We're big fans of the Fisher Price My Friend Dolls from the 1970-1980s. I have been able to purchase brand new in box dolls for my youngest and she currently has 3 of the 5 made. As I've said before my youngest (currently age 6) doesn't quite grasp that these are really old dolls! Especially since they come to her brand new. She doesn't understand that they've been sitting in a closet somewhere waiting to be loved for 30+ years. She thinks I buy them at Target, ha!
When she discovered that a friend of hers had a Mandy doll too (her mom's) she was very excited. We set up a playdate so the girls could get the dolls (and all their clothes) together! The morning before our get-together her mom told me that Mandy needed some hair TLC stat. They'd tried to condition it once before but it was still pretty tangled and damaged.
I love a challenge so in the few hours before I got the girls I gave Mandy a deep conditioning treatment and it turned out pretty well.
Check out these before and afters. Not too shabby! And now a comb can go through all of the hair. I think another longer (overnight) treatment might work on those ends a little more.
Here's what you will need: Wide tooth comb, regular comb, bowl, fabric softener, washcloth and some patience. :)
1. Put a couple cap fulls of fabric softener in a bowl. Not too much because you don't want to waste it. Then put the doll's hair in the bowl and slowly work the fabric softener through all of the hair. Take time to get it into the tangles or any knots.
2. After the hair is coated, carefully place the doll aside on a washcloth and leave her alone for between 1hr and overnight depending on damage level. Due to time constraints Mandy had the softener on her hair for about 2 hrs.
3. Slowly and carefully comb through the doll's hair, starting with the wide side of a comb. Gently work through the tangles until you can get the comb all the way through. Then move to the small side of the comb and do the same.
4. Rinse, rinse, rinse. Carefully comb through the hair while it is under running water until you can feel that the hair is rinsed. Leaving fabric conditioner on the hair long term can damage it.
5. Lightly towel dry the hair (press don't rub) and comb through it again. Allow to air dry, don't use a dryer!
All set! Does she look amazing?
My daughter's friend was super excited to see that her Mandy had softer and more manageable hair. Not perfect but MUCH better. Hooray!
All ready for a play-date! Note by the way that both blond dolls are "Mandy". The far left is the last 1980s version and the visiting Mandy was one of the first editions. (for reference the other two dolls are Jenny and Nicky)
#204 Baby Ann (a soft doll)
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