it's sticky from where they gelled it over so her side part would set (Scarah was like this), just a quick scrub and rinse works best. If it's a more curly haired girl or she has sticky hair but it's not crunchy/stiff just soak her in warm water first to get the gel a heads start on dissolving. I did this for Twyla)
Now, getting factory goo out of the hair may take some extra prep work. I've been finding that combing baby powder through the roots and on the stiffest parts of their hair (Usually the bangs and curls) will help get the major goo out before washing. Try rubbing the hair with your fingers and you'll feel the glue solidify so you can pull it out easier.... almost like a bugger....
When first getting it wet, also rub it in downward pulls away from the roots to dissolve the glue. You can feel it get slick as the glue melts away and the hair begins to feel normal again. Then proceed with dish detergent as normal.
This helps soften the hair to feel normal and not rock solid, but it still keep it's intended shape. For example: Lorna McNessie's curls or Draculaura's bangs and Toralei's short bob.
Skelita was the worst. Her hair was super sticky and her bangs were in a rubber band and gelled rock solid. I had to baby powder her entire head and gave her side bangs a double dose until it was soft. Then I soaked her like 3 times, each for a shorter duration than the last but always with fresh water so the glue wasn't getting back into her hair. But after the dish soap and air dry she's manageable and... although not silk soft, she's definitely bearable and not sticky anymore!
If you want to restyle her hair completely; maybe you want to straighten Laguna's waves to be sleek and soft for a whole new look. You want a 4 step method.
1= baby powder rubs if the hair is sticky or wavy (almost always)
2= soaking in slightly hotter water (but not boiling hot, or too hot to touch; this can melt the hair or weaken the inner glue holding in her roots) for 30 seconds
3 = rinse out with fresh water so the glue is removed or even go for a second soak in fresh water if it's still stiff. Really work each strand in your hands to pull off the glue.
4 = continue with dish detergent shampoo and warm rinse.
At this point if her hair isn't falling very straight and is still a curly mess try soaks on and off with warm to cold water for an additional 30 seconds. I just dip it back and forth long enough so the curls can loosen and set as they get straighter.
For every method drying is the same: pat dry with a cotton towel or cotton t-shirt. Never rub it vigorously or blow dry it for the same reasons we avoid boiling water. Synthetic hair reacts differently to products than human hair so also avoid spray in conditioners or anything of the sort. They can build up grease after a while.
I shake my doll's hair out after pat drying it and sometimes I even style it gently with a wide tooth comb even though this can weaken the hair and may pull out tufts if the inner glue has gotten soft.
The safest way to style it will be to sit her up or leave her on her stand to air dry over night.
Once fully dry you can brush, pull and set it in the new fashion by giving it a flash burst of cold air - blow dryers often have this option.
Let me know how this has helped you and if you have any questions or advice with similar methods.