We have reviewed many toys here at Does It Really Work.Org but none have had the impact on social media and the real world the way this toy has. Or should I say these toys, as there is more than one to choose from.The toys we are reviewing are the Naturally Perfect Dolls.
Overview
These Naturally Perfect Dolls have been designed so they don’t portray that standard picture perfect doll look.
The Claim
The claim is that these Naturally Perfect Dolls more accurately represent the looks and hairstyles of minority girls. They are designed to let the young girls in African American and Latino neighborhoods know that their looks and natural beauty is just as vital and important and much truer than the Barbie dolls that are seen to clutter the shelves of most major retailers.
The Hype
A vast amount of the hype that these Naturally Perfect Dolls are generating is due to the successful bid by the starters of the company, a young couple of color with 2 young daughters named Angelica and Jason who started the company after one of their daughters expressed concern over the fact that she didn’t feel like she was beautiful because she did not have Blonde hair and the features like the dolls that she owned which were primarily Barbie type dolls. The founder of FUBU and Shark Tank alumni Damon John bought into the concept and made the couple an offer of $200,000 for 30% in the company with the balance going to the couple less 10% that they will donate to charities.
The Cost
One of the concerns of the other Shark Tankers was the high price point of the dolls that retail for about $85 dollars on the Naturally Perfect Dolls website which is listed below. While this may sound a little high, it really is not much different than your average Barbie that runs in and around the same price points for the ones that come with accessories. So, really the price is pretty reasonable for a well- made doll with the significance that these dolls represent.
The Commitment
Not much in the way of commitment to these dolls other than from the young ladies who will need to love them and take care of them when they receive one for a Birthday or Christmas or just so they can have a doll that more accurately represents who they are and how they look which is of course…Naturally Beautiful! The actual commitment is made by the parents who choose to purchase these wonderful dolls that help to break down the stigma and stereotypes too long perpetuated by the mass media in particular and toy makers in general.
Evaluation
From the extensive reviews we have read online it is indicated that the Naturally Perfect Dolls are very well made and as life like as any other doll on the market today and in some cases much more realistic. The features are designed to mirror the features of the communities that they represent so that the young ladies from those communities are able to see that they are just as beautiful and in some cases even more beautiful than the watered down, unrealistic and manipulated image that they see in the mainstream media every day. Currently the company has 4 Naturally Perfect Dolls in their growing line up including the first doll they produced named Angelica and then Brielle and Kennedy and then Camryn who is the lighter skin variant of the line- up. All of the dolls come dressed but you can purchase amazing accessories for all the dolls from the website. Check out some of the other interesting toys that we have talked about in the past.
Final Naturally Perfect Dolls Review
While the big toy chains have tried something similar in the past few years the dolls they produced were simply not as accurate feature wise as the Naturally Perfect dolls and of course do not have the same back story either which in our opinion makes these dolls just a little more special over all. They are a well- made product with the best of intentions from a moral perspective which in our books makes them worth the price of purchase. For far too long we as a society have had a vision of what we consider to be beautiful but that limited vision has left us with blinders on that limits our ability to see true “naturally perfect” beauty when it is right before our eyes. Hopefully these Naturally Perfect Dolls are just the start of a shift away from the traditional and a gateway to a new reality. A reality that is right outside our doors, in our magazines and schools and in advertising of every sort. The shift has begun and Naturally Perfect Dolls are just one small foot step in the right direction.
Our Recommendation
For anyone, of any nationality or gender who wants their children to know and understand that beauty comes in all shapes, sizes and yes, even colors these Naturally Perfect Dolls are for you, or more appropriately, for your child. Breaking down the barriers and stigmas that surround our kids every day is what leads to a more tolerant and inclusive society and in today’s unpredictable times that is needed now more than ever! Kudos to Angelica and Jason for refusing to buy into the traditional and much respect to Damon John, the best dressed Shark Tanker, who saw the potential and coughed up some much needed capital to help kick start their expansion into a broader market!
Jennifer is totally wrong. They are not making any more dolls.
Hi Tiffany they are a small up and going company and because of this they don’t have a huge stock of dolls. They are made to order. When o purchased my dolls it took over 5 months before I received it. They are human and people just like us and keep in mind its a family business and they are the only employees (husband and wife) they also have 3 small children all under the age of 7 so sometimes they don’t always answer emails right away. With the shark tank investment they had to brand themselves be patient with them. If you paid you will get your doll. I have 3 of them and my daughter loves them.
American Girl Dolls cost a lot more. People are willing to dish out 110.00 for an American Girl doll but complain about the cost of this one. I personally owe 3 of the 4 dolls they have available. I purchased my dolls before their appearance on shark tank. My 4 year old loves them and they are a true representation of her. She gets to comb their hair and the hair is 100% human hair so the styles are versatile. I’m happy I made this purchase and I would definitely buy again.
I ordered the Kennedy doll and they took my money! No delivery, refund, or apology! BEWARE they dont repond to email….
What I don’t get is that if this is such a great cause why charge $85 dollars when we all now it cost you $35 or less to make. No Barbie costs that much. Seems like greed to me. This is not about overcoming diversity in the market, it’s about making money….if it was so important why not narrow the margin?
I paid for a doll on January 14 using paypal via Shopify. Total paid $94.99.
I contacted them via email to ask about shipping dates on 23 February and received no response.
To get a response to shipping dates, I had to open a case on Paypal on 27 February. Then they DID respond and told me that shipping would occur in the next couple of weeks and that I would need to close the dispute in Paypal in order to receive my doll. I closed the case on 01 March per the conversation with the understanding that they were shipping the doll to me.
On 14 March THEY CANCELED MY ORDER, as I saw on Shopify, but I did receive any email notification of this cancelation.
When I did not receive a doll by 18 April, I emailed to info@naturallyperfectdolls and was told that all the dolls had shipped and that my order was canceled due to the dispute on Paypal.
I called 305-209-5375 on May 6 and spoke to Jason. He apologized and said he would refund my money within 1-3 business days. Imagine my surprise that this has not happened.
They have not shipped any doll, they have not answered my emails, they have not refunded my money.
DO NOT TRUST THEM OR MAKE A PURCHASE.