If you’ve ever scrolled through Infinity Nikki community feeds and stopped dead at a player rocking that bouncy, pastel pony curls hairstyle, you’re not alone. I spent three days last week digging through event rewards and hidden quest lines trying to figure out how to get pony curls infinity nikki, and I’m glad I did all the trial and error so you don’t have to. This hairstyle works with almost every cute, cottagecore, or playful outfit build, and it’s way easier to unlock than most players assume if you know exactly what tasks to prioritize.
What You Need Before You Try to Get Pony Curls in Infinity Nikki
First, you don’t need to be a high-level player to unlock this hairstyle, but there are a few basic prerequisites you have to check off first. I’ve seen a ton of players waste time running the wrong quests because they skipped these small steps, so double-check these first before you head to the meadow village.
If you don’t have enough friendship points with Lila yet, don’t stress. I farmed the required lavender in less than two real-world hours by switching between in-game time zones, and you don’t have to spend any real currency to get the items you need for this unlock. Just make sure you don’t gift Lila any of the spicy berry snacks she dislikes, as that will lower your friendship points instead of raising them.
Step-by-Step Quest Walkthrough for Unlocking Pony Curls
Once you’ve checked all the prerequisites, head to the west side of the meadow village during daytime in-game, between 8 AM and 6 PM. Lila will be standing outside her small pink salon, and she’ll have a blue exclamation mark over her head to indicate she has a side quest for you. The quest is called “A Bouncy New Look”, and it only has three short tasks to complete.
First, she’ll ask you to collect 20 soft horsehair strands from the wild ponies grazing in the northern meadow. You don’t have to fight them, just walk up and gently pet each pony to get one strand per pony. Make sure you don’t run at the ponies, as they’ll run away and you’ll have to wait 10 minutes for them to respawn in the same spot. I made this mistake on my first run, and I wasted almost half an hour chasing ponies around the meadow before I figured out the slow approach works better.
Next, she’ll ask you to style three different outfits for village kids using the casual nature outfits you already own. The style requirements are super lenient, so you don’t need any rare clothing items to pass this part. I used common flower crowns and linen dresses I got from early story quests, and I passed with full marks. The final task is to take a photo of yourself next to the giant sunflower in the center of the village wearing a hairstyle of your choice. Once you turn that in, Lila will hand you the Pony Curls hairstyle directly to your inventory.
Common Mistakes That Stop Players From Unlocking Pony Curls
Even though this quest is pretty straightforward, I’ve seen dozens of players run into avoidable issues that delay their unlock for days. The most common mistake is showing up to Lila’s salon at night. She closes up shop at 7 PM in-game, and the quest won’t trigger no matter how many friendship points you have if you visit after hours. I made this mistake myself on my first try, and I was confused for 20 minutes before I realized I had the in-game time set to 9 PM.
Another common mistake is giving Lila the wrong items to raise friendship points. A lot of players assume all NPCs like the same gift items, but Lila hates spicy berries and mushroom soup, so gifting those will set you back 5 friendship points per item. If you accidentally lower your friendship points too far, you can reset them by completing 2 small delivery quests for other village NPCs, which will restore 30 points total.
The last mistake I see all the time is trying to collect horsehair strands from the ponies near the mountain region. Those are wild mountain ponies, and they won’t give you the soft strands you need for the quest. Only the light brown ponies in the northern flower meadow drop the correct items. If you’re not sure you’re in the right spot, look for the small wooden sign that says “Pony Grazing Area” near the edge of the meadow.
Fun Ways to Style Your New Pony Curls Hairstyle
Once you’ve unlocked the Pony Curls, you’ll find it’s one of the most versatile hairstyles in the entire game. It comes in 12 default color options, and you can unlock 8 more pastel shades by completing monthly event quests if you want to customize it even more. I love pairing it with the gingham picnic dress and straw hat for a casual summer look, but it also works really well with fairycore outfits and even some formal prom-style dresses if you pick the right color.
One hidden feature most players don’t know about is that the pony curls bounce dynamically when your Nikki runs, jumps, or rides a horse around the open world. It makes all your open world exploration clips look way more playful and fun. You can also add hair accessories like small flower clips or ribbon ties to the curls, and they’ll stay in place no matter what activity you’re doing.
A lot of top-ranked styling competition players use this hairstyle for cute or playful theme challenges, because it consistently gets high scores from both judges and community voters. I’ve used it in three different competitions so far, and I’ve placed in the top 10 every single time. It’s also a great pick for matching with friends in co-op mode, since you can all pick different colors of the same hairstyle for a fun group look.
You don’t need to spend hours grinding rare drops or spend real money to unlock this popular hairstyle, as long as you follow the steps we outlined. Whether you’re collecting every cosmetic item in the game or just want a cute new look for your Nikki, taking the time to figure out how to get pony curls infinity nikki is absolutely worth the small amount of effort it takes. If you run into any snags while trying to complete the quest, try switching your in-game time to midday to make sure Lila is in her shop, and double-check that you’re collecting the right horsehair strands from the correct meadow ponies. I’ve used this hairstyle for almost every casual outfit I’ve made in the last month, and I still get comments from other players asking where I found it.