A late-night unboxing of pre-loved Rainbow High dolls—and a Rainbow High styling head! Join me as I open the package and discover their condition, outfits and accessories. The livestream is presented below in three parts, in order. Start with Part 1 and watch along with me.
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This week marks exactly six years since I uploaded my very first video to YouTube. Looking back, I am incredibly grateful for everyone who watches, comments, and shares this hobby with me. It has been an absolute joy. Of course, it would be lovely if my videos reached even more people, but the community we have built means the world to me.
Lately, I have been putting together retrospective videos that feel like love letters to the different moments and dolls I have shared over the years. What started as a hobby has grown into a deep passion for researching the history behind these dolls and sharing those stories with others. I truly love the entire creative process of video production. It takes time, but I love my hobby.
A Sustainable Balance and a Comical Moving Dilemma
It is quite ironic to celebrate this milestone during a week where my entire life is being packed into boxes. I am currently preparing for my upcoming move, and most of my belongings are already put away. Yet, right in the middle of this chaos, I couldn’t resist clicking home a secondhand batch containing a group of Rainbow High dolls and a styling head.
Rainbow High is a relatively new love in my life. It is exciting to have a doll line in my collection that is still actively being manufactured. My philosophy on sustainable collecting is not just about recycling or buying pre-loved items; it is also about sustainable health and economics. It is a careful balance between planning, surprise, and spontaneity. Because of this, I occasionally allow myself to buy or receive a brand-new doll as a gift.
The new package arrived just the yesterday. Unboxing it will be a treat. I have decided to host a spontaneous YouTube Live session when I open it, so we can explore the contents together in real-time.
Reflecting on Week 43: The Modern Rush vs. The Christmas Catalog
Living among moving boxes has also given me some time to think about current doll industry trends. I used to have notifications turned on for new releases, but it simply became too much. It feels like something new is being launched constantly. Right now, in late October, the market is flooded with rapid releases, such as MGA expanding their Mirror Mi universe with the new Mini Mi figures, and Jakks Pacific entering the adult collector market with their horror-themed Doll Haus of Dread line.
Seeing these constant drops makes me nostalgic for the old toy catalogs of my childhood. I often think about how the first decades of fashion dolls seemed to revolve around one major launch a year, usually right before the holidays. Back then, you had time to dream. You could practically smell the pages of the catalog as you circled the exact doll you hoped to find under the tree.
The industry has changed completely, but the joy of the hobby remains the same. Thank you for being a part of my journey for the past six years and more to come!
Thank you for reading. How do you balance the constant stream of modern doll releases with your own collection? And will I see you on the upcoming livestream? Let me know in the comments below.
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Collecting dolls is a wonderful hobby. By changing our perspective, we can make the hobby more meaningful and lasting.
Buying Secondhand and Pre-Loved
The most sustainable doll you can add to your collection is one that already exists. Searching through thrift stores, flea markets, and online listings is a great way to find unique pieces. Choosing secondhand dolls reduces the demand for new plastics and textiles. Older dolls often possess character, history, and build quality that are rare in today’s mass-produced releases.
The Art of Doll Restoration
It is easy to pass on a doll with tangled hair, stained vinyl, or ruined clothes, but these pieces have potential. Learning basic doll restoration is rewarding. Techniques like washing doll hair or treating vinyl stains with sunlight can transform a forgotten toy. On my YouTube channel, Mostly Dolls, I share this process through videos of doll rescues and restorations to show how to clean up an abandoned doll into a display piece.
Curating with Intention
Sustainability is about our physical and mental space. In a fast-paced world, it’s easy to get caught up in the hype of new releases. A sustainable approach encourages us to focus on quality over quantity by curating our shelves. Before buying, pause to ask if that doll will matter to you in a few years, or if it fits your focus. A smaller, curated selection of dolls is often more rewarding to style, photograph, and display than countless dolls left in storage boxes. Think before:
Why am I buying this doll?
Creative Styling and Displays
The same mindful mindset applies to clothing, furniture, and displaying your collection. You can create miniature clothes from fabric scraps or old clothing for a unique style. Opting for natural materials like wood or metal in doll furniture enhances durability.
Ultimately, sustainable doll collecting is about collecting with more intention, not stopping shopping altogether.
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If I could switch life with a famous person for a week. I have no idea. No, it’s totally blank. I can’t think of anyone. Until further notice, I will prefer to stay in mine.
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Right now, my living room is a landscape of cardboard boxes and things waiting to be sorted in to them.
Today’s agenda consists of driving moving boxes to storage, but before the heavy lifting begins, I’m allowing myself a moment to curl up on the sofa and look over the latest design news. I barely had time to analyze the first Mirror Mi wave, and now leaks have already revealed three new characters planned for early 2027, named Radiance, Envy, and Sweetness. Currently, we only have obscured silhouettes to look at. When looking at the new MGA silhouette, let’s compare a bit with the dolls we have actually seen.
I don’t feel the urge to pre-order or follow the commercial rush. Instead, I hope to find one and fall in love at a secondhand store one day or when browsing the doll section on Tradera or Ebay.
The moving boxes are waiting, and once they are safely stacked in storage, I’m taking a walk to the nearest thrift store. Going hunting through messy baskets instead, and finding that one pre-loved doll that is ready for a second chance to shine.
How do you feel about Mirror Mi’s articulation compared to the classic Bratz silhouette for your own displays? Are you excited about the new dolls or do you prefer doll rescue? Let’s discuss!