Faceups Faceup Logs | Videos | Tips for faceups

Hello! I've made some videos over on youtube to share some of my observations and what I learnt during my own faceup journey. I'll be compiling them here as well. Hope it'll be helpful to anyone who's also doing their own faceups

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M A S T E R L I S T

• BJD Faceup Removal with Isopropyl Alcohol and Acetone (old tutorial, see updated one under 08 below)
• Faceup Log 01: contrast / "instagram" faceup
• [Blog post] Faceup Log: Interlude | Parker's (Kanadoll Adrian) faceup process
• Faceup Log 02: tracking your progress
• Faceup Log 03: BJD faceup materials and setup
• Faceup Log 04: Types of upper eyeliner for BJDs
• Faceup Log 05: Why I blush BJD ears
• Faceup Log 06: How to spray MSC for BJD Faceups
• Faceup Log 07: How to repair chips on BJD Faceups
• Faceup Log 08: How to Remove BJD Faceup with Thinner (Updated tutorial!)

 

BJD Faceup Removal with Isopropyl Alcohol and Acetone

A video of how I remove a bjd faceup with 70% isopropyl alcohol. I also used a bit of acetone toward the end to remove the harder-to-remove residue, but some people who do not want to use acetone might want to skip this step.

If you can get isopropyl alcohol of a higher concentration (e.g. 90%), I think it might be easier to remove than wth 70%. However, this is what I can find in Singapore, so I use 70% most of the time.

A word of advice, it might be best to wear some gloves when removing faceup, especially if you have sensitive skin. I tend to not wear gloves because sometimes the plastic reacts with the solvent (either the isopropyl alcohol or acetone), but I might start looking for some plastic gloves that won't react if I am to do this more frequently. If anyone knows what works well, I would love to know what you use!

Also, when using pure acetone, be careful what you use with it, as it dissolves and reacts badly with some plastics. The container I used for holding it gave a yellowish colour to the acetone, probably because there was paint in it, and I had to pour that away. I ended up dipping the Q-tip straight into the acetone to use. Isopropyl alcohol does not have this problem, which is why I still like using it for most of the faceup removal although it is much slower acting.

Where I bought (in Singapore):

• 70% isopropyl alcohol - Unity
• Pure acetone - Dyon International, or you can try other nail shops (I think Dyon International isn't there anymore...)

Doll: Volks Olivia Morgan 2nd​

 

FACEUP LOG 01: contrast / "instagram" faceup

This video is about contrast, or the "instagram" faceup vs "natural/in person/naked eye" faceup.

TL;DR: I switched to a heavily blushing to make my faceups look better on camera.

All dolls in this video are owned by me, and I did all their faceups as well. ​

 

I'm glad to hear it's helpful! You're welcome

Ahhh, it's nice to hear I'm not the only one who feels this about the contrast thing! I think for artists doing commissions, it's even harder to balance because what you see in photos and what you actually receive in real life might not be what you expect! I have some faceups from other artists which are gorgeous in real life but don't do very well in photos which is a pity. And lastly, thank you!

 

[Blog] Faceup Log: Interlude | Parker's (Kanadoll Adrian) faceup process

This is a blog post instead of a video, but there's a lot of content so I thought it'll be easier to understand this way. I explain in the post what my usual faceup process is like, and show you in-progress shots of Parker's faceup, along with the time I've spent on him by that stage. ​

 

FACEUP LOG 02: tracking your progress

Today's log is tracking your progress while doing faceups. I have taken photos of my completed faceups to see my progress and improvement over the years. This year, I decided to take it a step further and track how long I took to do 2 of my recent faceups. In this video, I'll share some of the things I learnt from doing this, as well as show you guys a timelapse of the faceups over time ​

 

FACEUP LOG 03: BJD faceup materials and setup

I show you the materials I use for BJD faceups, how I keep them and I also share a bit on how I use them :3

0:12 how I organise and keep faceup materials on my shelf
2:31 my desk setup for doing faceups
2:46 inside the box of "dry" materials
3:22 my setup for pastel work
4:58 pastels I used (brands and a bit about colours)
6:07 brushes I use for pastel
11:34 erasing
11:59 pastel shades I have and those that are optional when you're new
12:34 inside the box of "wet" materials
13:30 my setup for linework
14:27 brushes I use for lines
15:43 final touches (mica powder, gloss, glued-on eyelashes)
​

 

Thank you, I'm happy to hear that, and that the blogpost with the step by step faceup progress was helpful! ♡

 

FACEUP LOG 04: Types of upper eyeliner for BJDs

I'll show you the 3 types of eyeliner I that I've done on my own dolls' faceups, as well as share my observations on some of the advantages and disadvantages of each type~

Timestamps:
0:26 Eyeliner Type 1: Tightlined
5:11 Eyeliner Type 2: Natural
8:32 Eyeliner Type 3: Soft​

 

FACEUP LOG 05: Why I blush BJD ears

Today I'm talking about BJD ears in faceups! -- why I blush them, and why I find it useful in the faceup process on top of just preferring the look of blushed ears. Let me know whether you find this useful ​

 

FACEUP LOG 06: How to Spray MSC for BJD Faceups

Today I'm showing how I spray sealant, specifically Mr Super Clear UV cut, for BJD faceups. This is the method that I find works best for me after trying different ways of spraying. I didn't go into more details because I wanted to keep this video as a short demo, but if there are any questions, leave a comment below and I might make a more in-depth video on how to MSC next time ​

 

FACEUP LOG 07: How to Repair Chips on BJD Faceups

I chipped Pebbles' faceup when I brought her out so here's me repairing my mistake~ It's not quite a tutorial because I was figuring out what to do along the way, but I hope the process is useful still! Especially if you ever need to do such repairs. ​

 

FACEUP LOG 08: How to Remove BJD Faceup with Thinner (An UPDATED BJD Faceup Removal Tutorial)

After 10 years, here's my updated BJD faceup removal tutorial! I wanted to share how I remove existing doll faceups as well as how I prep blank heads before doing their faceups. This is my preferred method at the moment, chosen for a mix of ease, effectiveness and efficiency. In the video, I explain the steps I take as well as *why* I do it, so feel free to modify or remove steps if there's good reasons to change it! I hope this helps anyone doing their own faceups~​