Questions about storage in factory and powdering

[ildanach]

A few weeks ago a friend of the family decided to buy a doll himself after having seen me already buying my 3rd doll.
Like me a year ago he wasn't completely sure whether he would like it being a doll owner so he didn't want to spend a lot of money directly.
So he bought himself via Ali a rather cheap doll of 170 cm height.
We were there with him to unbox the doll ( Wanda is her name) when she had arrived.

WandaDSCN2484.JPG (177.42 KiB) Viewed 659 times

While putting her together I noticed a few things ( as did the new owner).
Her skin felt a bit matted as if it had been powdered VERY much but in a way the skin had absorbed the powder. And some fingers, toes, her breasts and her arms to her body were a bit adhered by something, a bit sticked.
Because I have already some experience in handling dolls ( mostly by all the good advice what can be read here at the Doll Forum) so I decided to unstick that very carefully by using lots of baby-oil.

WandaDSCN4606.JPG (164.59 KiB) Viewed 659 times

That succeeded very well

The parts which I had soaked with baby-oil to unstick them were now in the way I knew all too well. They had become a bit sticky as we are used to with TPE dolls who haven't been powdered yet.
As for the other parts of her body they stayed soft like a skin.
Now, a few weeks later that skin still feels that way. Without having been powdered at all!

I have to powder Caja and Cameron at least once a week otherwise they get sticky from themselves ( difference in temperature or so?) but Wanda doesn't have that problem. So my question is this, how has she been treated in the (Chinese) factory she came from?
The fact that some bodyparts were adhered seems to be that she probably has been stored a bit too long. Hence the lower price?
But what have they done to that doll to let the skin feel that way? Without any need to powder her?
I want to know that trick so I can do the same with Caja and Cameron.
Excessive powdering maybe? Not just putting some powder on her and brushing it a bit with a make-up brush but giving her a kind of powder bath?

Do any of you guys have experience with this? Does anyone know the answer perhaps?

Wanda, me and Caja in Cherry version

WandaDSCN4622.JPG (253.84 KiB) Viewed 659 times

[Booty Call Dolls]

Hi,
I have seen some of the high end dolls where the TPE almost seems to GLUE together which is why they say when storing keep legs apart and arms away from the body.
Most places do wash and powder dolls before photos and/or shipping.
Love,
Hannah, the IT BCD girl

[-Ragnar66-]

I just can guess. Worst (??) case it was any leftover substances once she got out of the mold. That stuff that´s suggested to be washed off and removed entirely before handling the doll. Best case...I can´t think of any to be true.

My doll came completely un-powdered, but quite obviously she was cleaned well before shipping. I washed nonetheless, but that didn´t change anything to her anyway smooth and soft skin. I just powdered her once, but found her just cleaned surfaces pleased me way better, so since then didn´t powder again.

[ildanach]

I just powdered her once, but found her just cleaned surfaces pleased me way better, so since then didn´t powder again.

But doesn't she become sticky when you don't powder her anymore? If I don't powder Caja or Cameron every now and then I can't caress her anymore because het skin isn't smoothe anymore but a bit sticky.
Only that doll of that friend (Wanda) seems to remain smooth without powdering her again. That is what I don't understand and why I asked if it is due to excessive powdering that Wanda remains smooth.

[Dollarhyde]

Many of the manufacturers are jumping on the old bandwagon and doing a spray coating similar to a finishing coat which allows the dolls feel like real skin without the need to powder as often... This is a process which was started here in the US with the platinum silicone dolls. However, I do not believe it is durable on TPE as it is on platinum but that is to be seen. I have platinum dolls which do have the coating and they are fine. I have yet to get a TPE doll with that coating on the doll to test the product out but I will once I clear a little bit more time.

[-Ragnar66-]

I just powdered her once, but found her just cleaned surfaces pleased me way better, so since then didn´t powder again.

But doesn't she become sticky when you don't powder her anymore? If I don't powder Caja or Cameron every now and then I can't caress her anymore because het skin isn't smoothe anymore but a bit sticky.
Only that doll of that friend (Wanda) seems to remain smooth without powdering her again. That is what I don't understand and why I asked if it is due to excessive powdering that Wanda remains smooth.

Sticky...not really. At least not to my feeling. But I can´t compare as just having a single doll and none before. I´d guess it´s different brands TPE formulas then, or different maintenance. I also haven´t given my doll a full oil wash yet. Might change stickyness too, though I still hesitate. It´s just 5 weeks since she came out of the mold so it´s not yet the time I think.

[ildanach]

Many of the manufacturers are jumping on the old bandwagon and doing a spray coating similar to a finishing coat which allows the dolls feel like real skin without the need to powder as often... This is a process which was started here in the US with the platinum silicone dolls. However, I do not believe it is durable on TPE as it is on platinum but that is to be seen. I have platinum dolls which do have the coating and they are fine. I have yet to get a TPE doll with that coating on the doll to test the product out but I will once I clear a little bit more time.

I'm really curious what kind of spraycoating that must have been.
It is possible they've used that because it is slightly different as normal babypowder or cornstarch. I believe it is a kind of film, so spraycoating sounds like possible.
It IS a TPE doll, I'm sure of that so if it is spraycoating they have used it works on TPE.
The film is slightly white, lighter coloured than the TPE skin.

Sticky...not really. At least not to my feeling. But I can´t compare as just having a single doll and none before. I´d guess it´s different brands TPE formulas then, or different maintenance. I also haven´t given my doll a full oil wash yet. Might change stickyness too, though I still hesitate. It´s just 5 weeks since she came out of the mold so it´s not yet the time I think.

You are right there might be a difference in TPE blend. I noticed that already between my dolls. 5 weeks isn't that long yet but I know that my dolls were getting already a bit sticky within 5 weeks.
But not the doll of that friend, perhaps your doll got the same treatment???