WITHdoll Mini Discussion Part 8

I can't speak for Withdoll's real skin specifically, but I do have several Withdolls and have been in the hobby a long time (17 years), so I know fair amount about yellowing in general. And I'm actually very interested in how dolls yellow because it varies a lot depending on the color of the doll. In my experience dolls do a first stage of yellowing within the first year or so of owning them (it can be almost unnoticeable or very obvious, depending on the skin tone), then if there are no outside factors accelerating this, it'll stabilize for a while. Then, after a few more years it starts yellowing again but more strongly this time. Like my grey Withdoll girl slowly got paler in the first 5-6 years of owning her but in the 7th year I noticed that she had started yellowing/greening noticeably and now that she's 11 it's still very obvious but she is still grey -just kind of yellow tinted in certain light. On the other hand, my rosy brown girl is now 10 years old and she's not at the stage of showing yellow tint yet but I do think the red/purpley tone has long since faded out. The rosy brown is a very heavily tinted color so that's probably what's keeping it very nice for such a long time.

The UV resin is indeed a different type of resin. People used to call it French resin in the hobby and it was super prone to yellowing in the old days. Many companies use this type of resin now and they might call it glow resin, honey resin, imported resin etc. but it's essentially the same thing (though different brands vary of course). It's characterised by being slightly translucent, which you mostly notice in the thin parts like nose, ears, fingers, toes etc. We have a comparison post of this in our WD blog and the last photo in this post. Withdoll included UV protection in this resin type and it was labeled as such because this resin desperately needed it. The non-UV urethane resins didn't include the protection at first because they really don't need it as much. However, your new dolls do include it. But again, it's UV protection: it protects the doll from UV rays, not natural yellowing that comes with age.

Now, all that said. Keeping dolls away from direct sunlight and strong natural light is generally what people say you should do to avoid accelerated yellowing. But a lot of people don't mention (or they don't know) that strong fluorescent lights also have the same effect as sunlight. And I'm not sure if UV protection can protect resin from that. I didn't know this either, but noticed it as myself and a few other local collectors had our dolls in a museum for a display for a few weeks some years ago. They weren't in direct sunlight, though one of the displays did have a big window close by but it didn't let in much more light than my bedroom windows did at home. However, the displays did have some kind of fluorescent lights and when I got my dolls back I noticed that they had yellowed considerably during the time they were on display (I think it was about 6 weeks). It wasn't light damage, as they'd yellowed evenly even under the clothes, but more of the combination of the light and the temperature, I guess.
At home I have my dolls on display as well but the only light they get is indirect daylight from regular windows, and they don't yellow at that rate. In fact the only yellowing due to light damage I have noticed at home is that doll's other urethane eye had turned yellow (was pale green) while the other hadn't because his hair had been covering the other eye. He faces towards the window but doesn't get direct sunlight. From this I've concluded that fluorescent lights are much worse for dolls than daylight (as long as it's not direct sunlight). I've actually tried to yellow some of my doll parts deliberately to make them match an older doll, but have been fairly unsuccesful despite leaving the parts for weeeks on a patio that gets direct sunlight daily. The lights at the museum were much more efficient at yellowing than any sort of natural light is. (At least where I live where the UV index isn't very high even in summer.)

I'd say that you keeping your dolls out on the desk and under your work lights may have caused them to yellow faster than they would have otherwise. Also the color may just have the bad luck of having the kind of pigments that break down faster under such conditions, as the non-UV resin is a completely different type of resin from your older doll. But I also don't think they'll keep on yellowing at the same rate once they're no longer exposed to the light. Also, like I said in the beginning, dolls tend to do their first yellowing within a few months of having been made and then they stabilize for several years before they yellow strongly again. Of course, this is all just my own experiences in the climate I live in. But I really wouldn't worry that they keep getting green so fast. If they do, you could contact Withdoll and ask them if they think it's normal.

Hopefully someone with the same color dolls as you can give more insight to how they yellow normally.

 

@Yenna thank you so much for the wonderful in depth reply. I knew you had Withdoll dolls and was hoping you’d see this.

The fluorescents weren’t direct lighting over the desk. Rather the long ones that can light a large space. We were in a sleep out style place, which was basically just a big rectangle with a kitchenette down one end.

I feel like they have continued yellowing in our new home as I had my JWD in jeans while in the previous space, and shorts in the new home.

I’m going to try take some thorough photos today and post them over the next few days to analyse.

 

I am happy to join this thread as I just ordered a Withdoll Olivia in brown tan. So far I've heard very good things about Withdoll so I can't wait to receive my girl . Olivia is such a pretty sculpt and I love her nose.
Does anyone here own a Olivia? I would be very interested in seeing owner pictures.

 

I like Vera (+ Elf/Vampire Vera), but she's too big for me. Now Emma and Elf-Ruby though...

 

I've always admired withdoll and I think I might want a withdoll Mai. I think he would make a nice Legend of Zelda Link with the right faceup and added elf ears. His body looks right as well and I think he comes with multiple hands which is great! Has anyone ordered from withdoll recently?

 

Hello, Withdoll people.

My mom and I recently ordered two Withdolls, directly from Withdoll themselves, Priscilla and Cathy, both in normal skin with faceups. I have read great things about Withdoll for years, and have been very excited to finally get to own one. After only six weeks of waiting, we received a notice that they had shipped. Mind-blowingly fast, from what we were expecting to wait.

I will say, the heads and faceups are beautiful, but the overall quality of the dolls has left us very disappointed. They were both covered in resin dust (not good), which we quickly wiped off with a damp cloth. The resin itself feels very rough. The tight stringing in the legs can be easily fixed, but the arms and hands are very stiff when I try to move them, to the point where I am honestly afraid of breaking something. I love Withdoll’s products, and want to love this doll, but I am just left feeling like the quality is not worth the price I paid. I have other bjds, so I know how to handle them, and generally what to expect.

I was wondering if anyone else has had similar experiences? Is this normal quality for Withdoll, or has their quality gone down recently? Any advice (besides just selling them off)?

 

I believe they recently had a large sale of re-release dolls and some discontinuations, so maybe they are rushing through the process as to not get backed up. Maybe try contacting them about the issues?

 

I just got my JWD Olivia this week and I'm happy with her so far. But I might just lack the experience to note any quality issues. To me she feels as expected.

Only thing is I forgot to check her eye size beforehand and just assumed she'd take 14mm eyes like all of my other 1/4 dolls. Well that's definitely not the case. Withdoll recommends 12mm for a reason. But that's my own fault of course.

 

@LofiOscar sorry to hear your first withdoll doll is a disappointment. The stiff arm might be too tight stringing? one of my doll arrived with very tight stringing to the point that I couldn't move it, felt like it was glued, I was so afraid to move it too. And for the roughness... I read somewhere in this forum that some companies has rougher resin, which some prefer and some don't. I have dolls from different companies too and never really take notice until I read that discussion. My doll legend and fairyland is more smooth compare to my withdoll.

Not to dismiss you at all, hopefully other owner especially whom get withdoll recently can comment on the resin.

 

@LofiOscar I think it depends on the body type?
I have two Cathy from Withdoll (2018 old body, 2021 new body), and a KWD body on 2020 .The newer JWD body is a bit rougher than the old ones, and the KWD body resin is smooth.

 

@Koma, @laquaza, @marxwyn, @Kim_shyuen
Thank you all for the replies. I am feeling much better about my doll after reading these. It seems that my lack of experience with Withdoll dolls, and tight stringing, may have led me to believe there was a quality issue when there was not.

I did not realize that some resin is smoother than others, depending on the company, but this actually makes a lot of sense.

I am already happier with my girl, and giving her another chance.

I appreciate the input.

 

@LofiOscar Glad to hear that!

 

It's actually not even always consistent for one company. I don't know about Withdoll but I have several Little Monica dolls and one of them has significantly more tooth to it. I was surprised at first too but she poses the same as the others so I don't mind.

But it's definitely a matter of preference.

I did compare my JWD Olivia to my other dolls after reading of your experience @LofiOscar . And she's definitely toothier than some of my other dolls but not all.

 

I need this doll. Why is shipping to the usa so expensive shes on sale now 20% off crrryyyyy

 

You could try a layaway, that way you can get her at the discounted price.

 

I second what @Koma said. Put her on layaway - then you can divide the overall sum into more manageable payments.

 

I did a small photoshoot with my Withdoll Jiho the other day! I don't get to see a lot of owner photos of his sculpt so I thought I would share with you guys

Spoiler: More Photos

 

Thank you for sharing @C4LIC0
we do need more photos in here

 

He's gorgeous!

 

Hey everyone! I'm popping in as i'm hoping to buy one of Withdoll's heads for a body i have. I'm wondering if anyone could show me the Beige skin some more. The body i have is a DF-H in their new "tan" which is very very light and i'm hoping the Beige will match. For reference here's the body in question:

Spoiler

It's just a bit more sandy looking in real life but if y'all think the beige resin is in the same ballpark i'll probably get it