HAIRLINE BLING •Permanently Add Rhinestones to Your Hair

Do you want to look so good? Do you feel your life or your scalp lacks that special sparkle? This is a guide for you. Check out our Instagram @sparkleshave

Video is the best way to follow this. It is a little longer than 1 minute.

Warnings

• Nail Glue is very dangerous.
• Nail Glue will bond your skin almost instantly.
• Nail Glue will burn you if spilled on your cotton clothes.
• Nail Glue can blind you if it gets in your eye.
• Nail Glue can severely damage your throat, mouth, and stomach if you swallow it.
• This is not a game. but a very serious, yet fashionable endeavor.
• Nail Glue should not be used by or with children. It should not be used by or to persons under the influence of drugs. This should be taken seriously. You are using nail glue in an off-label capacity and this may have unexpected and undesired consequences.
• You are responsible for your own behavior. This list of hazards is not complete.

Step 1: Gather Materials

• Adhesive lint-roller
  • We are using this as 'transfer tape' which is often used for vinyl decals. I Lint rollers are sticky enough to pick up the stones, but not so sticky to fight the glue or hurt your hair. Masking tape is too sticky and will hurt your hair.I have also tried a sheet of silly putty, which was a mess.
• Flat-back Rhinestones
  
  • More sparkly the better. I use a variety of diameters ranging from 1mm-4mm.
  • I say don't use self adhesive stones, as they won't stick as well and the two adhesives may interact weirdly.
• Brush-on type glue
  • See next step for details on which glue is right for you!
• A flat table
  • Important for layout and glueing.
• A friend
  
  • This will look better and be safer if you have help. It is hard to work on your own head! Also the glues dry fast, so it is nice to have a partner.

Step 2: Thoughts on Glue

Use only glues designed for use on the human body! Do not use epoxy, rubber cement, generic super-glue, or anything that is not a cosmetic product. You only have one body and it is not worth getting poisoned just to look oh-so-good.

I am not a doctor, a cosmetologist, nor a toxicologist. If anyone reading this is some combination of the 3, please contribute your ideas on glue! It took me 6 months of trial and error to land on the current system.

You have choices!

• Spirit Gum
  • Should last 1-4 days. Designed to hold latex effects (scars, horns, etc) to faces for Halloween-type make-up effects.
  • Removal with cooking oil and soap.
  • I haven't tried it yet.
• Eyelash glue
  • In my experience lasts max 2 days. Easy to remove and wash out. Dries fast and is transparent. Great for a one-night look.
• Hair Glue for extensions and weaves
  • Strong hold, potentially a few days. Hard to find in transparent color. Takes a very long time to dry. Cannot be removed without special hair-glue solvent. Doesn't stick well to rhinestones.
• Nail Glue (very similar to super-glue, but purer and often less toxic)
  • Hair and nails are made of the same stuff.
  • Very fast dry time.
  • Crystals stay for up to 3 weeks, I lose about 4 crystals a week to my pillow at night. :-)
  • If you follow the instructions and make sure your undercut is not too short (longer than 6mm or 1/4"in) This way, very little glue should come in contact with your skin. This will reduce the pain when they peel and the exposure to the glue itself.
  • This glue is the most likely to go wrong, as you could easily glue your fingers together or worse. Be very very careful and read the warnings in the introduction.
  • HAIR MUST BE CUT FOR REMOVAL - There is no other way to get it out. Cut the stones out with scissors then shave the area to remove the residue. This is not a casual process.
  • Safety Data Sheet on a professional nail glue.
  • Note that cyanoacrylate glues were used in the American invasion of Vietnam to seal wounds. Gross. Must have hurt a lot.

Image Public Domain from wikimedia cyanoacrylate molucule

Image Glue goo by Sam-Cat on Flickr CC

Step 3: Shave Part of Your Head

You will need an area of short hair.

If it is too long, the stones will flip over and fall out faster.

If it is too short the glue will touch your skin which will be uncomfortable and not-so-good for your skin.

I find 6mm (1/4") to be the right length for my hair type. This is long enough that my scalp isn't exposed to much glue. This is a 'Number 2' in American barbershop jargon. ( 2 x1/8"in)

You can put the tones anywhere you have short hair. Get creative!

Photo: CC 'Undercut' by emmanuellexlouise

Step 4: Arrange Your Stones!

Arrange your stones on the flat surface, with the flat side down. Shiny pretty side up.

I like to drop all the stones so they fall in a naturally random pattern. I then flip the upside-down stones with my damp fingertip. Once they are all pretty-side-up, you can arrange them!

I then use a card to move them around until I am happy.

Step 5: ​Remove One Sheet of Tape From the Lint Roller.

Remove one sheet of tape from the lint roller. Trim the shape so it fits your undercut. You may want to leave a cutout for your ear. If you wear glasses, ensure there will be no stones under the 'temple' (arm) of your glasses for comfort.

Once it is a good shape, Gently press the sticky side of the cut lint-roller sheet onto your pattern of stones.

Lift the sheet and lay it down sticky side up. You should see the flat backs off all of your stones, thirsty for glue!

Step 6: Brush on Your Glue!

Now that your stones are set in a pattern on the 'transfer paper', you may begin applying glue to each stone.

Use the brush to make sure the drop of glue extends to the edges of each stone.

You may have to act a little fast, as the glue may dry if left out for more than 3 minutes or so.

You don't have to be perfect, it is okay to leave a few stones behind on the paper.

Be careful! Do not spill the glue. Do not put glue on the paper tape itself, or it will stick your hair. Close the lid to the glue tightly the moment you are done to avoid spills. Do not allow the glue to drip onto your face or eyes.

Step 7: Place Your Stones!

Once you have a drop of glue on each stone your friend should pick up the entire sheet and carefully put it on your undercut (area of short hair (6mm or 1/4'in. long).

Press firmly and leave in place for 2-5 minutes, longer for less serious glues.

The tape shouldn't be sticky enough to hurt upon peel off.

Step 8: Remove the Sheet, Reveal Your Stones!

Once 2-5 minutes have passed, you are ready to peel the sheet!

It should leave behind a galaxy of beautiful stones!

Any bits of paper can be cut out with scissors. Note that the stones can only be removed with scissors as superglue is quite permanent.

Step 9: Show Me Your Glam!

Put photos in the comments and click the [I Made It!] button!

I have been wearing the stones almost constantly for 6 months now. So far no issues!

Shout out to my Friend Hah who started my on this habit and gave me the Hairline Bling name.