Among the frequently asked questions from doll enthusiasts is the desire to transform the bouncy curls or gentle waves of their dolls into a sleek and straight mane. While the official guidelines on americangirl.com warn against using irons and curlers, there exists a tried-and-true alternative method that can give your American Girl doll the straight hair you envision.
In this comprehensive guide, we unveil the steps to straighten American Girl doll hair, providing doll aficionados with a detailed tutorial for achieving a flawless, straightened look.
From gathering the essential materials to the careful process of washing, conditioning, and straightening, we’ll walk you through each step, ensuring that the health and vibrancy of your doll’s hair are maintained throughout the transformation.
Whether you have Addy or Caroline with their characteristic curls, our step-by-step guide will equip you with the knowledge to achieve the perfect straight look while respecting the guidelines set by the official American Girl website.
Preparation for Doll Hair Transformation
Before straightening your American Girl doll’s hair, proper preparation is the key to a successful transformation.
1. Selecting the Right Doll
When choosing a doll for hair straightening, opt for one with American Girl with curly or wavy hair, such as the charming Addy or the elegant Caroline. The texture of their hair provides an excellent canvas for the straightening process.
2. Gathering Necessary Materials
a. American Girl Brush
Ensure you have a high-quality American Girl brush on hand. Its design is specifically tailored to handle the delicate hair of these dolls without causing damage.
b. Shampoo
Choose a mild shampoo for washing the doll’s hair. Opt for sustainable or green shampoos to align with eco-friendly practices, promoting both doll hair health and environmental responsibility.
c. Conditioner
Select any hair conditioner of your preference. The goal is to soften the doll’s hair, making it more amenable to the straightening process. Using a conditioner also imparts a glossy shine to the hair.
d. Boiling Water and Flat Iron
Boiling water and a flat iron are essential components of this process. These items will play a crucial role in achieving the desired straightness without resorting to prohibited tools like irons and curlers.
See also: List of Doll Hair Rerooting Tools
How to Straighten American Girl Doll’s Hair
Step 1 – Brush the hair.
To begin, delicately brush your doll’s hair using an American Girl brush. Use American Girl brush when brushing and don’t worry if some of the hairs fell out. Be gentle in your strokes, detangling any knots that may have formed, and allow the brush to prepare the hair for the cleansing process.
Following the brushing session, it’s time to cleanse the doll’s hair. Choose a mild shampoo to maintain the integrity of the hair fibers. While any shampoo can be used, opting for sustainable or green options aligns with responsible practices. Carefully wash the doll’s hair, ensuring that water doesn’t enter the doll’s eyes to prevent rusting.
With the hair now free of tangles and thoroughly cleansed, your American Girl doll is ready to move to the next phase of the straightening process – conditioning.
Step 2 – Conditioning to make more softness and shine into doll hair
With the hair clean and wet, it’s time to apply a generous amount of conditioner. Choose any hair conditioner of your liking. The conditioner works to soften the hair fibers, making them more pliable and easier to straighten. This step also contributes to the final glossy finish of the hair.
Conditioning not only aids in the straightening process but also ensures that the doll’s hair remains healthy and vibrant. By infusing moisture and nutrients, the conditioner prevents excessive dryness, adding a lustrous sheen to the hair.
Step 3 – Boil Washing and Straightening
With your American Girl doll’s hair impeccably brushed, cleaned, and conditioned, and then step is boil washing and straightening. This phase involves careful application of heat, ensuring that the doll’s hair retains its integrity while achieving the desired straight look.
In preparation, boil water in a pan. Ensure there’s enough water to submerge the doll’s head and hair fully. The water should be hot enough to facilitate the straightening process.
Soak the doll’s hair in the boiled water for about 15-30 seconds at a time. Alternatively, you can pour the hot water directly onto the doll’s hair if a bowl is not readily available. This step is crucial, as the heat helps to relax the hair fibers, preparing them for the straightening process.
And the next step is straightening with a flat iron. Before using the flat iron, ensure that the doll’s hair remains adequately saturated.
Set the flat iron to the lowest heat setting. Dry fibers may melt when exposed to highest heat, potentially causing damage.This precautionary measure prevents excessive heat exposure, maintaining the integrity of the doll’s hair. Run the flat iron over the braids, straightening the hair strand by strand.
Exercise caution during the straightening process. It is essential to keep the hair saturated and avoid prolonged exposure to heat. This ensures a smooth, damage-free transformation.
See also: Can You Curl American Girl Julie Doll Hair?
Step 4 – Repeating the Process
The path to perfect straightness may involve repetition, depending on your preferences for the final look. This phase involves a cycle of adding conditioner, brushing, boil washing, and straightening until the desired outcome is achieved.
a. Conditioner Reapplication:
Following each boil washing and straightening cycle, reapply conditioner to the doll’s hair. This step ensures that the hair remains soft and manageable throughout the process.
b. Brushing and Boil Washing:
Continue the cycle of brushing, adding conditioner, boil washing, and straightening until the hair achieves the desired straightness. Depending on personal preference, you may choose to keep the hair slightly wavy or go for a completely straight look.
Exercise care during the repetition process. Avoid prolonged exposure to heat, and ensure the doll’s hair is adequately saturated before applying heat.
As you repeat the process, the American Girl doll’s hair gradually transforms into the envisioned straight style. The step continues with the finishing touches, where the hair is treated to a final round of conditioning, washing, and air-drying, ensuring a healthy and radiant result.
The reason we have to use heat for AG Hair sometimes is to barely re-melt the fibers so they are straight and smooth. Both frizzy hair and also just hair with waves works like this, and it shouldn’t be damaging the fibers at all as long as you limit the heat exposure with the resources available to you (not too long, low heat, hair soaked in water, etc.).
Step 5 – Finishing touches
With the boiling, washing and straightening steps completed, your American Girl doll’s hair is on the brink of achieving the desired straight and sleek look. The finishing touches phase is where you bring the entire process together, ensuring the hair is not only straight but also vibrant and healthy.
Brush the doll’s hair one last time to ensure it looks as straight as you desire. Be meticulous in doll’s hair brushing process, paying attention to any remaining tangles.
And the last, the air drying phase, is allowing your American Girl doll’s hair to dry naturally and embrace its newfound straightness.
By allowing the hair to air-dry, you’re preserving the natural beauty of the American Girl doll’s hair while maintaining the straightened style achieved through the careful process.
As the hair dries naturally, take a moment.. Your American Girl doll now boasts a straightened hairstyle that exudes charm and elegance. With a commitment to proper care and adherence to the outlined steps, you’ve successfully unlocked the secret to achieving perfectly straight hair for your cherished companion.
Conclusion
The use of heat in the form of boiling water and a flat iron serves as a transformative tool, delicately re-melting the fibers to achieve a straight and smooth look.
Understanding that the application of heat should be approached with care, this method ensures that the doll’s hair remains undamaged. By limiting heat exposure, soaking the hair in water, and following the provided guidelines, the fibers retain their integrity throughout the entire process.
This step-by-step guide serves as a comprehensive resource for doll enthusiasts, offering a meticulous approach to achieving the desired straight hairstyle for American Girl dolls.
With patience and adherence to the outlined techniques, you’ve been beyond hairstyling – it’s a celebration of the unique character and charm each American Girl doll possesses. May your dolls continue to captivate hearts with their straightened and beautifully styled hair, showcasing the art of careful doll hairstyling.
