Think Twice Before Throwing Out Old Heads

Every hairstylist starts out practicing cutting and coloring hair on used mannequin heads, they are the perfect client to mess up on as they can't complain if something goes wrong and they end up with no hair. Every new hairstylist makes mistakes and that's a straight-up fact. Whether you accidentally fried the mannequin's hair off with bleach and relaxer or you ended up cutting its bangs a little too short so it sticks straight up and makes you want to give her a Britney Spears moment and just shave all her hair off. You've probably been through countless mannequin heads and have no idea what to do with them except throw them out. There's good news for you there are other ways that are better for the environment you can recycle your mannequin heads. 

Use #1. Wig Holder

You can use mannequin heads for a number of things, but to be honest one of the most useful ways to reuse them is using them as wig holders. It is extremely important to take care of your wigs and that means storing them so they won't get tangled up. By placing wigs on the mannequin head it allows the hair to fall naturally avoiding tangles from improper storage. You can also pin wigs to used mannequin heads and set them up on a tripod so you can style your wig easier, instead of struggling to try to style it while it's on your own head. This also allows you to cut and recolor the wigs easier since the wig is pinned down to a stationary object. 

Use #2. Makeup Practice

Another great way to recycle used mannequin heads is to practice makeup on them. Don't have a model because you went into lockdown due to the pandemic? The perfect solution to that is practicing on your used mannequin they can't get you sick after all. Start by using nail polish remover to take the paint off the lips and eyelids so you have a fresh face to work on. Start testing out makeup and possibly paint that works on the surface of the mannequin. there's a lot of makeup that just doesn't stick to its "skin" properly and some people find nail polish works even though it's not the proper makeup to use practice makes perfect! 

Use #3. Makeover

Try giving your mannequin head a whole makeover. Let's be honest everyone has been dying of boredom staying inside during these trying times. Giving your friend a makeover isn't exactly the best option so the next best thing is to give your mannequin a makeover. You can take all of the ideas in this article and combine them to take it up a level. First, find a fitting wig for her and do her makeup, and then you can find some pretty fabric to drape around her and make a dress, add jewelry, and voila! The perfect gal pal to sit by the fire and drink wine with. 

Use #4. Halloween Decorations

Halloween decorations. Did you wait too late to order your Halloween decorations? You can make your own with used mannequin heads. You only need a few things: Ketchup, makeup (optional), and the used mannequin head of course use your imagination and create a bloody murder scene to scare the unsuspecting neighborhood kids. 

Last Options

A simple way to just get rid of all your old mannequin heads is to simply recycle or donate them. No need to throw them in the trash. You can go online and find a mannequin recycling program or call your local recycling facility to see if they will take them. You could also find a local second-hand store and donate them. 

I hope it is now clear to you that recycling your used mannequins is a better approach than throwing them out, as you can see there are many other things you can use them for, and even if you don't want to I'm sure someone somewhere else can find a use for them. So next time you decide to throw an old mannequin head out stop and think of what you can do to benefit from them while also helping the environment. We only have one planet and we want to do our part in protecting it and keeping it safe.