Resin yellows naturally over time due to certain compouds it's made up of. UV rays speed up the process quite a bit, but it will
eventually happen to every BJD in time, regardless of how or where you keep it. Just go ahead and get it in your head before you
purchase your first doll that yellowing (or mellowing as a lot of collectors call it) is just a part of the doll's aging process.
Different companies resin and different skintones will age differently. Lighter skintones tend to show signs of yellowing more visibly
for obvious reasons. French resin is the quickest to discolor, and will often turn very yellow, as opposed to just turning a creamier
or tinted color.
Doll companies are offering options
Some companies have actually taken steps to protect their beautiful dolls from discoloration by offering the option of UV protected
skintones (or anti-UV). The anti-UV option does
cost a bit more than the original skintones, but may be worth it if you're constantly worried over yellowing.
Here is a test done by Withdoll, showing yellowing results in normal resin versus their UV protected resin (Real UV skin).
Slowing down yellowing
The single most important thing you can do to slow down the process is limit UV exposure to your dolls. Don't display them
in an area that gets a lot of sunlight, especially direct sunlight. Now, I'm not saying your dolls have to become vampiric. Your
doll won't instantly turn mustard yellow if you take them outside once in a while for a photoshoot. Just don't store them on a windowsill
or anything.
There has actually been some debate about whether or not flash photography can expose dolls to UV rays, and expedite yellowing.
This is just not the case. You'd have to rapidly take thousands of photos to even see a hint of discoloring. Even if you're an avid
flash photographer and feel like you constantly have your camera in your doll's face, you still wouldn't be able to produce enough UV
to actually damage it.
Sealing your doll with Mr. Super Clear UV Cut can help protect resin temporarily. Think of it as doll sunscreen. You will have to
recoat over time though, because it can chip and wear off. This is especially true on the body, where the joints tend to rub sealants away quickly.
Coated dolls tend to get dirty quicker as well, as sealants give dirt and grime something to stick to.
Wash your hands before touching your dolls. Natural oils on your skin and chemicals in hand creams are thought to react with the compounds in resin, speeding up discoloration.
De-Yellowing
One way to de-yellow is to buff the discoloration away with very fine-grit sandpaper. Notice, I said buff - not sand.
With too heavy a hand, you could end up completely reshaping the doll's sculpt. Basically, you just want to remove the top discolored layer.
There are also owners who have done Oxiclean baths, but the results are mixed on this method. Some say it works wonders, while others have
noticed no difference.
Don't let worrying about yellowing put a damper on your enjoyment of the hobby. Most owners don't mind the gradual color change, or even
prefer the mellowed coloring over the original resin color. Do what you can to protect against it, but try not to overthink it.
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