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How to Curl Barbie Hair With Rollers

An icon of the future, fashion and sophistication, Barbie--introduced in 1959 at the American Toy Fair in New York--was met with mixed reviews upon her release, according to the University of Virginia. Despite Barbie's initial reception, she became a personality whom little girls wanted to emulate. As a result, Barbie, with her fashionable hair and French couture clothing, has become a collectible toy that adults and children enjoy. You can keep your Barbie in mint, unplayed-with, collectible condition or you can teach a child to enjoy giving her much-loved Barbie a variety of hairstyles that require beauty techniques adjusted to work on a small doll's head. To do this, you can curl Barbie hair with rollers created from household items.

Things You'll Need

Wide-toothed comb
Gentle shampoo
Straws
Scissors
Bobby pins
Pot
Glass or cup

Instructions

Wash Barbie's Hair
- 1
  Run warm water over your Barbie's hair in the sink. Make sure you remove any loose dirt during the initial rinse.
- 2
  Wet your hands and squeeze one or two tiny drops of shampoo into the palm of your hand. Rub your hands together to create a slight lather.
- 3
  Rub your hands over Barbie's hair. Gently work the shampoo lather into the hair. To avoid further tangling of the hair, move your hands in a downward motion.
- 4
  Rinse Barbie's hair under your sink's faucet. Repeat the process until the hair feels squeaky clean.
- 5
  Comb Barbie's hair to remove any tangles. Take your time and be patient to remove severe tangling and matting.
- 6
  Dry Barbie's hair using a dry towel. You can pat the hair dry and leave it damp.
Roll Barbie's Hair
- 7
  Cut the straws into ¾-inch pieces. This ensures you have enough space on Barbie's head with which to work.
- 8
  Separate a section of hair in the back of Barbie's head. The smaller the section, the tighter the curl.
- 9
  Roll the hair around the straw. Make sure you roll the straw all the way to Barbie's head. The straw should be tight.
- 10
  Insert a bobby pin through the straw's opening and over the piece of hair. This will hold the hair and bobby pin in place. Repeat the process until the entire head is rolled.
Set and Style Barbie's Hair
- 11
  Boil a small pot of water. Bring the water to a boil and then turn the water down so that it simmers.
- 12
  Pour a cup of cold water over ice. Both the hot and cold water work together to heat and cool the nylon hair to encourage setting.
- 13
  Pick Barbie up by her shins. Hold her over the sink and carefully pour the hot water over her head. Then follow immediately with the ice water. Pat her hair dry with a clean towel. Place Barbie in an upright position and let her hair dry for up to 12 hours. Use a blow dryer toward the end to help the hair dry.
- 14
  Remove the straw curlers. Use a wide toothed comb or your fingers to style her hair as desired.

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