The MLP Arena

Creativity => Customs => Topic started by: enchantress41580 on April 19, 2017, 01:55:37 AM

Title: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: enchantress41580 on April 19, 2017, 01:55:37 AM
As a hair seller, I get asked about different types of doll hair all the time, thought I'd share this here for anyone who wants to know about different types of doll hair :)

Hair Style Guide:

Nylon– Nylon hair (Nylon 6), is commonly found in My Little Ponies and various other toys. It has a melting temperature of 410-428 Fahrenheit (210-220 Celsius). Nylon is a porous material that is idealistic for dying. You can easily dye nylon hair with Rit or Acid dye. It can be boil washed and permed. All true Nylon hair will accept regular Rit or acid dye. Hair dying tip- human hair dye will stain and eventually fade, markers will stain as well. It is best to avoid using those products to keep from ruining your doll/toy. Nylon hair is one of the easiest types of hair to work with and comes in a wide range of colors.

Kiwi Hair– Kiwi is a newer product that came out in 2013. Most doll and toy companies are switching over to this type of hair. It is superior to Nylon and Saran, has longer durability and fades less over time. It feels like silk and simply put is gorgeous stuff. Very easy to work with. Kiwi is a porous material that is idealistic for dying. You can easily dye kiwi hair with Rit or Acid dye. It can be boil washed and permed with ease.

Saran– Saran hair is commonly found in Barbies, most monster high dolls (with the exception of a few dolls- for example the first Venus release has doll grade kanekalon) and various other toys. It has a melting temperature of 320 Fahrenheit (160 Celsius). Saran is a non-porous material which means it will not take normal dyes such as Rit or acid dyes. There are types of industrial dyes that will work such as Rit Dyemore or iDye Poly however you still run the risk of it staining because this type of hair is not meant to be dyed- when using these dyes be sure to set your dye properly and wash it out well. It can be boil washed and permed. Using a flat iron or curling iron with saran is not recommended.

Monofiber– Monofiber has a melting temperature of 400 Fahrenheit. Monofiber is the highest quality type of synthetic hair (also known as henlon) there is- ALSO KNOWN AS HIGH TEMPERATURE SYNTHETIC FIBER. High temperature fiber is NOT Nylon. You will most often find this type of hair in BJD wigs or cosplay wigs, it comes loose (like I sell) or in weft format. It is a non-porous material that does not dye with regular rit dye or acid dye. It can be boil washed and permed, it can be trickier to hold a curl. To get it to hold the curl- dip in boiling water for 5 seconds and then immediately dip in a bowl of ice filled water- repeat this process 3-4 times and allow to dry overnight. An easier way to work with this hair is by using a flat iron to straighten it and a curling iron to curl it. You can use the products idye Poly and Rit Dyemore to dye this hair however you still run the chance of it staining. Hair dying tip- human hair dye will stain and eventually fade, markers will stain as well. It is best to avoid using those products to keep from ruining your doll/toy. Monofiber is very silky and slippery to work with- it behaves better if you work with it while it's wet- keep a spritz bottle handy. Quick tip- when working with any type of hair it's a good idea to have a spritz bottle with water and a very tiny amount of conditioner in it and a. It is very light and wispy and works best to root while wet.

Polypropylene– Polypropylene has a melting temperature of 320-347 Fahrenheit (160-175 Celsius). Poly is easily confused for nylon, but it has a drier feel to it. It also has a harder time curling like saran and sometimes has a tendency to tangle a bit while working with it. The only dye that will work on this is idye poly (or Rit Dyemore). Regular Rit and Acid dyes will not work. It also separates very easily into plugs.

Kanekalon– There are so many types of kanekalon. Doll Grade Japanese- the softest and nicest- it breaks easily and is recommended for using the needle knot method in rooting as the tool is too hard on it (This type of kanekalon is found in Monster High Dolls- the color Absinthe that I sell is an exact match for Venus). Doll Grade Silky- this is stiffer and takes the same process at curling as saran- usually recommended for straight hairstyles. Last but not least is regular kanekalon- this is super kinky and floofy- awesome for styles like mermaid and crimped 80’s and also used for dreadlocks. The doll grade silky and regular will only withstand low temperature settings. The only type of dye that will work with these is idyepoly (or Rit Dyemore). Regular Rit and Acid dyes will not work.

Nylatex– Nylatex is a mid grade nylon- so not as high quality as nylon but still lovely to work with. Nylatex is similar in texture to silky Kanekalon- its stiffer than regular Nylon. It can be boil washed and permed, it can be trickier to hold a curl. To get it to hold the curl- dip in boiling water for 5 seconds and then immediately dip in a bowl of ice filled water- repeat this process 3-4 times and allow to dry overnight. An easier way to work with this hair is by using a flat iron to straighten it and a curling iron to curl it. You can use the products idye Poly and Rit Dyemore to dye this hair however you still run the chance of it staining.

Acetate– this used to be used on dolls. It has a more “natural” feel to it, it’s made up of cellulose. I’m not sure about styling or dying for this as I do not carry it.

Synthetic– When a hair is labeled as “synthetic” this is usually because the manufacturer’s didn’t specify as to what type of hair this is, so it is basically a generic term- my guess is it’s probably closest to either yaki hair (very similar to kanekalon but not heat resistant- meaning it will melt in heat easily), or kanekalon. It’s a coarser type hair in comparison to nylon and other hairs but still fun to work with. When hair is labeled as synthetic- it is a good idea to test a small strand when you are wanting to work with boiling/hot water or curling products such as flat irons and curling irons.

*Ombre Synthetic- this is a high temperature hair, it can withstand up to 360 degrees, you can use a curling iron and flat iron on low settings. It works awesome for making dreads, mini braids, you can make straight hair with the flat iron or leave it wavy for a fun mermaid style look or 80's style.

*I’d suggest testing any type of hair you are unfamiliar with using out before any type of styling- just to make sure it will work for the project you have in mind.

I have been selling doll hair since 2011 and customized a wide variety of dolls/toys/action figures since the early 2000's, (and making doll clothes and other types of art since I was 6 or 7 - so 30 years, whew!). I'm always happy to answer any questions you might have. I'm on pretty much all media sites as Retro Dolls US, I mainly sell out of etsy which has in stock almost 300 hair colors (600 total including pre-orders), as well as sell customs, art, vintage toys & collectibles and more. I have an instagram featuring my work @retrodollsus and one featuring artists who use Retro Dolls hair @retrodollsusfeature. You can find me on Facebook (Retro Dolls US, as well as my customizing group, RDUS), Tumblr, Twitter, Wordpress, Flickr and ebay (seller id: rdus4151980). The best way to contact me is through etsy, instagram, or facebook. I hope you enjoyed this guide and look forward to seeing where your imagination takes you! Thank-you for your support!
www.etsy.com/shop/retrodollsus


[Stickied! - Uninu :) ]
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: suzy.66 on April 19, 2017, 08:09:36 AM
Great explanation thanks! And love your etsy shop :) might talk to you there quite soon ;) i need some dolly hair :)

Also: for your pony customs, how do you paint the bodies please?
Thanks
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: Duenia on April 19, 2017, 08:33:21 AM
That answered so many questions I had about hair. Thanks :)
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: enchantress41580 on April 20, 2017, 11:01:44 PM
Great explanation thanks! And love your etsy shop :) might talk to you there quite soon ;) i need some dolly hair :)

Also: for your pony customs, how do you paint the bodies please?
Thanks

For the bodies, I will either hand paint with acrylics or airbrush with acrylics. You can remove the original factory paint by using 100% Acetone, but make sure you wash off with soap and water afterwards. if you are doing a full body repaint (FBR for short), some people will do a base coat of white Gesso- this usually helps paint stick better and gives a smoother coat. Hope this helps!! I have tutorials on youtube as well. (don't mind the crappy quality- I'll be redoing them once my equipment has been updated)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp-jhlB3cG6UdYjdNJQRKoA

Post Merge: April 20, 2017, 11:01:59 PM

That answered so many questions I had about hair. Thanks :)

you're quite welcome! :)
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: Xenotropos on April 21, 2017, 10:21:26 AM
Quote
if you are doing a full body repaint (FBR for short), some people will do a base coat of white Gesso- this usually helps paint stick better and gives a smoother coat.

Something I just thought of... Gesso has a high clay/chalk content.  That's what makes it an ideal surface for paint to stick to.  Both clay and chalk are also absorbent substances (okay, on a microscopic level, not on a substitute-for-paper-towels level  :) ).  I wonder if they'd help with plasticizer leeching issues that might happen later on.  The bulking agent in the Gesso would help absorb the plasticizer, and it shouldn't reach the painted surface.
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: suzy.66 on April 24, 2017, 02:50:15 PM
Great explanation thanks! And love your etsy shop :) might talk to you there quite soon ;) i need some dolly hair :)

Also: for your pony customs, how do you paint the bodies please?
Thanks

For the bodies, I will either hand paint with acrylics or airbrush with acrylics. You can remove the original factory paint by using 100% Acetone, but make sure you wash off with soap and water afterwards. if you are doing a full body repaint (FBR for short), some people will do a base coat of white Gesso- this usually helps paint stick better and gives a smoother coat. Hope this helps!! I have tutorials on youtube as well. (don't mind the crappy quality- I'll be redoing them once my equipment has been updated)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp-jhlB3cG6UdYjdNJQRKoA

Post Merge: April 20, 2017, 11:01:59 PM

That answered so many questions I had about hair. Thanks :)

you're quite welcome! :)

Thanks that is awesome! Doing some customs (well, starting) so have heaps of questions haha thanks a bunch!

Post Merge: April 24, 2017, 02:58:32 PM

Hi again, sorry but the link is actually to your channel (which looks very interesteing) but there are so many videos, i cannot find the ones about pony body repaint? Would you have the direct link please?

Sorry for the hassel lol
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: aintnobuffalo on April 24, 2017, 03:57:06 PM
A very handy reference! Thanks! <3
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: enchantress41580 on April 25, 2017, 11:39:03 PM
Great explanation thanks! And love your etsy shop :) might talk to you there quite soon ;) i need some dolly hair :)

Also: for your pony customs, how do you paint the bodies please?
Thanks

For the bodies, I will either hand paint with acrylics or airbrush with acrylics. You can remove the original factory paint by using 100% Acetone, but make sure you wash off with soap and water afterwards. if you are doing a full body repaint (FBR for short), some people will do a base coat of white Gesso- this usually helps paint stick better and gives a smoother coat. Hope this helps!! I have tutorials on youtube as well. (don't mind the crappy quality- I'll be redoing them once my equipment has been updated)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp-jhlB3cG6UdYjdNJQRKoA

Post Merge: April 20, 2017, 11:01:59 PM

That answered so many questions I had about hair. Thanks :)

you're quite welcome! :)

Thanks that is awesome! Doing some customs (well, starting) so have heaps of questions haha thanks a bunch!

Post Merge: April 24, 2017, 02:58:32 PM

Hi again, sorry but the link is actually to your channel (which looks very interesteing) but there are so many videos, i cannot find the ones about pony body repaint? Would you have the direct link please?

Sorry for the hassel lol

Not a hassle at all! Always happy to help! I don't think I have a tutorial on how to do FBR, but there are several different customizing tutorials on my channel. My suggestion is to water your acrylic paint down and then take one of those make-up sponges that you can get at the dollar store and then lightly pat the paint on....my friend JerZy (BarbedDragon) sent me a good tutorial for that awhile ago- it's a neat trick to make the pony look as though it had been airbrushed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpBp7FBkdcE&index=405&list=LLp-jhlB3cG6UdYjdNJQRKoA

and my friend KCherry's tutorial is also good
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RmwY3P-acc

hope this helps! :)

Post Merge: April 25, 2017, 11:39:33 PM

A very handy reference! Thanks! <3

You're quite welcome :)
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: Duenia on April 26, 2017, 08:56:54 AM
A friend and I were having a conversation the other day and I just thought to ask. We were wondering how synthetic hair is actually made? Do you know by any chance?

Between the two of us all we could really find was how wigs are made - you know with the hair that was already somehow created. Magic dust maybe lol?
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: enchantress41580 on April 26, 2017, 01:44:23 PM
A friend and I were having a conversation the other day and I just thought to ask. We were wondering how synthetic hair is actually made? Do you know by any chance?

Between the two of us all we could really find was how wigs are made - you know with the hair that was already somehow created. Magic dust maybe lol?

the factory produces little beads of whatever fiber they're making, and drops them into a machine that flattens and melts them together into long rows and goes through a machine that cuts it into individual strands :)
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: enchantress41580 on May 05, 2017, 05:08:50 AM
Ombre hair and monofiber styling tips-

Flat Iron:
Ombre- you can use a flat iron up to 360 degrees, this will get rid of the kinks and make the hair nice and silky.

Monofiber- you can use a flat iron up to 360-400 degrees although it's best to start low and work your way up on heat settings. You can also use a hair crimper to make the hair crimped.

Boil Perm:
Monofiber- wrap around a spiral perm rod or a straw and fasten with bobby pins, dip in boiling water for about 4-5 seconds, then dip immediately into a bowl of water and ice for 4-5 seconds. Repeat about 4 times, allow to dry over night.

Curling Iron:
Monofiber and Ombre- I use a 1/4 barrel and hold the curl for about 1-2 minutes. You can use up to about 360 degrees, however some settings differ, so I would test a small strand first. Remember as you pull the iron out that heat also straightens, so you want to use sort of a twirling motion when releasing the iron- as tho you are following the direction of the curl.
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: Skeen on May 05, 2017, 09:25:41 AM
Do you have a list of your colors that are matches for Hasbro colors?  I have some restorations in my to-do bins.  :) 
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: enchantress41580 on May 06, 2017, 10:22:58 PM
Do you have a list of your colors that are matches for Hasbro colors?  I have some restorations in my to-do bins.  :) 

I do have a list of dollyhair matches, I'll look for them tomorrow when I get up :)
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: Thrice on May 08, 2017, 10:12:49 PM
This is a great guide! Can it be pinned??
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: Khayman81 on May 13, 2017, 08:50:54 AM
Very good guide! Usefull and now l understand plenty of rehairing problems l had.
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: enchantress41580 on May 20, 2017, 02:09:52 PM
Very good guide! Usefull and now l understand plenty of rehairing problems l had.

Thanks! I'm happy to help! :)
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: WaterRaven on July 02, 2017, 01:08:06 AM
Great information. Thank you for taking the time to type this out for us and sharing!
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: Shabi on July 02, 2017, 09:51:33 AM
Great guide, thank you! And I'll second the questions about matching guides :)
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: glitterball on July 02, 2017, 12:11:47 PM
Looking forward to seeing the hair-colour-matching guides!  :thumb: :thumb:
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: Khayman81 on July 06, 2017, 12:59:59 AM
Looking forward to seeing the hair-colour-matching guides!  :thumb: :thumb:

Yep me too, l was actually going to suggest one. Like Dollyhair has, and it would be much easier to find color matches for rehairing :-)
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: enchantress41580 on July 25, 2017, 08:26:37 PM
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brilliant gold

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brilliant silver

A customer did these matches for us several years ago- around 2012/2013ish. I know we've gotten more matches since then. If anyone has trouble finding a color, please contact me at either my facebook page (Retro Dolls US), my etsy shop- www.etsy.com/shop/retrodollsus  or my instagrams- www.instagram.com/retrodollsusfeature   or www.instagram.com/retrodollsus

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Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: ChocolateStarfire on July 26, 2017, 03:27:07 PM
Thank you so much! I have been waiting for this for so long!! :) You just made my day!

MODS: Can someone pin this topic please?? Thanks!!
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: kCherry on July 28, 2017, 07:54:45 AM
OMG, Shay! Thank you for this post!!!!!!!!! :lovey:
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: enchantress41580 on September 01, 2017, 04:33:49 AM
you're welcome <3 :) I have a bit more detailed one on my etsy that's about 57 pages long.
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: Sawkinator on September 15, 2017, 10:04:52 PM
Ooh, this is really helpful!

... I don't suppose you have anything close to the old Daiquiri Ice color from DH?  ^^;
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: enchantress41580 on September 23, 2017, 12:01:59 AM
Ooh, this is really helpful!

... I don't suppose you have anything close to the old Daiquiri Ice color from DH?  ^^;

Not yet- but we're actively looking for it.
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: glitterball on October 01, 2017, 08:03:29 PM
LOVING this!  :heart: Thanks for the very useful update!  :frolic: :frolic:
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: bright rabbit 1 on October 26, 2017, 12:46:27 AM
Anything closer to the hair colour coral?
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: magoobear on June 21, 2019, 07:36:59 AM
Hi I'm just being to think about doing customs, I haven't been able to find the answer to this question, how would I remove the name head from a head?, for a full rehair situation
Thank you in advance for your reply, :)
Melissa
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: Khayman81 on June 22, 2019, 05:56:41 AM
Hi I'm just being to think about doing customs, I haven't been able to find the answer to this question, how would I remove the name head from a head?, for a full rehair situation
Thank you in advance for your reply, :)
Melissa
send me a PM and I explain :)
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: bright rabbit 1 on July 07, 2019, 12:24:47 AM
What glue do I need to stick hair wefts on doll heads. I’m thinking of using my hot glue gun to stick them
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: aintnobuffalo on July 17, 2019, 08:57:56 PM
What glue do I need to stick hair wefts on doll heads. I’m thinking of using my hot glue gun to stick them
Hi I'm just being to think about doing customs, I haven't been able to find the answer to this question, how would I remove the name head from a head?, for a full rehair situation
Thank you in advance for your reply, :)
Melissa
You may have more luck starting a new topic: this post mostly focuses on the types of hair and related matching discussion around enchantress41580's Retro Doll products. You may find more answers/response by starting a separate thread.

Regarding being new to customs, check out this thread; http://mlparena.com/index.php/topic,283445.0.html

Regarding glue: I'm not the expert here, so your own thread may get you more help (also try a doll board). Some hair or doll heads will melt with hot glue, and it would be very messy. If rooting isnt an option, check out tutorials for making doll wigs.
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: SunPony on June 11, 2020, 07:44:35 PM
Do you have a list of your colors that are matches for Hasbro colors?  I have some restorations in my to-do bins.  :) 

I do have a list of dollyhair matches, I'll look for them tomorrow when I get up :)

Did this list of matches every appear?  I'd loooove to see it!
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: Griffin on June 11, 2020, 11:49:25 PM
Do you have a list of your colors that are matches for Hasbro colors?  I have some restorations in my to-do bins.  :) 

I do have a list of dollyhair matches, I'll look for them tomorrow when I get up :)

Did this list of matches every appear?  I'd loooove to see it!

This may help! (Sorry I forgot to post it in the other thread!)
Retrodolls US/UK Colour Matches (http://mlparena.com/index.php/topic,394488.0.html)
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: SunPony on June 17, 2020, 09:30:53 AM
Thanks Griffin!  It doesn't look like the one I'm looking for right now is in there anywhere, but I might just go for something similar.  At any rate that will definitely be useful in the future, especially for the pinks, the match photos are super helpful.
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: LadyMoondancer on July 15, 2020, 09:15:28 AM
Hello!  Can anyone make any educated guesses about what kind of doll hair this is?  I got it off Taobao, where it was described as "wig hair DIY high temperature wire straight hair".  (Powder's there for size comparison.)

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It's very smooth and soft, but also kind of springy?  Like it might need a boil to lie nicely on a pony's neck.  (Haven't actually used any on a custom yet.)
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: tailrustedtealeaf on July 15, 2020, 09:29:41 AM
Do you think it may be like the sort of nylon TheDollPlanet sells? That hair you basically have to style with heat, if you curl it with a curling iron does it hold?
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: BlackCurtains on July 15, 2020, 11:33:16 AM
Springy makes me think polypropylene. Poly doesn't hold curls.
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: LadyMoondancer on July 15, 2020, 02:13:58 PM
Thank you for these tips!  So a way to check would be to use a curling iron on a bit and see if it holds a curl?  Or boil it?
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: BlackCurtains on July 15, 2020, 05:46:45 PM
I would go with boiling, personally.
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: ZeldaTheSwordsman on August 04, 2020, 01:03:43 PM
Enchantress' pics on the second page are broken
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: fromoutoftheunexpected on June 12, 2021, 06:25:51 AM
I've been trying to find out how much hair I would need to re-root a pony, but everywhere says vastly different amounts. Is there a difference between the different generations as to how much I need? How much would I need for a g3, vs a g4?
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: pandabear_chan on July 09, 2021, 12:27:52 AM
I've been trying to find out how much hair I would need to re-root a pony, but everywhere says vastly different amounts. Is there a difference between the different generations as to how much I need? How much would I need for a g3, vs a g4?

That clearly depends on different factors:

- the planned length of your ponies' mane and tail

- the amount you get from the seller you like to order from

- the amount of mane plugs and the size of the tail hole

- your rehairing experience i.e. "beginner" vs. "advanced" (i.e. how you cut the hair, how much hair you use for each mane plug, etc.)
Just to name an example: I work with doll hair since 15 years and can easily use only 1 G1 Pony tail to rehair an entire G1 pony's mane if necessary. But that takes a lot of practice and experience.

- the plastic status of your pony (soft plastic ponies can be rehaired easier than hard plastic ponies)

To make things easier,  you might like to tell about what you plan to do and people can help from there.
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: kaelynn on June 29, 2022, 11:59:15 AM
Retracting what I wrote due to recent events.  :angry:
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: Moonbreeze on January 07, 2023, 04:52:34 AM
Not sure if this belongs here, but I have a G2 hair matching guide up:

http://www.lavenderlagoon.com/hair-matching-guide.html
Title: Re: Doll Hair Guide for Customs
Post by: BlackCurtains on January 07, 2023, 07:38:01 AM
Thanks Moonbreeze! I'll add it to the master thread.
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