Starry Night. In Mannequin form.

Obviously, anyone who can see my blog header knows I have a thing for mannequin heads. Back at Beauty U, I was constantly jealous of the cosmetology students getting to play with their mannequin heads all the time, because in esthetics, we don’t get mannequins, a fact that I found deeply disappointing. (It’s kind of hard to practice facials on plastic — you need real skin.) I don’t know why I like them so much – I was a big player-with-dolls as a kid and very into cutting my Barbies’ hair and all that, but there is also something super creepy about these life-sized heads with empty eyes.

Whatever the Psych 101 explanation is about me and mannequins, I have now discovered this site and cannot get enough of the awesomeness. Thousands of hair stylists have sent in pictures of their best mannequin work, and Matrix is awarding $25,000 to the best one. (Voting happens now through the end of October.) I cannot even begin to choose my favorite! They all involve such a phenomenal level of talent, it’s hard to get your head around it.

Miss Dog Gone

Calais

Kat in Her Hat. (Yes, that's ALL hair.)

Mother Nature

Grace Peacock

Jacqueline. (From the student category, yo!)

Roxxi. Inspiration listed as "pink." Yes.

[All Photos via Matrix Mannequin Mania’s Winners page. Check ’em out, vote, good times.]