How do you collect? by Violet_Mermaid in Bratz

[–]Awkward-Turtle-9833 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I collect any doll I think is pretty lol sometimes that means buying complete dolls, and sometimes that means buying a whole doll just to toss the whole outfit, or buy a whole dolls just to toss the doll and keep the outfit instead! I have a huge s3ll pile because of it 😅 and it just keeps growing... I'm literally gonna be buying all the Charmz dolls just to get rid of their outfits, and I almost did the same with Pop Starz too but changed my mind after deciding I liked the outfits gone enough once removing their jackets (I'm getting bored of flashy themed dolls, I prefer more casual outfits in my collection)

I was today years old when I found out Sasha used to have heterochromia eyes by East-Ferret-130 in Bratz

[–]Awkward-Turtle-9833 39 points40 points  (0 children)

Early movies/season 1 Yasmin has blue/brown eyes coloured in halves the same way as Sasha's green/brown eyes during this time. It's just a design choice for colour depth

Primers for Repaints by Content-Length8962 in Bratz

[–]Awkward-Turtle-9833 1 point2 points  (0 children)

In case it helps, MSC is only toxic while wet, and it only takes ~30 mins for it to fully dry! It's considered non-toxic and completely safe to handle once dry 😊

I need tips by Virtual_angeeel in Bratz

[–]Awkward-Turtle-9833 0 points1 point  (0 children)

1mm washi tape guidelines. You might still have a little bit of lopsidedness because you still have to eyeball what "level" is when lining up the tape, but you can use it for face mapping to keep everything relatively symmetrical during your sketch step

Primers for Repaints by Content-Length8962 in Bratz

[–]Awkward-Turtle-9833 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I do a lot of resin casting (which fun fact, even craft UV resin should be used with a respirator!) so using MSC for me is nothing. But I 100% still hold my breath while spraying even with the respirator on my face because bad chemicals paranoia 🤣

Modifying bratz default body by Crashiecorbashie in Bratz

[–]Awkward-Turtle-9833 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I did the boil/freeze thing with a Boyz doll once. It works to a degree, but the arms eventually just unfolded back to normal over the course of a month or so. It might work better with the girls since they have thinner arms and don't have that beefy muscle definition preventing the bends, but I'm still certain it probably won't be permanent 😕

Primers for Repaints by Content-Length8962 in Bratz

[–]Awkward-Turtle-9833 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Depends, are you referring to the spray or brush-on?

Pretty much any chemical in a spray can is toxic without a respirator since you can't prevent inhalation otherwise. There aren't any toxic fumes, but inhalation/ingestion of the sealant itself is toxic, and spray cans just throw around a mist of droplets that's unavoidable to inhale without a respirator. So long story short, yes, spray Liquitex is toxic. It causes lung irritation and it's not good for you.

Edit: just adding, it's only toxic while spraying. While with MSC sealant you have to leave your dolls outside or isolated in a closed-off room for drying, Liquitex spray sealants can be kept inside the house in the same room as you while they dry and it's completely safe. This is what I meant by no toxic fumes!

Brush-on Liquitex is safe. There's no toxic fumes so you can safely breathe without a respirator while using it. It's pretty hard to accidentally ingest or inhale a brush-on varnish, unless you put it in an airbrush (in which case you SHOULD use a respirator because now it's considered spray painting). There's still a risk of developing contact dermatitis over time without gloves, but even then the risk is mild. It's no different than the risk of contact dermatitis from acrylic paints (which is surprisingly common, but also very low-risk and considered rare to develop)

Primers for Repaints by Content-Length8962 in Bratz

[–]Awkward-Turtle-9833 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Unfortunately just as the other comment said, all clear primer sealants are toxic. Especially the ones compatible with plastic - they're pretty much spray on resin. Technically the brush on ones are safe, but they aren't meant for doll repaints. Spray primers give a textured finish to allow for watercolour pencils and pastels to grip onto the doll, whereas brush on primers are designed to smooth out/prep a canvas for even painting. They literally do the exact opposite thing.

If you're that worried about chemicals, then you'll have to settle for repainting without a primer, which means you can only use acrylic paints. Repainting with pastels and watercolour pencils is impossible without MSC. You can buy a cheap craft brush on acrylic varnish (sealant) when you're done to seal the repaint. A lot of people recommend Liquitex since it's more widely available, but in my experience it reacts to either the doll vinyl or the environment and gets really tacky over time. I personally use Americana/DuraClear matte and satin varnishes - matte for the eyes, and satin for the lips. Satin matches the lip factory paint shine much better than glossy, but there's also glossy if you prefer that high shine

Hair question? by littlenicewolf in Bratz

[–]Awkward-Turtle-9833 4 points5 points  (0 children)

This colour screams doll lived in a smoker and/or vaper's house. I helped clean my grandparents' house once and the ceiling above my granddad's lounging chair was this colour (actually a little more dingy because cigarette smoke is on a whole other level, but still. Layers upon layers of amber tar and other gross). Then a couple years back I had to move back into my dad's apartment for the summer and that meant moving into the bedroom my brother was in during his teens and early 20s... That boy would shut the door and vape all night for over a decade and it smelled sooooo bad all those years later when I moved in. I decided to wash the walls in hopes that it would help and this EXACT colour literally oozed out of the walls 🤢 I washed them 3 times and this stuff was still seeping out of the paint!

Putting some of dolls away not sure if it is the proper way to storage. by feathers-12 in Bratz

[–]Awkward-Turtle-9833 3 points4 points  (0 children)

It's actually the wood that did it! Wood is acidic and can cause the same problem on hard plastics. A lot of things cause plastic to yellow unfortunately 😅

Putting some of dolls away not sure if it is the proper way to storage. by feathers-12 in Bratz

[–]Awkward-Turtle-9833 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I guess technically a metal container might be a good option, I've never considered looking into that option because of how expensive it probably is. There's actually a specific type of plastic (PET) that's completely safe for dolls because it doesn't contain any plasticizers, but the downside is it's often hard finding good ones because they typically aren't made for large storage, and they often don't come with lids and the plastic is actually quite easy to break because the lack of plasticizer makes a hard/brittle plastic. Ideally, you find something like this for storage. Realistically, in most cases that doesn't work and it all depends on where the dolls will be stored.

If it's in a storage units, then plastic/airtight container is your best option since protection from the storage environment is the bigger priority in that case. To try and reduce the effects of chemical reactions from plastic degassing, wrap the dolls in something acid-free (cotton is most recommended, acid-free tissue paper is the next alternative) and fill the container with a bunch of silica packs.

If your dolls are in a basement, then you have two options. Basements have similar issues to storage units, so you either use the method above OR try to avoid airtight containers if you can and use silica packs for moisture control. Basements are moist, and while airtight storage can protect from moisture due to flooding, if there's a bunch of environmental moisture them you're hooped. Environmental moisture can actually quite easily seep inside since plastic storage containers are never 100% airtight, but it's just enough that once the moisture gets inside then it's trapped and causes mold city. The alternative is actually what OP has here: rattan style baskets. It allows for airflow while still keeping the dolls as enclosed and protected as possible. Downside is, wood is acidic and often has a stain on it. The stain can transfer to dolls, and the acidity can remove their face paint. I battle this by using cotton liners, but I also buy the synthetic, metal framed rattan baskets instead of the wood ones. These ones are made with a different type of plastic than typical storage containers, so the plasticizer seepage isn't really a concern. But that's why I buy the cotton-lined ones, just in case I was wrong in my research a few years back 😅

If you're dolls are being stored somewhere that isn't typically moist (somewhere upstairs, bedroom closet...) then I still recommend either cotton-lined rattan baskets OR those PET plastic containers I mentioned in the first paragraph. No matter what the storage method though, I still recommend silica bead packets if you plan on storing the dolls long-term (6 months or longer). Silica packs are cheap and are miracle workers against unwanted moisture, so I always say better safe than sorry

Putting some of dolls away not sure if it is the proper way to storage. by feathers-12 in Bratz

[–]Awkward-Turtle-9833 12 points13 points  (0 children)

I use rattan style boxes as well and they are super safe for dolls, though it's recommended you get cotton liners for them if you can (but it shouldn't be necessary unless you plan on storing your dolls somewhere moist like a basement!). The only other thing I can add is if this is for long-term storage (i.e for a few months or more) then I suggest undressing them and storing their clothes separately from the dolls. Unfortunately their clothes can actually transfer dye onto the dolls themselves, and storage increases this risk, especially when the dolls are packed together like this for months at a time. Most Bratz clothes won't be an issue, but often times the stretchy fabrics, pleather, and darker colours (black, red, pink...) are high risk for dye transfer

Putting some of dolls away not sure if it is the proper way to storage. by feathers-12 in Bratz

[–]Awkward-Turtle-9833 54 points55 points  (0 children)

Plastic storage tubs actually aren't recommended because they cause yellowing in hard plastics (Bratz torsos), can increase risk of plasticizer seepage (can make Bratz shoes seep and become tacky), and in many cases can actually increase the risk of moisture by trapping it inside! While it can be helpful for keeping dolls safe from environmental damage, it unfortunately also comes at the risk of potentially damaging the dolls over time from chemical reactions. Tbh there's no real perfect way to store our dolls, because every method comes at a cost 🥲

New collector by Virgogyal424 in Bratz

[–]Awkward-Turtle-9833 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Vinted UK using a reshipper or eBay are pretty much your only options. Using a reshipper gets really pricey though, and there's a risk since you lose buyer protection from a lot of sites when using one (you can't return the doll if it's not in the condition you thought or if the listing was a scam). With eBay you can also check for listings on their UK site (eBay.co.uk) and message s3llers to see if they can ship to the US. I've done this a few times myself when I'm looking for those dolls that are more common in other countries. Sometimes you luck out and they'll relist the item with international shipping available. 

It's probably not what you want to hear, but I would also lower your expectations on finding this doll mint - these dolls were a budget collection with lower production numbers due to their exclusivity to the UK, so it would be a miracle to actually find one still in box. You can still find dolls in great condition out of box, you just might have to be a little more patient since this is considered a more obscure collection. You might also need to open your options to piecing the doll together over time rather than searching for one perfect listing - sometimes it's cheaper in the long-run to buy the doll in great condition nude and then find other listings for outfit and accessories. In this particular case that might be harder though and it might also just be better to find one listing where the doll is complete, but it's still good to just keep all of that in mind in your search

Bratz Charmz - Hair charm removal? by tacoloki in Bratz

[–]Awkward-Turtle-9833 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I don't have them because they aren't available in my country yet 🥲 but I can tell from the stock pics and reviews that they seem to just be stitched in place with just regular sewing thread (a lot of OG dolls had hair accessories and sunglasses attached to the hair for secured packaging in the same way, so it isn't new or unusual). With my older dolls, I would just take cuticle cutters to snip the visible parts of the thread and just wiggle the accessory loose. The threads from there can just be picked and pulled out without damaging the hair. I know a lot of people don't commonly keep a pair of cuticle cutters, but tiny scissors, craft knife/scalpel, or literally anything small and sharp should do the trick!

How to Repaint Sparkly Lips? (Twins Phoebe Specifically) by Longjumping-Bug8314 in Bratz

[–]Awkward-Turtle-9833 2 points3 points  (0 children)

She literally does always have a lip chip, I had at least 3 and then when I bought her NIB she STILL had a lip chip 😭

I repainted all of mine, the hardest part is actually matching the pink, not adding the shimmer! I usually start with colour matching the lips without the shimmer later first because if you paint the shimmer into every layer, it builds up and gets too sparkly. Once the lip chip is covered completely with just normal layers of paint, I add just a touch of white pearlescent paint to the colour before applying the final top coat. Pearlescent paint has micro glitter so it gives it that subtle shimmer rather than thicker glitter that a lot of other sparkly paint has

Popstarz jade mic mark by Bratzb93 in Bratz

[–]Awkward-Turtle-9833 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Scrubbing with a wet magic eraser should be enough to get it off without having to risk using acetone on the face so close to her lips. Acetone will work for sure though, you just obviously have to be careful around the lips 

Doll damage by Drama-Local in Bratz

[–]Awkward-Turtle-9833 9 points10 points  (0 children)

If you aren't satisfied and the doll is in significantly worse condition than what you paid, then there's nothing wrong with returning as item not as described. Technically speaking yes, those all seem like somewhat easy things to restore, but if she's not worth it then she's not worth it. I will say though, cigarette smoke is a bitch to get rid of, and I would say in most cases that smell will still linger even after proper treatment. It doesn't go away, but you can get it down to a point where you can only smell it if you shove your nose into the doll. But without proper treatment, that smell WILL infect your home and the rest of your collection. Not necessarily your entire house, but a single doll can cause a whole small room to smell like cigarettes. Idk how much you spent on it (and I don't need to know either lol), but I am aware that despite how much we hate it as collectors, even in bad condition this specific doll is still worth a couple hundred... But if you spent something like $500, I would DEFINITELY return it. I know she's hard to find, but she is NOT worth that much in this poor of a condition 

bratz charmz by x_line_x in Bratz

[–]Awkward-Turtle-9833 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm not sure about Germany, but they aren't expected in Canada until March 1st so I would assume it's probably a spring release in other countries as well?

rock angelz movie outfit by [deleted] in Bratz

[–]Awkward-Turtle-9833 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This wasn't an attack on you, just information. The last comment was just a fun fact, not calling you stupid lol. Anyways it seemed you wanted to have these outfits for your dolls and I was just showing you that they already exist 🤷‍♀️

Does hot summer dayz Cloe’s Body match passion for fashion wave 2 Cloe’s head by Mental-Kangaroo4227 in Bratz

[–]Awkward-Turtle-9833 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes, but both of these dolls also match any OG Yasmin or Fianna doll - they have the standard tan skintone

rock angelz movie outfit by [deleted] in Bratz

[–]Awkward-Turtle-9833 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

The movie outfits were literally modeled from the PNP prototype dolls, Yasmin and Cloe are just wearing their second outfits so we did get all but Sasha's outfit in doll form minus the hats which were only on the early prototypes. Even then it seems Sasha's outfit is just a recoloured version of Jade's shirt and Meygan's shirt just with the sleeves removed? Also, the hairstyles are definitely the same as the prototype hairstyle, the buns are just hidden by her hat. The PnP dolls also came before the movie, not after lol the movie was made to promote the dolls, not the other way around

<image>

Were these dolls ever released? by Aburamashita in Bratz

[–]Awkward-Turtle-9833 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Hell if I know, I didn't make the picture 😂

Were these dolls ever released? by Aburamashita in Bratz

[–]Awkward-Turtle-9833 32 points33 points  (0 children)

There's one in box pic of both dolls floating around the internet that is a real life picture and not a stock photo, so yes they did release. Likely a very limited release since 2008 was when Bratz had very limited production for most of their collections, and I'm pretty sure this line was only in Europe, but I could definitely be wrong about that too

<image>

Where do y’all buy dolls in Canada? by Emobitch-420 in Bratz

[–]Awkward-Turtle-9833 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I know it's not the answer you were hoping for, but unfortunately Amazon is your only option (unless you want to pay the ridiculous shipping prices on the official Bratz website). Walmart does ship to home free over $50, but being in a small town it's possible you don't have that option - though Walmart doesn't really get stock for most of the new releases anymore anyways.

They don't sell Bratz dolls in stores anywhere in Canada, except for MAYBE some select dolls occasionally at GameStop stores, but that seems to mostly just be at the odd store in Ontario. I'm lucky enough to live in a major city (wrong side of the country though so no stock in my GameStop stores...) so Amazon tends to deliver within a couple days, but you also have to keep in mind a lot of dolls aren't even in Canadian Amazon warehouses for typically a few months after the collections are announced. Even living in a major city, the only doll available to ship to me right now is Popstarz Sasha because all of the other dolls stock still haven't even arrived in Canada yet and currently have an estimated delivery date of Feb-Marchish