Emma Cayley, a mother of two from Exeter, Devon, England wasn't really happy with the dolls her daughter was playing with. Her daughter's Barbies, Bratz dolls, and Moxies all feature unrealistic standards of beauty, what with their completely made-up faces, tiny waists and long, slender legs.
Last year, Cayley had had enough and decided to give her daughter's dolls a make-under. The results were amazing. Cayley founded Devon Rescue Dolls with repainted faces featuring freckles, small eyes, and uneven eyebrows.
Instead of the dolls having short skirts, skimpy dresses, and cropped tops, Cayley dressed them up with beautiful floral-printed dresses that are age-appropriate for girls.
"As a mother of two young children I was increasingly uneasy about the dolls my daughter was playing with, especially Bratz dolls but also Barbies and Moxies," she told Mirror. "I felt that they promoted unrealistic standards of female beauty and an unhealthy body image to young girls."
Cayley's repainted dolls, on the other hand, have realistic features, therefore giving them a more innocent and youthful appearance. "My dolls frequently have freckly faces and little glasses and I name each one," she said. "I also specialise in making custom dolls that look like their owners and I have made dolls with particular features such as birthmarks, cleft lip and palate scars, and also alopecia, inspired by the #ToyLikeMe campaign."
The dolls were initially sold online before making their way to Exeter's Jelly Store. Cayley is happy with their success and hopes to continue making dolls that don't make girls feel insecure or inadequate by their personal beauty and body types.
"They've proved an instant hit at Jelly and we've been really delighted to see them flying off the shelves and going on to their new homes!" said Cayley.
Each Devon Rescue Doll, which can still be purchased here, costs around £20 to £30 each. It comes in a gorgeous box packed with a glossy signed and numbered before-and-after photo, brush, spare shoes, clothes and other accessories.
