Customizing 101: Let's begin at the top!
Dateline: 06/19/98
Here is your "supply list" that you will need for this "lesson":
Required:
- One doll, with hair. (for this lesson, hair is pretty important!
)
- Hair brush (can be the standard "Barbie® brush that comes with any pink box doll)
- Poly band (clear "rubber" band that is often found in any pink box doll)
- Hairspray
- Patience!
Suggested:
- Liquid fabric softener
- 3/8" diameter curling iron (and parental/adult supervision!)
- Water spray bottle
- Kitchen sink
- Towel
- Bowl (large and deep enough to dunk your Barbie® in!)
- Small (smallest diameter) "brush" rollers
- Small (smallest diameter) perm rods
- Perm papers
- Boiling water (and parental/adult supervision!)
First of all, this is not for the faint-hearted, or children under the age of 16. Pick a doll (a cheap pink box special, or a thrift-store find) to practice on, before you try this on another doll...
Yep. We are going to "do" that hair. First things first. If your dolls hair is hopelessly tangled,
you MUST get the hair completely combed out first. To aid in the process, use the fabric softener to "soak"
the hair (take a 5 minute break while the hair is soaking) and comb/brush the hair out before rinsing out the fabric
softener. Once the hair is completely combed out, then rinse out the softener, being careful not to tangle the
hair again! 
Carefully blot
the hair with the towel, and decide which method you are going to "apply" to your doll!
Method one: A good old fashioned braid. Keeps all that hair firmly in place, and prevents future tangling while in "play mode". You can (with enough bands) even do cornrows, or multiple braids flowing from a high ponytail. Not fancy enough? Read on...
Method two: Curling iron. This is a bit trickier, and REQUIRES ADULT/PARENTAL SUPERVISION! First, the hair must be combed out and wet (see above). Then, with the hair still wet plug in and heat your curling iron. Once the iron is hot UNPLUG IT, and "section" the dolls hair, following the rooting lines. Begin curling the WET hair, remembering that you are working with plastic hair -- don't hold it on the curling iron too long, or it will melt! We are curling the hair wet for two reasons: First, by keeping the hair wet, it reduces (but not eliminates) the possibility that the hair will melt. Second, the steam created by using the hot iron with the wet hair helps "set" the hair that much quicker and more permanently. This is basically a "quick and dirty" perm. Downside to this is that it may leave marks from the curling iron lever -- although you can typically "smooth" them out when wet with a hot iron. Allow to dry, and then brush, fluff, and style! Don't forget the hairspray to hold your doll's new "do"! Still want to explore other options? Here we go...
Method three: You can use either hot tap water, or boiling water for this Barbie® home perm! Roll the doll's hair on the smallest perm rods or brush rollers that you can buy at the Beauty Supply store. With the brush rollers, you can use straight pins stuck through the rollers to "hold" them to the dolls head. Again, as above, section along the rooting lines, and use your perm papers to insure nice neat ends. The more rollers, the curlier the hair. The hotter the water, the curlier the hair... So, If you use boiling water, (with, of course, ADULT/PARENTAL SUPERVISION) dunk the head completely into the boiling water, but remove within 5 to 7 seconds. This gives the curliest curls. If you use hot tap water, you can simply place the doll head down into the bowl (making sure all the rollers are under water) and leave her for an hour or so. Remove the doll when the water has cooled to room temp. This gives soft curls. In both cases, after the "perm" is complete, then thoroughly blot the curlers with a clean towel to remove all excess water, and carefully unroll. Allow the hair to air dry overnight, style, then spray!
The wonderful thing about Barbie's hair is that as long as you don't cut it, you can always "start over", by dipping her UNROLLED hair into boiling water. This will "undo" any curling action that you may have done, and will result in VERY straight hair, so know that you will have to do some further styling work thereafter... But, it lets you start over again, to learn, to practice, and to perfect your "styling" techniques!
Have fun, and remember that practice makes perfect!
Check back soon for the next installment of "Summer School!"
Have a comment or suggestion? Please let me know!
