Taking care of clear tinsel

[balletpot]

I recently got my first pony with clear tinsel, G1 Princess Royal Purple. The tinsel isn't that bad but I would like to tame it a bit. However, after having looked into it, it seems like it's not that easy. The stretch and pull with tweezers method does not work. Seems like heat could be a problem too after what I've read. Any general advice on how to take care of hair with clear tinsel?

Should I just give the usual warm (but not too warm I suppose) water and conditioner treatment and shape the hair by rapping it around the pony's legs and be content with the result I get from that?

What are you not supposed to do with clear tinsel? Seems like some people have used flat irons etc on it and it has worked whereas it hasn't for other.

Is the quality of clear tinsel the same on the G1 princesses as on the G3 ponies? Does the methods for G3s with clear tinsel apply to the G1s and vice versa?

[tulagirl]

Well, I have to say that when it comes to G1 tinsel, I have had major problems getting it to recurl after I have straightened it with heating irons on low.  I have never had any tinsel recoil with heat.  I am not sure if I have a pony with clear though.  So basically now, I don't straighten it anymore because it looks so strange to have tinsel sticking out all over the place with the rest of the hair nice and curled.  Those princess ponies make me crazy.  G3 tinsel is still not broken down I guess to the point where I have been able to recurl it with a little heat and a day or two in rollers.  I don't think the quality can be the same when you consider the age of the G1 tinsel.  Perhaps when it was new it probably was similar in quality.  I would test one strand of clear tinsel under the mane to see how it reacts, because its possible that it could act differently with more than one pony.  We dont know what chemicals it may have been exposed to on one pony verses the other with the same tinsel.

[DaffyDilly]

I've never had a problem with any G1 tinsel reacting to heat but always do a test strand. When I straighten hair I put loads of conditioner on it, and my straightners saved for this purpose are about 10 years old so really quite low heat.

G3 tinsel on the other hand...

I have seen about using dryer sheets on unruly tinsel but I've not been able to get hold of any to try.

[Oneleo1]

I have heard that dryer sheets tame tinsel as well, but I have never tried it myself.

[kittybethy]

Best of luck with that!

 I always end up rehairing the pony!

[hathorcat]

I have heard that dryer sheet trick as well OL1 - something to do with static but I havent tried it myself either. The tweezer trick only really works when the tinsel is in a crumpled mess to get some kind of straightness - usually tinsel still needs work after that.

I wouldnt put a flat iron straight on but I have had success with clear and coloured tinsel using a clothes iron, wet/conditioned hair and cold & damp cloth between the iron and the hair [this prevents the coating being removed].

[partypony566]

I am no help at all because I am absolutely useless with tinsel!

[balletpot]

Before starting this thread I tried the tweezers, because that's what I've done with my other tinsel ponies (G1 princesses from the first set) and it curled up to the tiniest ball ever. Later I tried a clothes iron and a damp cloth, which sort of worked on the tinsel that was crinkled but it didn't make it completely straight. Seems like it can take some heat though. Will see what I'll do. But then again, it's not that bad but it could be nicer.

[hathorcat]

It maybe depends on how straight you want it...as if its crinkled its pretty tough and takes repeat treatment to get every stand perfect. I hope you manage to get it as you wish it to be

[Wardah]

http://mlparena.com/mlp/index.php/topic,307473.0.html