Note - I first published these tips in October of 2006 – yes, that is how long DollDiaries.com has been around – and thought you might find them helpful!
While on our trip to American Girl Place this summer I noticed the ladies in the doll salon were using toothbrushes to do the dolls’ hair. I asked our Personal Shopper about this and she said that using a small spritz of water (don’t forget to cover your doll’s eyes) and a clean toothbrush is a great way to tame the frizzies around your doll’s face. You can use the toothbrush on dolls with short hair, too. We use one for taking care of Kit and our new Bitty Twins and we love the results.
Other doll hair tips include:
- Use doll brushes only – do not share a brush with your doll. The oils from your hair will ruin hers.
- Always spritz. Damp hair is easier to work with and less prone to breakage.
- Brush from the ends and work your way up.
- Be gentle – your doll can’t tell you if you are pulling too hard.
- Don’t let your dolls sleep in your bed – you move around alot at night and your doll will wake up with bed-head, too.
Do you have any other doll hair care tips? Feel free to share them here!
this is vey helpful information thank you
SecondIe
thirdie!
ve a spray bottle and thats probley why Felicity’s hair is really bad! Any other way I can wet hair without spray bottle?
I dont have a spray bottle is what I meant to say
Caitlin – you can get spray bottles for $1 at Target or the dollar store.
This is so helpful! Thanks!
The same holds true w/ hairholders and clips. If they’ve been in your hair, don’t put them in you doll’s hair. The oils will ruin her hair. Get your doll her own set of hair holders.
Great reminder Sharry!
Also, if you have a Springfield Collection doll w/ straight hair, use a rubber tipped (blow dryer) type brush in her hair. That is what the Springfield company recommends.
Caitlin or you can possibly just get you brush a little wet.
Sharry i nevaer thought of that! Im glad not to long ago i got some elastic bands and srunches at the dollors store.
I found out this result a while ago. However, there is something better to use than a toothbrush! I found that using a baby brush yields the same results. However, it is much easier to use due to the fact that it has more bristles, and can cover more of an area at once than a toothbrush can.When I say baby brush, I mean the kind with extremely soft bristles, like for a newborn baby’s head. You can find them in Walmart or babies r us. Mine is blue, and I bought it such a long time ago that I don’t remember the exact price. Off the top of my head, I think it was 4 or 5 dollars. Mine came with a comb as well. If this helps you, let me know!
anyone got specific tips for curly haired dolls?
Brie – that is a great tip!!
Gail – the best thing to use on curly haired dolls is a very wide tooth comb or pick, or your fingers. Spritz first!
Hey, you know how Mckenna only has a pratice Leo tard? and didnt somebody say that there was pics or something of some performer ones? WE’LL ANYWAY, ON Mckenna Take the challenge on AMERICAN GIRL you can chose your leotard and earn them. One of them is a pretty lime green one.
Anyway, i bet after i see the movie then ill really want mckenna, just ilike i did wheni first saw her. But i think im going to ask for marie grace.
Brie i left my doll hairbrush at my friends house ( aguin) and i used a babybrush insted, and it accutlly work pretty good, mostlty for julie and Ivy.
My dolls are sleeping in my bved now because we have been seeing alot of bugs around the house latelet. I just put their hair in a ponytail or some thing and their fine.
it works wonderfully on McKenna. I spritz her hair really good, and brush with the baby brush from top to bottom, and the next day it is not all over the place. I brush all my Doll’s hair with the wig brush first, getting out all the tangles. After that I use the baby brush, and it looks wonderful. I did Bria’s hair I think 2 weeks ago doing those things, and she looks stunning! If you are wondering, Bria is just like you #56.
Brie- there isnt a #56
Ok so do u have anything i can do for an EXTREMELY frizzy haired rebecca other than take her to the ag doll hospital?
And this is not the caitlin that posted before
Another thing I saw at the store in Atlanta is (get this) golf brushes! I know, it sounds weird, but that was what they were using! It’s kind of a wire on one side and bristly on the other side. The wire side is great for straightening out doll hair and taming frizz, just wet it a little first. I also use toothbrushes.
Caitlin- Try the golf brush on the wire side. Wet it first though, otherwise it will be worse. I did it with my Ruthie and it seemed to work. After that, if you want curl again, the dollar tree has some perm rollers with elastic to hold them in place. Roll her up and leave her like that for about 24 hours. I’ve never tried it on Rebecca, but it worked on Molly for her Miss Victory curls. Hope it helps!
I don’t have a spritz bottle but I have a recycled detangler bottle that I use and just fill it with water.
I have a Molly doll that has hair that looks like really dry I have taken braids out twice for and once for about a hour and the other for probalby a few days but I don’t wan to take them out agin. Anyone got any tips?
Serena – that is perfect!
Erica – I would not be surprised if AG comes out with a competition leotard for McKenna closer to the movie release! There are lots of very talented people selling competition style leotards for dolls on etsy.com.
Caitlin, there is a just like you number 56. She came out not that long ago. She is the Lanie look a like. Go to the American girl dolls wiki and click on the my American girl list. There is also Jly number 57 who is Kit’s look a like.
thx char! get the teal kimono email I sent you? I knew you were looking for one like that for Julie
I did – thanks! I know exactly where to get one now.
Caitlin– Same thing with Lanie who has the same type of hair as Rebecca!
If you don’t believe me, go on YouTube! So, after that, decide if you want big curls or small curls. And then, part the top of her hair on the top of her head then with a clip, secure it to the top of her head. Then, with the part you didn’t clip, finger curl it. Just rap it around your finger, and let it go! Oh, and depending how big you want the curls, take less hair if you want little curls, and more for bigger curls! Then do the same with the clipped part, trying not to redo the bottom again! That should fix it! ~MissCpFreaks
So basically, if you still have the hair instruction thing that comes with your doll on her wrist then follow that. If you don’t, that’s okay. Here is one thing I do on Lanie and her hair isn’t horrible anyway, I never put it up or anything so it’s fine.
So basically, spritz ALL of Rebecca’s hair. Then brush it out. And don’t be afraid to do it, trust me, it’s fine
Haha my Mom called Samantha bed-head jr. Because I was bed-head. But anyways Don’t sleep with your doll. It’s scary.
When we went to Chicago in 2005 they told us that too! I always would love when I would go to school and find a toothbrush in my purse from when I did their hair before going to the American Girl store on the weekends
NP Char! Us doll folk gotta stick together!
Caitlin- Search Just like you 56 on google and it should come up from American girl doll wiki
Oh, I signed in as Claire6land again!!! xD
~MissCpFreaks
When I took our curly haired dolls to the AG store a couple of years ago they showed us the toothbrush trick too and it really works! It’s a great way to curl your dolls curls and an easy method to use….we twist the curls around the handle of the toothbrush and brush the ends of the hair to “curl” it (brush the curl around your figertip)…
When is McKenna’s movie coming out??
McKenna’s movie comes out this summer.
whenever i wake up my blanket is on the floor