Your very first reborn doll is sure to be very special from the moment you hold them in your arms.
Use these tips to make sure you get a high quality doll that you’ll love forever.
Purchase Directly From An Artist
There are hundreds of spoof websites that steal photos from artists. They don’t have any dolls at all – they just take your money and disappear.
Or, you might get a knock-off that looks nothing like the photos.
Making a purchase from a reputable artist is the best way to get an authentic, one of a kind baby doll.
Know The Features
There are many features you can use to narrow down your choices.
Do you want painted, rooted, or combi hair?
Painted hair is low maintenance, and a good artist will know how to create a 3-D effect that looks real in photos.
Rooted hair typically takes longer to do, and it typically raises the price of the doll. Rooted hair is hard to get right; for it to look realistic, it has to be mono-rooted, with a single hair per hole. It’s typically made from the coat of an angora goat or alpaca, as human hair is actually usually too thick to resemble that of a newborn’s. Rooted hair can have a very realistic effect, and you may enjoy styling it.
Combi hair is the best of both worlds. Typically, the artist will paint the head and root mohair at the crown. This saves time, and when done right, the painted and rooted hair can seem to blend together.
Do you want your baby to have a magnet? Many artists glue a strong magnet inside the head behind the lips so that the baby can take a magnetized pacifier. It’s also possible to add a magnet for magnetic hair bows. If you or someone in your family has a pacemaker, make sure the baby does not have any magnets.
Do you have a kit in mind? Check out doll kits on BountifulBaby.com, DollsBySandie.com, and Macphersoncrafts.com to see if there are any you would like. Then, you can find an artist who has a baby available from that kit, or have it made for you.
What size baby do you want? Most reborns wear newborn sized clothing and are around 18-20″ in length, but you can also get a preemie, or an older baby, or even a toddler.
Silicone or vinyl? Silicone baby dolls are very expensive, they typically start at about $1000. Most reborns have vinyl legs, arms, and a head, with a soft cloth body. Reborns from Mama’s Joy Reborns are vinyl with a cloth body. You can also add a vinyl tummy and back plate. The removable plates can make photos more realistic, but they are typically taken off for cuddling. They can be gender neutral or may have boy or girl parts.
Where To Find An Artist
You can find a reborn artist on a Facebook group, under the Instagram hashtag #rebornartist, or on an artist’s website like this one.