You may also have noticed that mannequins have a name. As an example, one of our popular mannequins at Giell is named Joanne. It is part of our house brand of mannequin heads (Giell).
The outside of Mannequin Head for Wigs is made of rubber and the inside is filled with polyurethane. The hair is permanently attached to the head. Light makeup is painted on the face as well as eyes and brows. The head is about 12 inches tall and has a circumference of about 21 inches. This is slightly smaller than an actual human head.
The standard, medium length, human hair, female mannequin head is the most typical type of mannequins on the market.
Another example of a standard Mannequin Head for Wigs is the model Debra from Celebrity. Celebrity is another brand of mannequins we carry at Giell.com. The main difference is that Joanne has a natural neck design, whereas Debra has a plastic band at the neck. Other than that, they are essentially made the same way.
Another type is called a “slip-on” mannequin head. The bottom mannequin serves as a holder for the hairpiece, which looks somewhat like a mask. Although you may think that these would be cheaper, they are not. That is because they are not as popular, and also because the majority of the cost is derived from the hair and labor.
There are mannequin heads with a shoulder base. These are mostly used for competitions and stand nicely on their own. Some of them have pierced ears so you can install earrings if you want.
Mannequins come in male and female versions, as well as different ethnicities. Some male mannequins have a beard and these are used in barbering school. Male mannequins are also slightly larger than the female ones. Ethnic mannequins are offered with curled and straight hair. It is important to know that these mannequins were also made with Asian hair so the curled mannequins have been chemically permed.
Another type of mannequin heads is called a “Quad”. It has four different hair colors and is used for hair coloring. One of the four quadrants usually has gray hair. Miniature mannequins have appeared in recent years. They are not as popular but they can serve a purpose. They can be made with human hair; they are just smaller. Be aware when you shop to look at measurements, as the mini mannequins can look exactly like the larger ones on a photo.
Not all mannequins come with hair. One for example can be used to practice makeup, facials, massage and eyelash extension training. It is made with a different kind of rubber that is softer and feels more like facial skin. It also has a flat back so you can work with it on a table. Another one has no hair at all. It can be used with wigs but also for display purposes, or photographic and cranial studies.
All cosmetology mannequin heads have a hole at the base, which mounts on a stand. There are two types of stands: table clamps and floor tripods.
Table clamps are inexpensive and comes in a variety of materials and length. You would typically use a regular clamp with short hair mannequins, and the longer version for long hair mannequins. Some clamps come with extenders so you can adjust the length. Other, like this one for example, has a long rod that can be adjusted to various lengths. Every stand is adjustable so you can tilt the head in any direction.
Floor tripods are definitely more convenient; especially in a classroom or trade show setting. You can setup your work are anywhere you want.
These are the two major different types of tripods, where one has small legs at the base, and a center pole, which is adjustable. The second type has legs extending from the top to the floor. In that case, each leg is adjustable. The advantage of the first type is that it occupies a smaller footprint. That can be convenient if you don’t have a lot of room to work around. The other type, when the legs are fully extended, has a much larger footprint. Because of this it will be more stable.
