Dollieh Sanctuary

Is there a way to make vinyl paler? Reverse blushing or something? I love Amiga, but her head is white and her body is fleshtone. I've tried to get used to it, really I have. I tried blushing up her head to be a little rosier. But I really just want the neck and hands to be a little paler. Anyone know how I can safely do that?

Can't be done.

*sigh* Photoshop it is then.

Actually, it can be done. You need pastels, q-tips, a spray sealer, and masking tape (optional). Warning, this isn't a quick process.

Depending on the doll you might need to use a bit of masking tape around the joints before continuing.

1. Spray the desired area with the sealer to give the pastels something to grip.

2. Get a rather nice pile of pastel powder on a sheet of paper until you think you have more than you need. Then add another 1/4th to that. It takes a lot.

3. I tend to use white, but if you prefer a more natural look mix a bit of white with the color of the skintone. Fill up your q-tip and prepare for cramped fingers. Press hard and rub the pastels in. If the vinyl bends you are pressing to hard and need to lighten just until it no longer bends.

4. Brush off any excess pastel powder with a soft paint brush gently.

5. Seal the layer.

Here's where the patience comes in. See the vinyl will only take so much of the pastel at once. Even the sealer before can't change that. You need to layer it to get the desired effect. So repeat steps 3 through 5. For the first couple off layers you won't notice any real change. That's natural, and it is the reason I said to add more pastel powder to your pile. It will take time and a whole lot of patience but it can be done.

I've used the this to change skin color on several dolls. I've made them both darker and paler. I just don't have pictures of the lighter one.

Monster High CAM Vampire boy got natural coloring.
Ooak Monster High CAM Vampire by faydreams, on Flickr

While a Basics AA Ken went from this:

SAM_2384 by faydreams, on Flickr

To this.
20120207_2 by faydreams, on Flickr

That was as dark as I could take him before loosing the details of the sculpt. I think on the two of them there are at least 12 layers of pastel to get the look.

To lighten the darkened vinyl of my vintage dolls I slather it in 10% benzoyl peroxide pimple cream and it actually lightens the vinyl a bunch but it takes literally months to do so...

I can also name two other ways to lighten vinyl, but couldn't find this post again by the time they crossed my mind... and wasn't sure if I should reply even if I did as they probably wouldn't be the best idea to try unless you were really desperate. The layers of pastels method above is probably a LOT better than what I'd try as an experiment. Namely that both sunlight and 10% Benzoyl Peroxide zit cream can bleach vinyl.

Sunlight, however, will most likely bleach unevenly and cause yellowing. I have never intentionally done this to a doll, but had it happen to a doll that someone confiscated from me and attempted to yardsale without my permission once (a couple decades or so ago). I spotted her after she'd been stored in a car over most of the summer in the back window, and her face is bleached nearly a yellowish-white. I'm still pondering how to fix the poor dear.

The zit creme method I did intentionally, to bleach out some cabbage pox spots and on Ivy. It took multiple times of applying the stuff, sitting her head in light, waiting about a day, and repeating. I stopped when the spots were almost gone, because I noticed the vinyl around them was also getting just a bit lighter. I may someday attempt this method on a spare Barbie head to see if it can be used to evenly bleach vinyl without damage or if it won't have as strong effect on areas that aren't stained.

But, since both these methods would be, in the first case, highly risky and in the second highly experimental... I second using the pastels. XD

Update: I was just about to send this when the reply just above was posted. Guess it's not that experimental to bleach with zit cream after all. XD *starts eying dolls to possibly be treated with this method*

WhiteDove, why not attempt the pastels to fix the poor dear. It's the same process only in reverse.

Faydreams wrote:WhiteDove, why not attempt the pastels to fix the poor dear. It's the same process only in reverse.

Because I have no pastels (I normally work in just acrylics) and am very literally out of funds until about July as I have to save for a new desk. I've given thought to completely painting her face (the bleaching really is THAT extensive), but just hadn't gotten to it yet.. and the sealer only arrived this month.

PS: Tho, now I'm thinking of starting a thread for doing her repairs, as incentive to get to it and also to get hints and tips about some of her other damage (she's been through a lot). It'd be in the section for other dollies, as she's a 1978 Mattel 'Baby Grows Up'.

If the head is pale you can dye the head darker to match the body. I used Rit dye.
I used 1 package of dark brown Rits Dye and brought the dye to a boil over the stove. I then submerged the bald head into the dye. Keep a eye on the head as vinyl soaks it up fast. I then used chalk pastels.



I used Rit dye on the redhead and the whitehead dolls. I used this recipe: 1 T Rose Pink, 2T Peach, 1/2 c of water. If you can't find Peach go on the Rit Dye website for how to make the Peach. I microwaved the 1/2 c of water. I then put the dye into the hot water. (I used a glass jar with a lid for this project) The dye should look like dark cranberry juice. This is a very strong mixture. Do not follow the package instructions or the dye won't be strong enough. (sludge on the bottom is O.K.)
Dip the Q tip in water first and squeeze out excess water. Then dip Q tip into the top of dye. You don't want to get the sludge on the bottom. Make sure you pull the hair back. Start at the back of head at the hairline and work downward strokes around the whole head. The harder you press the darker the dye will stain. You want to apply light layers. After the head dries over night you can always apply more if you need to.

I used Rit dye