Welcome to the Lookin’ Bratz Hair Guide, created by LookinBratz.com! With dolls in production for over 20+ years and several major production changes, the Bratz brand has used a diverse range of hair fibers—both good and not-so-good. This guide is a resource for Bratz fans and doll collectors to learn more about different hair fibers and how to best treat them. Please note that this guide contains recommendations for hair, but everyone has their own doll maintenance methods. This guide was created in collaboration with collectors who have been working with doll hair for decades, so we hope to pass the knowledge to future collectors.

To identify your dolls’ hair type, use the Lookin’ Bratz Database (you can find your specific doll in the Screening Guides or Character Profiles, which will link you to its entry in the Database). Once you find your dolls’ entry in the Database, click on the image then hover your cursor over it (desktop) or click the round purple button in the bottom-right corner (mobile/tablet) to unveil details about it—including hair type!

Click on a hair fiber below to learn more about it!

Saran Hair

BACKGROUND ‘n’ HISTORY: If you are an OG or longtime Bratz fan, then you are likely most familiar with the saran hair fiber. Saran has been part of the Bratz brand since its debut in 2001. Did you know that, during the pre-production stages of the original Bratz dolls, creator Carter Bryant was insistent that the dolls were given saran hair as opposed to a “cheaper alternative”; on his own accord, Carter sourced a vendor to produce saran hair at a lower rate to ensure that the initial Bratz dolls could be produced with it (You Don’t Own Me, Orly Lobel).

Before 2008, saran hair was the standard for Bratz with few exceptions. Very rarely did MGA Entertainment use other hair fibers for the Bratz lineup, with Funky Fashion Makeover heads and larger dolls (i.e. Big Bratz, Big Babyz, Big Kidz) typically receiving polypropylene hair likely due to the larger circumference of those heads in which a cheaper alternative was necessary to keep production costs down.

The last occurrence in which saran hair was used on a Bratz doll was in 2021 for early batches of the 20 Yearz Special Edition line, with later batches receiving nylon hair. Saran hair is seldom used in doll production from major toy companies today, with only Mattel utilizing it on a portion of its doll lineups.

Saran hair could be described as having a silky yet waxy feel, as well as being weighted and having a bit of shine to it. While saran is an oft-preferred hair fiber by doll collectors, it is sometimes packaged with hair product on it to hold styles which can sometimes lead to “box hair” or eventual damage if mistreated. Additionally, saran can yellow over time (blond and lighter shades of saran) and have breakage if mistreated.

WASHING SARAN: To fix up saran hair, it is recommend to wash any product (or dirt, debris, etc. depending on the condition of the doll) out with dish soap or clarifying shampoo—it does not need to be expensive. Once the soap has been washed out, use hair conditioner (emphasis on hair conditioner), combing the conditioner through, then washing it out before styling. As a general note, please do not use fabric softener to condition a dolls’ hair; this is not a “hack” and the properties of fabric softener can deteriorate a dolls’ hair over time and/or cast a strange film over the dolls’ hair—not cool!

BOILWASHING SARAN: When further styling saran hair, boilwashing or flat ironing is recommended. When boilwashing, make sure you have washed and conditioned the doll’s hair first. You can either boil water on a stove or use a tea kettle, as long as you have a cylinder to pour the water into so you can dip your doll’s hair. You can also pour the boiling water over the doll’s head, but be cautious in this process as to not potentially burn yourself or damage your doll; the pour-over method is typically used for setting a doll’s parting. On that note, do not boil your dolls’ hair upside down as this can ruin the parting and thatching (the cross-over method using on a doll’s parting to ensure the scalp is not showing); please ensure you also do not comb out your dolls’ parting or thatching as this can ruin how the hair looks and deliver less-than-desirable results. Boiling is also good for perming a doll’s hair as saran does not hold shape easily.

SARAN ‘n’ STYLIN’ TOOLS: Because saran hair is less resistant to curling and crimping, using heated styling tools like curling or crimping irons is not plausible. For curling and crimping, you may want to try wrapping the saran hair in straws and/or braiding the hair, boilwashing it, then letting it dry before styling. However, a flat iron can be used to give saran hair a detailed fix. Use a flat iron with a temperature-controlled feature as you should start flat ironing saran starting as low as 160°F and testing sections of the hair with the iron as you try to find the perfect temperature that gives maximal results without causing damage—yes, the hair can melt if you are not keeping it damp and using a low heat setting.

THE “MEMORY HAIR” CLAUSE: Not often discussed but sometimes asked about is “memory” hair that has been used on a small number of Bratz dolls—particularly in collections like Magic Hair and All Glammed Up. This hair is similar to regular saran, but is made to hold shapes better for styling purposes. It is recommended you treat this hair fiber the same as regular saran.

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Nylon hair

BACKGROUND ‘n’ HISTORY: As of late 2021, nylon is the primary hair fiber used on all Bratz dolls. Nylon was not used on many Bratz or any MGA Entertainment dolls (in fact, it was often reserved for smaller doll lines from other toy companies) until the introduction of the L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. dolls in 2019, which kickstarted the heavy usage of nylon hair across a majority of MGA’s doll lines. Nylon has also become a standard in the current fashion doll market, with a majority of companies (sans Mattel) using the fiber for their doll ranges.

You may be thinking, “Hey, isn’t nylon the really bad hair fiber that Bratz used in the late-2000s to mid-2010s?” Well, no. That’s polypropylene, which you can learn more about further in this guide. Nylon is actually a pretty good hair fiber with lots of styling potential as it is a durable fiber compared to other hair types. However, some nylon hair is packaged with a a lot of hair gel to preserve dolls’ hairstyles in-box yet can leave the doll with rock-hard or messy hair.

Nylon is shinier than saran and lightweight in comparison, which can sometimes be an issue if not laid down properly—too much nylon rooted into a Bratz head that isn’t properly laid (i.e. the Rock Angelz 20 Yearz Special Edition dolls) can make the hair look too bumpy at the scalp. Just like saran—and any other hair type—please ensure you do not comb out your dolls’ parting or thatching as this can ruin how the hair looks and deliver less-than-desirable results.

WASHING NYLON: To fix up nylon hair, it is recommend to wash any product (or dirt, debris, etc. depending on the condition of the doll) out with dish soap or clarifying shampoo—it does not need to be expensive. Once the soap has been washed out, use hair conditioner (emphasis on hair conditioner), combing the conditioner through, then washing it out before styling. As a general note, please do not use fabric softener to condition a doll’s hair; this is not a “hack” and the properties of fabric softener can deteriorate a doll’s hair over time and/or cast a strange film over the doll’s hair—not cool!

BOILWASHING NYLON: While nylon is a strong hair fiber, it cannot be boilwashed the same way as saran or else it can be easily damaged. Rather than using boiling hot water like you would with saran, it is recommended that you use simmering water—let the water heat up, but do not let it get to the point of it being boiling hot. If the water used is too hot, it can cause the nylon to become frizzy and/or have shrinkage. If you are perming nylon hair, the same rules should apply.

NYLON ‘n’ STYLIN’ TOOLS: Though nylon should not be dipped in boiling hot water, it works incredibly well with heated styling tools when the hair is dry. Flat irons, curling irons, crimping irons—all the hair irons—can be used on nylon when it is dry. Nylon holds shape well with and without heated styling tools, which makes it beneficial for restyling. Crimp it funky… if you dare! Nylon hair can handle high temperatures, but it is recommend you start at 200°F and work your way up if the hair is stubborn. Be extra cautious with “metallic” nylon—this hair fiber is not often used on Bratz dolls, but please note that lower temperatures may be better for it.

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Polypropylene hair

BACKGROUND ‘n’ HISTORY: Remember when Bratz dolls were packaged with tags that read “Now With Longer Hair!” starting around 2008? That was probably making up for the fact that this is probably—if not the—worst hair fiber that could be used on a doll. There is some unfortunate Bratztory behind the heavy usage of polypropylene starting in 2008, but this is not the first instance of polypropylene being used for the Bratz brand.

In 2002, the first edition of the Funky Fashion Makeover styling heads debuted and helped to re-popularize doll styling heads. Despite this accomplishment, the FFM styling heads were produced with polypropylene; this was likely because of the larger head circumference, which requires more hair needed at a lower rate to keep production costs and retail prices lower. Polypropylene would go on to be used on all of the FFM styling heads, as well as in a majority of Big Bratz, Big Babyz, and Big Kidz lines. The first instance of polypropylene being used on the main Bratz line is in 2003 with the Style It! collection, where a majority of the characters had polypropylene hair; it would not be used on the main line again until the late-2000s, then phased out completely by 2015.

Why is polypropylene so bad and nearly triggering for most doll collectors? While polypropylene can be useful for restyling to an extent, it is low quality and basically damaged on arrival. The ends of polypropylene hair get frizzy and the overall hair is prone to damage with just a simple brushing. Although this hair is no longer in rotation for the Bratz brand, it is likely that collectors will encounter it at some point or another if you are buying dolls off the secondhand market; if buying used, there is a likely chance the doll’s hair is completely damaged. Additionally, polypropylene hair is prone to dry rot over the course of time and start breaking off the doll’s head. Gross!

WASHING POLYPROPYLENE: To fix up polypropylene hair, it is recommend to wash any product (or dirt, debris, etc. depending on the condition of the doll) out with dish soap or clarifying shampoo—it does not need to be expensive. Once the soap has been washed out, use hair conditioner (emphasis on hair conditioner), combing the conditioner through, then washing it out before styling. As a general note, please do not use fabric softener to condition a doll’s hair; this is not a “hack” and the properties of fabric softener can deteriorate a doll’s hair over time and/or cast a strange film over the doll’s hair—not cool!

BOILWASHING POLYPROPYLENE: Polypropylene is hydrophobic, so it cannot be fixed with a simple boilwash. Yes, it can be boilwashed, but your best bet is to use a heated styling tool or getting the doll rerooted with a higher quality hair fiber.

POLYPROPYLENE ‘n’ STYLIN’ TOOLS: Polypropylene can handle heated styling tools to some degree, but the hair should be damp when going over with a flat iron—be cautious to not burn yourself with hot water during the process and to not get any wires wet! The flat iron should be set between 200°F to 250°F for the best results, no lower or higher. Working from the top down and putting extra grit into ironing the ends is recommended if you are truly trying to make this hair fiber work for you. Otherwise, as stated before and by many collectors, it may be time to consider a reroot.

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KANEKALON HAIR

BACKGROUND ‘n’ HISTORY: The Bratz brand does not have an extensive history of using kanekalon hair, but definitely a unique one. And no, this isn’t the kanekalon you can purchase for humans at a beauty supply store—this is doll-grade kanekalon. Kanekalon is known to have been heavily used on Barbie dolls released in the 1980s and was still in rotation up until toy companies stopped using the hair fiber in the mid-2010s.

The first instance of kanekalon being used on a Bratz doll is Style It! Jade in 2003, with the collection being the first main Bratz line to feature the characters without saran hair. Kanekalon would be seldom used on the main Bratz line, being reserved for random lineups like Design Your Own and Adventure Girlz. However, it would be more commonly used for Bratz Kidz dolls that were released with playsets during the early years of the spinoff. The last instance of kanekalon being used is in 2015 for Hello My Name Is Meygan—very random.

Kanekalon is easy to style and feels extremely soft. Kanekalon is a good hair fiber, but can frizz up easily if mistreated because of how lightweight it is.

WASHING KANEKALON: To fix up kanekalon hair, it is recommend to wash any product (or dirt, debris, etc. depending on the condition of the doll) out with dish soap or clarifying shampoo—it does not need to be expensive. Once the soap has been washed out, use hair conditioner (emphasis on hair conditioner), combing the conditioner through, then washing it out before styling. As a general note, please do not use fabric softener to condition a doll’s hair; this is not a “hack” and the properties of fabric softener can deteriorate a doll’s hair over time and/or cast a strange film over the doll’s hair—not cool!

BOILWASHING KANEKALON: Kanekalon can be boilwashed! If you want the hair to be more weighted to prevent frizz, it is recommended that you wash the doll’s hair with conditioner first before boilwashing, similarly to saran hair.

KANEKALON ‘n’ STYLIN’ TOOLS: Kanekalon can hold styles well with heated styling tools. The hair should be dry, and the iron should be temperature-controlled and set to the lowest possible temperature—it is recommended to set the iron no higher than 200°F to avoid melting the hair. Curling and crimping irons can also be used on kanekalon at a low heat setting, as well.

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Special Thanks ‘N’ Notes

Thank you to my friend Serena (@DollsOrWhatever) for not only helping me curate this guide, but also inspiring it! I might still be struggling to understand doll hair if it weren’t for Serena and her expertise. I would also like to shoutout the amazing content creator, like Chad Marvelous, who have created audio and visual hair guides that have helped inspire this one.

While I do not have any specific recommendations for purchasing doll hair, rerooting tools, etc., I do recommend vendors like Shimmer Locks, Restore Doll, and Dollyhair, the latter of which also has a useful guide for understanding doll hair fibers.