Soooo...straw curls?

[InkyMilk]

Okay, I've searched around and read some really fabulous tutorials and I know straw curls are really not THAT difficult to do. But I'm finding some conflicting information and I can't seem to find a straight answer. I really love the method that uses paper towels and tiny hairbands since it seems so simple. However, I then read that this method won't keep the curls in place for long, and that dunking the pony in boiling water (the entire pony? Will that harm the plastic? Or just carefully dip their hair?) after to set it in place is the way to go. But then, wouldn't the water ruin the paper towels? And then some tutorials say to dip them again in cold water and some don't.

I know, it's not rocket science, but I'm not sure what to do! I'm not very good at hair styling and I don't want it to fall out a day later. I only have one pony with absolutely gorgeous straw curls that I bought from another user and they have never once started to unravel and I would love to achieve the same look with some of my other ponies!

[Rainbowjuice]

I use perming curlers in my ponies hair.
They come with their own elastic band that holds them in place, sometimes a length of yarn is used too.

I dunk my ponies in cold water before rolling their hair, then I pour boiling over the curlers, then cold again. Dab them dry with a towel and leave a day or two to air dry. Remove curlers and viola, lovely curls.

Before, Luna and Cadance with their curlers.
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After
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The tinsel ruins it a little but Rarity got the same treatment.
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With customs I use a jug of water to pour over the pony's hair to protect paint work.

[achab1984]

I do the straw curls also. It holds in some ponies very well while in others it does not. I am not really sure why? It might be cause I use more conditioner in it? Not sure?

I love how your ponies look  Rainbowjuice!

[Miserati]

For a looser curl don't use boiling water. I've just simply wetted nylon and gotten curls to last a long time this way.

For a tighter curl I just pour boiling water right over the hair. Doesn't ruin paint or anything.

[InkyMilk]

My main confusion is that the water is going to ruin the paper towels, in which case I'm not really getting how how I'm supposed to set the curls in place without the towels I know it's really such a simple thing but I'm making do with what I have and I'm really hoping not to mess up.

[Vintergatan]

I never did anything t omy ponies after I curled them (as in I didn't pour any water and such) and they are all still holding (G1 and G3). Sure, the curls get a bit loose, but I want that as the straws make them really right initially. basically, I see no need for anything after you take the paper towel and rubber band away

[Shenanigans]

I've just started using boiling water for mine. I wrap the hair with a straw and strip of paper towel, keep it in place with the little plastic hair tie, dip it in boiling water (the boiling water didn't ruin my ponies, but I didn't submerge the whole body either) Let it dry over night. The paper towel strips will dry too and you can just peel them off when it's dry

[Roseprincess1]

Ok.. i LOVE straw curls.. especially on G3's it just looks so awsome on them.
Any how.. the paper towel bits are really just to hold the ends of the hair flat so you can get them onto the curler/straw/rod what ever.
once the hair's dry you just pull that part off and throw it away.
As for boiling.. I typically don't like to do that.. I really don't mind if the curls fall out from time to time or aren't too tight.. hehe they fall out that means i get to re curl them and sometimes it's just fun to play with them.
I also use a cheep conditioner... like dollar store cheep... they have petrolium products in them and they are really good at healing the acrylic hair if its gone "bride of frankenstiney".
any how.. here are some photos of some of my victims..

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hope you like!
have fun!

[NoPonySpecial]

I think the paper towel would just get wet. It's think enough that it wouldn't dissolve like a tissue.

[Rainbowjuice]

If you look t mine, the paper towels are thin strips holding the end of the hair onto the curler.
Same principle with the straws.

When wet paper towels hold the hair onto the straw so you don't get fly away, uncurled ends.

[Marionette]

Using cold water immediately after boiling water doesn't sound like a good idea to me. That's a very extreme shift in temperature which is not usually good for objects. It's called thermal shock, and it's why a glass will break if it goes from very hot to very cold or vice versa (I had a glass break right in half after I took it out of the dishwasher, where it had been heated dry, and put ice water in it!). I'm not sure how susceptible synthetic fibers are to this, but I wouldn't take the risk when the heat alone should be enough to set the hair.

Also, as with taming pony hair, you can try water that's just very hot first. It's not as powerful, but I find that it still has a noticeable effect. Simply rinse or pour with the hottest water your faucet can manage in place of the boiling water. It's hot enough to affect the hair (and the hair should not be exposed to it for extended periods of time) but not hot enough to damage the body if some happens to splash onto it.

[Shy Violet]

Using cold water immediately after boiling water doesn't sound like a good idea to me. That's a very extreme shift in temperature which is not usually good for objects. It's called thermal shock, and it's why a glass will break if it goes from very hot to very cold or vice versa (I had a glass break right in half after I took it out of the dishwasher, where it had been heated dry, and put ice water in it!). I'm not sure how susceptible synthetic fibers are to this, but I wouldn't take the risk when the heat alone should be enough to set the hair.

Also, as with taming pony hair, you can try water that's just very hot first. It's not as powerful, but I find that it still has a noticeable effect. Simply rinse or pour with the hottest water your faucet can manage in place of the boiling water. It's hot enough to affect the hair (and the hair should not be exposed to it for extended periods of time) but not hot enough to damage the body if some happens to splash onto it.

I wanted to comment about the thermal shock, it's probably not a good idea for many objects but I know that for hand spinning yarn you shock it after spinning to set the twist. So basically the same idea as curling pony hair, the shocking of the hair will set the curl and it will last longer. 

[Stormness_1]

When I was starting out with frizzy-ish hair, I wrapped all the hair (the whole length of the straw) with papar towel, wet it with hot water, and let it dry for a few days. That was a few years ago, and that pony's hair is still set in barrel curls. You don't need boiling water if you're not comfortable with it, although it does have better results. Use the paper towel like a cast, and make sure it's dry before you take the hair out, or the hair won't be set.

[Buzzingbumblebee]

I don't use paper towels, I use straws and hair pins. I don't pour hot water on them after as I don't mind them getting a little looser over time, I had to with a monster high doll though, as it wouldn't hold otherwise. And I didn't pour I just dunked the hair in. Btw you should be careful what ponies you do it to, fading pink hair can loose colour I think. Also some ponies like magic message can't have boiling water on their symbol. I know some people stick it in the freezer for a bit after the hot water treatment.

[PandoraFox]

So the paper towels don't turn into paper mache if I dunk them into boiling water for a moment? That's good to know.
I'd been afraid to try.