Reborn Doll Glossary

A comprehensive A-Z guide to the terms, techniques, and community language used in the world of reborn dolls, whether you're a newcomer or a seasoned collector.

A

Acrylic Eyes: • Lightweight plastic eyes used in reborn dolls. They are more affordable than glass eyes and come in a wide variety of colors and styles.
Adoption: • A term used by the reborn community to describe the sale or purchase of a reborn doll. When a doll finds a new owner, it has been 'adopted.'
Air-Dry Paints: • Artist-grade paints that cure at room temperature without baking. Popular brands include DecoArt and Golden acrylics thinned for reborn work. They offer convenience but can be less durable than heat-set paints.
Air-Dry Technique: • A painting method using air-dry paints applied in thin, translucent layers and allowed to cure naturally at room temperature, rather than being baked in an oven.
Art Doll: • A handcrafted doll created as an artistic work rather than a mass-produced toy. Reborn dolls are considered art dolls due to the level of skill and detail involved in their creation.

B

Baby Shower: • A community event or online gathering where reborn collectors share and celebrate newly acquired dolls, similar to a real baby shower.
Belly Plate: • A vinyl or silicone piece that covers the doll's torso area, giving the appearance of a realistic tummy. Some belly plates include sculpted belly buttons.
BIN (Buy It Now): • A fixed-price listing where the buyer can purchase the doll immediately at the listed price without negotiation or bidding.
Blushing: • The technique of adding warm, rosy tones to areas of the doll's skin such as cheeks, knees, elbows, fingertips, and toes to mimic natural baby coloring.
Bundle: • A group of items sold together, often a doll with clothing, accessories, or other extras included as a package deal.

C

Cloth Body: • A soft fabric body used to connect the vinyl or silicone limbs and head of a reborn doll. The cloth body is typically filled with polyfill, glass beads, or steel shot for weight.
COA (Certificate of Authenticity): • A document provided by the reborn artist that certifies the doll's details, including the sculpt name, sculptor, edition number, materials used, and the artist who completed the doll.
Collectible Doll: • A doll created or valued for collecting purposes rather than play. Reborn dolls are highly sought-after collectibles due to their realism and craftsmanship.
Closed Eyes: • A doll sculpt with eyes that are shut, giving the appearance of a sleeping baby. Closed-eye sculpts do not require separate eye inserts.
Closed Mouth: • A doll sculpt with the lips together in a natural resting position. Closed-mouth sculpts offer a calm, peaceful expression.
Commission: • A custom order placed directly with a reborn artist to create a doll to the buyer's specifications, including specific sculpt, skin tone, hair color, and other details.
Custom Order: • A reborn doll made to a buyer's specific preferences. Custom orders typically involve choosing the sculpt, hair style, eye color, and other features.

D

Detangling: • The process of carefully combing or brushing a reborn doll's hair to remove tangles, typically using a fine-tooth comb or a special doll hair brush with gentle strokes.
Display Only: • A condition designation indicating that a doll is intended for display and collection rather than handling or play. These dolls are often kept in cases or on shelves.
Doe Suede: • A soft, durable fabric commonly used to make reborn doll bodies. It has a slight stretch that allows for a smooth finish and natural-looking limb joints.
Dusting: • A care routine for reborn dolls that involves gently removing dust from the doll's surface using a soft brush, microfiber cloth, or compressed air to keep it looking fresh.

E

Excellent: • A condition grade indicating the doll is in near-perfect shape with only very minor signs of handling: no paint rubs, hair loss, or damage.

F

Fabric Body: • See Cloth Body. A soft body made from fabric that connects the doll's vinyl or silicone parts and holds the weighting materials.
Flange: • The circular rim at the base of a vinyl head or limb piece that is inserted into the cloth body and secured with zip ties or sewn in place.
Flip: • Reselling a doll quickly after purchase, often at a higher price. Flipping is sometimes viewed negatively in the community, especially when done with limited edition dolls.
Forever Home: • The permanent home where a reborn doll will be loved and cared for long-term. Sellers often use this phrase when hoping their doll will go to a devoted collector.
FS (For Sale): • An abbreviation used in community groups and marketplaces to indicate that a doll or item is available for purchase.
FT (For Trade): • An abbreviation indicating a collector is willing to trade their doll for another doll or items of equivalent value.
Full Body Silicone Baby: • A reborn doll made entirely of silicone, including the torso, with no cloth body. These dolls are the most realistic to the touch and are typically the most expensive.
Full Limbs: • Vinyl or silicone arm and leg pieces that extend the full length from shoulder to hand and hip to foot, providing maximum realism.

G

Genesis Heat-Set Paints: • Professional-grade paints specifically designed for reborn doll painting. They remain workable until baked in an oven, allowing artists to build up thin, realistic skin layers over multiple sessions.
Genesis Heat-Set Technique: • A painting method where Genesis paints are applied in multiple ultra-thin layers, with each layer baked at around 265°F (130°C) to permanently set the color before the next layer is added.
Glass Beads: • Tiny glass pellets used inside the doll's body and limbs to add realistic weight and a pleasant shifting feel when the doll is held.
Glass Eyes: • Hand-blown or pressed glass eyes used in reborn dolls for the most realistic appearance. They have depth, shine, and natural-looking irises that catch light beautifully.

H

Hair Care: • Maintenance routines for a reborn doll's hair, which may include gentle brushing, light conditioning with diluted fabric softener, and avoiding heat styling tools.
Half Limbs: • Vinyl or silicone pieces that extend from the hand to just above the elbow, or from the foot to just above the knee. Less common than 3/4 limbs.
Handmade Doll: • A doll crafted by hand by an individual artist rather than manufactured in a factory. Every reborn doll is a handmade doll, making each one unique.
Head: • The sculpted vinyl or silicone head piece of a reborn doll, which includes the face, ears, and sometimes the neck. The head is painted, rooted with hair, and fitted with eyes by the artist.

I

ISO (In Search Of): • An abbreviation used when a collector is looking for a specific doll, sculpt, or item. Collectors post ISO requests in community groups to find their desired pieces.

K

Kit: • An unpainted, unassembled set of vinyl or silicone doll parts (typically a head, limbs, and sometimes a body plate) that an artist uses as the starting point for creating a reborn doll.

L

Layaway: • A payment plan that allows a buyer to pay for a doll in installments over an agreed-upon period. The doll is shipped once the full amount has been paid.
Layering: • The fundamental reborn painting technique of applying multiple ultra-thin, translucent coats of paint to build up realistic skin tones with depth and dimension, mimicking how real skin has layers of color beneath the surface.
Lifelike Baby: • A common search term for reborn dolls, referring to dolls that closely resemble real human infants in appearance, weight, and sometimes feel.
Limited Edition: • A sculpt that is produced in a specific, numbered quantity. Once all kits in the edition are sold, no more are made, which often increases the doll's collectibility and value over time.
Limbs: • The arm and leg pieces of a reborn doll, made from vinyl or silicone. Limbs come in various lengths: full, 3/4, and half.
Lot: • A group of dolls or doll-related items sold together as a single listing, often at a discounted price compared to buying each item individually.

M

Magnet Pacifier: • A pacifier fitted with a small magnet that attaches to a corresponding magnet embedded in the doll's upper lip or mouth area, allowing the pacifier to be placed and removed realistically.
Magneting: • The process of embedding small magnets inside a reborn doll's head (usually at the mouth and sometimes at the top of the head) to allow magnetic pacifiers, bows, and hair accessories to attach securely.
Micro-Rooting: • An advanced hair-rooting technique where the artist inserts only 1–3 strands of hair per needle poke, creating an extremely realistic, fine hairline. This process is very time-consuming and labor-intensive.
Mint: • A condition grade meaning the doll is in perfect, like-new condition, exactly as it was when originally completed by the artist, with no flaws, wear, or alterations.
Mohair: • Natural hair fiber from Angora goats, prized for reborn dolls because of its softness, fine texture, and natural sheen. Mohair can be straight, wavy, or curly and is a premium rooting material.
Mottling: • A painting technique that creates subtle, irregular patches of color on the doll's skin to replicate the natural, blotchy skin tones seen on real newborn babies.

N

Newborn Wrinkles: • Fine, sculpted creases and folds on a reborn doll's skin (especially on the hands, feet, elbows, and knees) that replicate the wrinkled appearance of a real newborn baby.
Nursery: • The studio, workspace, or brand name used by a reborn artist. Many artists name their nursery (e.g., 'Sunshine Nursery') as their business identity when selling dolls.

O

OBO (Or Best Offer): • A pricing term indicating the seller is open to receiving offers below the listed price. The seller may accept, counter, or decline any offer received.
OOAK (One-of-a-Kind): • A completely unique reborn doll that will never be replicated. OOAK dolls may feature custom sculpting, unique paint details, or one-off modifications that make them truly singular.
Open Edition: • A sculpt that is available for purchase indefinitely with no limit on the number of kits produced. Open edition sculpts are generally more accessible and affordable than limited editions.
Open Eyes: • A doll sculpt featuring eyes that are open, allowing glass or acrylic eyes to be inserted. Open-eyed dolls have a bright, alert appearance.
Open Mouth: • A doll sculpt with a slightly parted mouth, often designed to hold a magnetic pacifier or to show a sculpted tongue and gum detail inside.

P

Paint Sealing: • The process of applying a protective sealant over the finished paint work to guard against scratches, fading, and wear. Common sealers include matte or satin varnish specifically designed for doll use.
Painter: • An artist who specializes in the painting and color work of reborn dolls, applying skin tones, blushing, veining, mottling, and other details.
Play Condition: • A condition grade indicating the doll shows noticeable signs of handling or play (such as minor paint rubs, loose limbs, or hair that needs attention) but is still in overall acceptable shape.
Polyfill: • Soft polyester fiber stuffing used to fill the cloth body of a reborn doll. It provides shape and a lightweight, cuddly feel, and is often combined with glass beads or steel shot for added weight.
Price Drop: • A reduction in the listed price of a doll, often announced in community groups or marketplaces to attract buyers.
Prototype: • The very first completed doll made from a new sculpt, created by the sculptor or a chosen prototype artist to showcase the sculpt's potential. Prototypes are highly collectible and often command premium prices.
Prototype Artist: • A skilled reborn artist selected by a sculptor to create the first finished doll (prototype) from a new sculpt, demonstrating its full potential to buyers and other artists.

R

Realistic Baby Doll: • A general term for dolls designed to closely resemble real infants. Reborn dolls are the most well-known type of realistic baby doll.
Reborn Artist: • A person who transforms blank doll kits into lifelike reborn babies through painting, rooting, weighting, and assembling. The reborn artist brings the sculpt to life.
Reborn Baby Doll: • A vinyl or silicone doll that has been artistically enhanced to resemble a real human infant, featuring realistic skin tones, rooted hair, weighted body, and fine details.
Reborn Daddy: • A male collector or enthusiast who enjoys collecting, displaying, and caring for reborn dolls.
Reborn Family: • A collector's entire collection of reborn dolls, often referred to as if they are siblings in a family.
Reborn Mama: • A female collector or enthusiast who enjoys collecting, displaying, and caring for reborn dolls. One of the most common terms of endearment in the community.
Reborning: • The overall art and craft of transforming a blank vinyl or silicone doll kit into a finished, lifelike reborn baby through painting, rooting, weighting, and assembly.
Rehomed: • A doll sold on by a collector who owns her, rather than by the artist who made her. On Reborn Marketplace, rehomed listings carry a Rehomed badge and name the reborn artist.
Retail: • The original selling price set by the artist for a newly completed doll, as opposed to the secondary market price for a pre-owned doll.
Rooter: • An artist who specializes in the hair-rooting process, inserting individual strands or small groups of hair into the doll's head using a rooting needle.
Rooting: • The process of inserting hair, one or a few strands at a time, into tiny holes in the doll's vinyl or silicone head using a special felting or forked needle. Rooting creates the most realistic hair appearance.
Return Policy: • The seller's stated terms regarding whether and under what conditions a buyer may return a purchased doll for a refund or exchange.

S

Scalping: • The practice of buying limited edition dolls or kits at retail price and immediately reselling them at a significantly inflated price. This is generally frowned upon in the reborn community.
Sculpt: • The original 3D design of a doll, created by a sculptor. The sculpt determines the doll's facial features, expression, body proportions, and overall character. Popular sculpts include names like Levi, Realborn Joseph, and Twin A.
Sculpt Artist: • See Sculptor. The person who designs and creates the original doll sculpt.
Sculptor: • The artist who designs and hand-sculpts the original doll from clay or digitally, creating the master mold from which vinyl or silicone kits are produced.
Secondary Market: • The resale market where pre-owned reborn dolls are bought and sold between collectors, as opposed to buying directly from the original artist (retail).
Seconds / Flawed: • Doll kits or parts that have minor manufacturing defects (such as small air bubbles, slight discoloration, or mold lines) and are sold at a discount. Skilled artists can often work around these imperfections.
Silicone: • A soft, flexible material used to create premium reborn dolls. Silicone feels remarkably lifelike and skin-like to the touch. Dolls can be full-body silicone or have silicone parts combined with a cloth body.
Silicone Care: • Maintenance specific to silicone dolls, including keeping them away from sharp objects, dusting with cornstarch or renewal powder to maintain a soft feel, and storing them away from direct sunlight.
Steel Shot Pellets: • Tiny steel balls used as a weighting material inside reborn dolls to add heft and a realistic, heavy feel. Steel shot is denser than glass beads and is often used in the limbs and head.
Storage: • How a reborn doll is kept when not on display. Proper storage involves keeping dolls in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, heat, and humidity to prevent damage to paint and materials.

T

3/4 Limbs: • Vinyl or silicone arm and leg pieces that extend from the hand to about three-quarters up the upper arm, and from the foot to about three-quarters up the thigh. The most common limb length for reborn dolls.
Trade: • An exchange between collectors where dolls or items are swapped rather than sold for money. Trades are common in reborn community groups.

U

Unicorn: • A rare or highly sought-after doll that is extremely difficult to find. A unicorn doll might be a sold-out limited edition, a specific prototype, or a doll by a coveted artist.
UV Damage: • Deterioration of a doll's paint or materials caused by prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun. UV damage can cause fading, yellowing, or discoloration over time.

V

Veining: • A delicate painting technique where the artist adds fine, translucent blue, purple, and red lines beneath the skin tones to simulate the visible veins seen on real newborn babies.
VGUC (Very Good Used Condition): • A condition grade indicating the doll has been gently handled and shows only minor signs of use but remains in very good overall shape with no significant flaws.
Vinyl: • A firm, lightweight plastic material that is the most common material used for reborn doll kits. Vinyl is durable, easy to paint, widely available, and more affordable than silicone.
Vinyl Care: • Maintenance routines for vinyl dolls, including gentle cleaning with mild soap and water, avoiding harsh chemicals, and keeping the doll away from direct sunlight and extreme heat.

W

Wait List: • A queue maintained by popular reborn artists for buyers who want to commission a custom doll. Wait lists can range from a few weeks to over a year for in-demand artists.
Weighted Baby Doll: • A doll that has been filled with glass beads, steel shot, poly pellets, or a combination to give it a realistic weight similar to a real infant, typically between 4–8 pounds.
Weighting: • The process of adding weight to a reborn doll's body, head, and limbs using glass beads, steel shot pellets, or poly pellets to give the doll a realistic heft when held.