One of the most frequently asked questions I get is “how can I tame the frizzies in my doll’s hair?” A pretty common technique is to give your doll a “Downy Dunk” – where you wash your dolls’ hair, then soak it for an extended time in Downy fabric softener. The results of a Downy Dunk on an American Girl doll can be amazing!! However, the Downy Dunk process is time consuming and doesn’t need to be done very often.
I was asking around and more than one experienced doll collector gave me the same basic tip – put two tablespoons of liquid Downy fabric softener in a spray bottle of water and just spritz your doll’s hair with the softener solution any time you need to give her a touch up or even if she needs some major work. We tried this today on a bunch of our dolls and I am super happy with the results!
Here is American Girl Kailey – she was the girl of the year in 2003. We got Kailey last summer when one of Megan’s friends decided to sell her doll collection. Kailey was in pretty good condition, but she has lived life to the fullest and her hair tells the tale!
You can see Kailey is a mess! I sprayed her hair with the softener and water mixture and worked section by section, combing it out from the bottom to the top. It took plenty of patience and I had to keep spritzing as I worked but I am SO happy with the result.
WOW! Doesn’t Kailey look amazing now? Her hair is so much smoother, so much softer and easy to brush through now.
Kailey’s shine is back!!
I was so happy with how Kailey’s hair turned out, I decided to give some of the other girls a touch up. Apologies for the bad photo – I used my iPhone and the lighting was not fabulous. So from left to right – Julie got her hair touched up and then braided; Nicole (our very first AG) looks so much better now – she really needed the Downy spray; Alex’s curls were pretty dried out and frizzy so the spray really helped her look; then the fabulous new and improved Kailey; and then Nicki is on the end and her long curly hair was just so happy to get the treatment, too!
Let me know if this helps or works for you! Happy doll hair styling!
wow cute i need to do this with my strawberry short cake doll i tried ‘un frizzing her hair did not work now with this tip she will be like brand new thanks char
and i was the first one
Cool! I should try this with some of my dolls.
I’ll have to try this with Emily. Her hair is dry, but didn’t warrant a full downy dunk. I think this spritz should do the trick. Maybe even for Felicity as well, for some reason her hair is dry.
Does any one know if this works on My Twinn doll hair. My daughters doll looks awful! I’ve tried shampoo, detangling spray, just brushing, it looks like she was electrocuted! LOL Any ideas?? I am not sure if AG hair is the same…
I would definitely try this on MyTwinn.
Could use anything other that Downey? My Mademe Alexander’s hair is VERY BAD! I just got finished trying to brush it and then came on here.
Caitlin – I have only tried Downy. Have you tried spritzing it with just water?
Chat do you think it would work on a BFC ink doll? Because this would be so great because the hair looks awesome when your done doing the downy dunk hair spray.
And for Springfield Collection doll hair, you can use just about that same solution, (3 tbsp. fabric softener and 2 cups of water), for a Downy press, (see my channel for instructions).
Ashly – yes, it will work on a BFC – you can also use shampoo and conditioner on BFC hair and it turns out great. Did you see the post I did on giving our BFC Ink doll a new look – http://dolldiaries.com/bfc-ink-addison-gets-a-new-look/
Sharry – your video is really good – I recommend it for anyone who has a Springfield Doll.
I have a question it might sound very dumb but would it work on my pre Mattel Kirsten because she’s from the late 90s and her hair has fly away
Hayley – yes, it will work on Kirsten’s hair.
Thank you so so much! Now I have 2 options to do on BFC ink dolls. Yay!
Char -ok thanks i just need to find out if I have the Downey stuff in my house
and if I do I’m gonna do it tomorrow after my Lession on sewing 
Yes I tried that. It isn’t just frizzy, it puffs up!
Thanks Char.
WOW! Char, I was really surprised how wonderfully that worked! I’ve always been rather uncomfortable/apprehensive about experimenting on my dolls, but this looks like it did great!
Ahhhh! I’m so excited now! Rebecca’s hair definitly needs this! Thank you thank you thank you!
Kellee – I have been hesitant to try stuff on our dolls too, but I have been given recommendations from some people I really respect and now I am getting braver.
I’ll try this ASAP on my Felicity! I also had a question. Do you have to leave the solution to soak in or comb the hair out after spraying?
I spray it in as I am combing out the tangles – I just left it in.
I have tried this on Kanani, and it worked great! I spritzed and combed out her hair and then I curled it. I can’t wait to see how her hair turned out! I send in a picture soon.
Kellee – me to but I’ve watched stephenswodadancer , and more videos . I even watched my friend do wacky stuff to there mia,Kailie , Lindsey , nicki,Jess, kit , addy , josefina , kaya , Molly, Emily , and Nellie
(lots of AG dolls and she still wants more ) . But any who she recommend to fix dolls up and I’ve fixed my Kirsten doll and I was very scared to fix her but I had my friend by my side and I fixed her up while she played with her kailey and my Chrissa doll
Oops I forgot to mention felicity , Elizabeth and Samantha as well while
I named all my friends dolls
I just did this w/ my Pleasant Company AG Stephanie. I had some Downy/water mixture leftover from my Springfield dolls Downy presses. I got her used from a toy show last December Her previous doll mom didn’t take very good care of her. When I got her I had to trim her hair. But she still has wisps of uneven hair. But the spritz has made a considerable improvement. She looks pretty good now!
So cool! Need 2 get my mom to get Downy! My dolls hair needs it!
Sometimes it makes me to my stomach when my sisters use my dolls. My mom says I HAVE to share. Char, it’s absolutely horrific. My sisters use to much water on the American Girl dolls hair and it drys it out. I hope I can try this! I will test this on my just like you because I have 2 identical ones. And, she needs it the most.
We don’t have ‘Downy’ for sale here in Australia. Is the brand particularly important, or would a different type of fabric softener work too? Thanks in advance if you can help.
where do you get downy?
Caroline- you can get downy at wal-mart or target. and the downy dunk is REALLY going to help Samantha’s hair!!!!
Oh yes this is what I use on many of my doll patients that come to me. Its a real difference after it is put on.
Although on rare cases, we do use Son of a Gun tire spray to add the extra shine
Downy can be purchased at most grocery stores, Walmart, Target, CVS, Riteaid, Walgreens, etc
April – you may have to experiment a little, but I would bet that your “top brand” softener would work. Downy is made by Procter & Gamble – not sure if they have the same product with a different name in Australia, but I’m sure you have something comparable.
Thanks Char-I think our ‘Cuddly’ might be equivalent to your ‘Downy’. I will give it a go.
Just be sure to dilute it in water and it should work.
Wow, this sounds great. I never seem to have time to try the Downy dunk but this seems like it would be so much easier. And I have tons of Downy in the house (I can never resist a good sale at the store with double coupons lol) For any ebay or doll show adopted dolls, the Downy would give the added bonus of a nicer smell!
That’s true, Tori. I use the lavender vanilla scented Downy, and my dolls always smell so good!
OOPS! I meant Tari. I’m not quite awake yet.
i tried this with some additions! i added conditioner and armor all! i know it sound crazy but it is the best thing ever!
Awesome and at a perfect time. Abbys dolls hair is dry in the back.
CHAR do you cover the dills face for this technique too?
*dolls
Lorie Ann – I do recommend covering the doll’s face while you do this. I just fold up a washcloth and hold that over the eyes while I spray the hair.
Just right after I conditioned three of my doll’s hair, I saw this posted on your website. My first two dolls were fine with the conditioner and their hair turned out fine but Kanani’s did not, at all… I tried this on her and it worked so well i just had to do it to all of my dolls.
There hair looks(and smells 
) much better! Thanks so much! 
))))
I have to try that!
hmmm…..My little sister could use this for her doll, Kanani! I’ll have to check it out…Well, I guess I could also use a little bit, too!
tried this so great
this is so great you can use it with any kind of softner