Spa Days

This page is a work in progress…

What do I use?

Necessities:

  • Washing-up liquid (or dish soap, to the Americans)
  • Conditioner – I prefer Fructis, but really any “brand” you can get from a pound shop. Preferably for dry or frizzy hair.
  • Nit comb
  • Old toothbrush

Additional Items:

  • OxyClean
  • Hydrogen Peroxide (liquid) for the H202 soaks
  • Cream Peroxide (I use this one 40 Vol 12%)
  • Acrylic Paint Pens
  • Washable Finger Paint (I use this)

The Basic Spa Day

The basic spa day consists of washing the ponies in warm water, making sure I don’t submerge them – you don’t want water getting in the hair plugs and making your pony mouldy. Obviously some will get in, but try to avoid soaking your pony fully, unless you’re planning on popping the head off and letting both parts air dry separately.

I wash the pony and hair with washing up liquid. If it helps inform your choice, I always buy the scent that sounds most like a MLP, for example, Berry Blast. If there are stubborn marks, get an old toothbrush and scrub. Just be careful if your pony has any kind of special mark – glitter symbols, extra paint jobs, etc.

Once that’s done, I rinse off and squeeze out the excess water in the hair. This is where the nit comb comes in. It’s time to comb conditioner through the hair. I apply the conditioner first, then comb it, and let the pony sit with the conditioner in while I spa the other ponies waiting.

I use a nit comb because the teeth are lovely and close together, but they’re also metal, so they won’t snap on the worst tangles. Mine cost £4.99 from the local pharmacy, and was well worth it (in fact, I bought a second one just in case I lost the first). I’d gone through so many cheap combs with small teeth that I’d probably spent much more while trying to save money.

If the pony has painfully tangled hair I would just let the conditioner sit while you deal with any other ponies. When you get to the tangled pony, wrap the pony in a towel, find yourself somewhere comfortable to sit, and fire up YouTube or Netflix. You’re in for a long session of gently combing out those snarls. Start at the bottom, and if it’s very tangled, work in small hanks.

Don’t pull too hard, you could either pull the hair out completely, or stretch out the hair, which means it would have that odd crackly look to it. Be patient.

Once that’s done, rinse off the conditioner. I alternate hot and cold water. No particular reason other than I’m British and we don’t have mixer taps in the bathroom, but it seems to give a nice result.

Then comes the styling. I like to make ringlets using straws and hair grips. This is the most forgiving hair style to go for. It will hide a lot of dryness if you do it right, as you can see below.

Aloha Pearl (2) before her spa day

Aloha Pearl (2) before her spa day

Aloha Pearl (2) after her spa day

Aloha Pearl (2) after her spa day

For Gen 1, I just wrap the mane around the neck, wrap in some kitchen towel and secure with a loom band. (See, you thought it was just a phase, but they’re still useful so WHO’S LAUGHING NOW?)

For Gen 3, I plait the mane. Some people don’t like doing this, but I prefer to keep the hair neat, and since I don’t plan on selling my ponies, it’s no problem for me to give them kinky hair. And I can always restyle it at a later date if I have to.

[photos to come. You need photos for the ringlets.]

I will be adding photos, but for ringlets, what you want to do is comb the hair until it’s flat and then wrap it around the straw. Letting it bunch up or twist will not give you those beautiful perfect curls. It will give a looser more beachy wave, so if that’s what you’re going for, that’s how you do it.


The More Intensive Spa Day – OxyClean, H202 Soaks, etc.

Coming soon…