Tutorial: Make Bangs

Meg before (left) and after (right).

Sometimes, a doll has too much hair, or its regular ‘do is getting old. So give your doll a shot of bang-tox— it’s easy! In this tutorial, my second-hand 1997 Meg doll's trademark curls will be transformed into trendy forehead bangs.

You Will Need:

• Doll
• Large Wig Brush
• Small Wig Brush (optional)
• Thin scrunchie/rubber band
• Scissors
• Tea Kettle (for boiling water)
• Small towel/rag

More after the jump!

1. Divide and Conquer. Section off the part of hair you want to make into bangs. Look closely at the hole pattern on the scalp, so that your doll will not have bald spots. Not all dolls have enough hair for bangs [reroot tutorial coming soon!]

2. Position Bangs. Comb the “bang” area forward. Your doll now remotely resembles Cousin It. Slide the scrunchie over the head, but do not twist it around— that will leave marks. Thin scrunchies, or plastic bands that come with some dolls and doll packaging are ideal (I save them up!)

3. Apply Heat. Heat some water in the tea kettle, and pour hot water over the scalp. Do not lean your doll down, keep them sitting or standing up. Let dry. Do NOT take off the scrunchie.

4. Cut Bangs. Leave the rubber band on as a guide for how much to cut. For best results, cut bangs along the upper eye level, and make sure they cover the eyebrows. It's better to leave the bangs longer than to cut them shorter, since they will appear shorter once you slide off the scrunchie.

5. Touch up. When the bangs are cut so short that the scrunchie gets in the way of cutting, strip it off and carefully cut individual strands— one strand at a time (one strand = goes through one hole in the doll’s head.) Be patient— what is cut cannot be uncut.

6. If a band-line remains in the hair, apply another hot water treatment. Remember to pour from the scalp-down. Now your doll has bangs. Yay!