Custom options
There are so many options available for customizing your sex doll. Many of them sound really lucrative, but not everything is as great as it seems. I’ll go through each option and explain whether it’s worth it from my perspective.
Head
Of course, you should choose what visually appeals to you, but be aware of a couple of things:
Eye Color
I strongly recommend sticking to the same color as the promo head color. This is because if the manufacturer’s photos of the head don’t match the promos, you’ll have a strong argument for comparison. If the eyes are different colors, they might claim it looks different because of the eyes and refuse to address the issue. (Believe me, I speak from experience on this!)
Hair
I recommend choosing the wig option. While manufacturer wigs may not be as good as ones you can purchase elsewhere (check my Wigs section), implanted synthetic or real hair has more downsides. You’ll need to maintain that hair, and constantly brushing it can be tedious. While it might feel good to pull the hair in certain moments, the benefits of easy maintenance and being able to change the appearance with different wigs outweigh this.
Silicone: Soft vs Hard
I’ve tried both options, and while hard silicone (which feels more like plastic to me) is visually appealing for photo shoots, for any other purpose, I’d recommend the soft head, especially with the ROS effect. You might eventually want good old blowjob, and I have suggestions on poses for those in the “Poses you should try” section.
Skin tone
Choose what feels best for you. Over time, preferences can change, so each of my dolls has a different skin color.
Body Material
If you’re a first-time buyer, I’d suggest TPE. While silicone looks better, it’s less durable. For a deeper dive into this, check out my “Silicone vs TPE” article.
Nail and Toe nail Colors
Your options here are limited to what the specific manufacturer offers. Just be aware that you’ll likely need nail glue since the nails can eventually fall off.
Breast options
I always recommend gel. They require more care, but the feel and realism are unmatched. I even upgraded my TPE doll that originally came with hollow breasts to gel-filled ones, and the experience improved significantly. If “Ultra Soft Breasts” is an option, go for it!
Vagina hair style
To date, I haven’t seen a vagina hair style that looks realistic, so I recommend going nude and saving some money.
Vagina type
Deciding between Fixed or Removable is tough. From a realism standpoint, fixed feels better. However, my last two dolls have removable vaginas, which are easier to clean and allow for changing internal textures. One strong piece of advice: Avoid the “Auto Clamping and Sucking” option. I’ve mostly heard negative feedback about it. The only pro is that it’s usually free, but the additional cleaning challenges it introduces aren’t worth it.
Skeleton type
I honestly didn’t notice a significant difference even with my gear skeleton doll. While the EPX Skeleton may allow for more realistic movement, it’s still a new technology. For a long-lasting first doll, I’d recommend the Evo skeleton.
Standing Add-on
For silicone dolls, choose “Standing No Bolts (Hard Feet)*”. For TPE, I prefer “Standing with Bolts”, using a silicone sock to protect them from water during cleaning.
Extras
Body moaning
It’s not worth it. It complicates cleaning and doesn’t add much to the experience as you might think.
Heating
A hard NO (Read more in my article about heating options)
Body textures
Who doesn’t want a better-looking doll? Most of the time, this comes as a free option.
Fingers
Articulated fingers are a must!
Hard hand
If the brand offers this, take it. The hands will be more resilient, allowing the doll to rest on them for longer periods.* There is one asterisk about hard hand – in time there will be noticeable difference between normal silicone and the hard one and will look like the hand have gloves build in. Same for Hard silicone feet.
Gel butt
Gel butts feel and look more realistic, but they make the doll more susceptible to damage. If you believe you can maintain it properly, it’s worth it.
Ultra Soft Skin
If the doll you’re considering is silicone and the manufacturer offers this option, I recommend taking it.
Robot functions
Avoid all robot functions, such as auto blowjob, electric hip and waist, and auto vagina clamping and sucking. They add weight to the doll and often come with issues. Many users report receiving dolls with broken systems or without instructions. These features are still in testing phases.
The breathing option is also a no-go. It’s a waste of space and, more often than not, disrupts the experience due to its noise.
Extra second head
If the current promotion doesn’t include a free extra head, I’d suggest waiting until it does. For instance, I was always late in getting a free extra head for my Starpery Doll, so I used the Layaway Payment from Rosemary Doll to reserve the doll during those promos.