@edyedy thanks for the tip, I will definitely be careful. DS has a tutorial on their page here:
http://www.dsdoll.us/help.html?page=dolls#insertuse
I'm not positive, but the doll/insert the DS video shows might be the old silicone blend. With the new super-soft silicone, I know that I will be powdering the insert and the hole to avoid friction tears from insertion/removal of the insert.
George (bless) at XS put this great tutorial together for inserting the insert with the powder process. The video is for TPE dolls, though the same principle applies:
http://dollforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=257&t=68444
The doll body arrived just moments ago, duty fee was $24.44. I'm not sure why there was variation to what others had to pay, but it was just a couple bucks so no biggie. Setting up to do the unboxing video for the body, very excited!!
@lucky I'm looking forward to having the dolls' personalities speak to me once they're assembled. So we shall see
The first photo so far was from the Saki head, submitted last night to the January 2016 category A contest for Light and Shadow:
I just have the heads in on my new DS 145, and the body is coming towards the end of the week and I didn't want to miss alottafun's photo challenge! So I went with a macro lens and diffused flash, and didn't wipe away any of the dust from her new unpowdered skin. It gave her skin a sandy look, as if she just came in from a day at the beach, so I didn't clean it up much in post.
Since she arrived during the first snowstorm of the year, I'm naming her Xue ("薛"), which is Chinese for snow.