Any parent who has braided a child’s hair knows the struggle doesn’t end when the hairstyle is done. The hardest part often comes later, when it’s time to take it all down. Tiny plastic elastics tangle into strands, scissors come out, and a quick bedtime routine turns into a tearful ordeal. Pony Pop, from Dittobug, was created to solve this problem.

What Is Pony Pop?

Pony Pop is an elastic remover oilthat helps break down compatible plastic hair elastics. Once the oil is applied, the elastics can pop or slide out with much less pulling, so there’s no need to cut them out or tug them loose.

The product has drawn a lot of attention online. Dittobug says Pony Pop videos have passed 70 million views on TikTok, as parents share clips of elastics coming out without the usual fight. The brand’s promise is simple: no more scissors, no more tugging.

Why Parents Are Paying Attention

Small plastic elastics are popular for kids’ hairstyles because they hold well. Braids, twists, ponytails and sectioned styles can last for days. But that grip is exactly what makes them hard to remove. Cutting them risks snipping hair, and pulling them out can cause breakage and discomfort.

Pony Pop fits into the moments when hair takedown gets hard:

  1. Taking down a week’s worth of braids, when dozens of elastics need to come out at once
  2. After dance class or competitions, when tightly secured styles need to be undone quickly
  3. At bedtime, when everyone is tired and patience is low
  4. Busy mornings, when there’s no time to work around knotted elastics

For families with several children, or anyone who styles hair often, saving time and avoiding tears can make a real difference.

Choosing Your Pony Pop: Pen or Dropper?

Pony Pop comes in two application styles, each suited to a different routine.

The Brush Pen (6 mL) is compact and precise. It lets you apply oil directly to each elastic without much mess, and it’s small enough to keep in a hair kit, diaper bag or dance bag. It’s the most popular starting point, priced at $14.

The Dropper Bottle (30 mL) holds much more product. It’s better for at-home use and for families who do takedowns often. It sells for $25.

There are also several multi-packs and bundles:

OptionPrice
Pen (6 mL)$14
Pen 2-Pack$24
Pen 3-Pack$33
Dropper Bottle (30 mL)$25
Pen + Dropper Combo$35
Pen + Classic Rainbow Elastics$17
3 Pens + Classic Rainbow Elastics$36
Pen + Dropper + Classic Rainbow Elastics$38

Prices as listed on the Dittobug website at the time of writing and may change.

The 2-pack is handy if you want one pen at home and one in your bag. The 3-pack works well for multi-kid households. Bundles with Classic Rainbow Elastics make an easy starter set, since you get the remover and elastics designed to work with it in one purchase.

Every Pony Pop purchase also includes a free sample of hair elastics, so you can try the product with compatible bands right away.

The Pony Pop PR Box: A Ready-Made Gift

For gift-givers, Dittobug offers a limited-edition Pony Pop PR Box for $37. It comes in a custom printed keepsake box and includes:

  1. A Pony Pop Pen for quick application
  2. A full-size Pony Pop Dropper Bottle
  3. A set of soft pink hair elastics

Dittobug lists it as a $45 value. It makes a good gift for dance moms, new parents, friends who braid their kids’ hair or anyone who has battled a tight elastic.

Important: Use Compatible Elastics

Pony Pop is not designed for every type of hair tie. It’s made for thin, plastic-based elastics, including Dittobug’s own elastics made to pair with the product.

According to Dittobug, Pony Pop is not intended for:

  1. Thick rubber bands
  2. Fabric-covered elastics
  3. Heavy-duty elastics
  4. Extremely thick or tightly woven bands

Results can vary depending on the elastic, so using compatible bands makes the biggest difference. If you’re unsure which elastics you have, the bundles with Classic Rainbow Elastics or Dittobug’s plastic hair elastics are the safest bet.

Save With a Subscription

For families who go through Pony Pop quickly, Dittobug offers subscription pricing on eligible options. Subscribers get a discount on recurring deliveries, so a fresh pen or bottle arrives before the old one runs out. It’s one less thing to remember on a busy schedule.

Tips for Getting the Best Results

  1. Start with the right elastics. Pony Pop works best with thin plastic bands.
  2. Apply directly to each elastic. The brush pen makes this easy, even in small sections.
  3. Give it a moment. Let the oil work before trying to remove the elastic.
  4. Slide or pop, don’t yank. Let the product do the work instead of pulling.
  5. Keep a pen on the go. A pen in your dance or travel bag means you’re ready for takedowns anywhere.

Final Thoughts

Pony Pop solves a small but frustrating everyday problem: getting tight plastic elastics out of a child’s hair without scissors, tugging or tears. With a choice of a portable pen or a larger dropper bottle, bundles with compatible elastics and a giftable PR box, there’s an option for almost any household.

As Dittobug puts it, the goal is to make hair takedown “a little less tearful” and a lot more manageable. For parents who dread undoing a week’s worth of braids, it may be worth a try.

Shop the full Pony Pop collection at dittobughair.com/collections/pony-pop.