The Doll Forum

When I got mine it has an awful plastic smell. And from what I read the paint they use for mannequins is usually acrylic paint, and some acrylic paint contains lead or so. I had no warning stickers on mine.

Just wondering.

As long as you don't plan on eating it, you should be fine....

The plastic smell will subside after a while and the paint does not come off easily. Had mine for over 15 years. Same paint, same make up. Even the same name polish. Not one chip or fade in any of it.

You probably bought a PE mannequin. Polyethylene plastic.

Yes that's what it was PE plastic. The head seems to be made of a softer material.

I've just read somewhere about how some sex toys contain harmful materials and was wondering if the same would apply for mannequins.

Fiberglass is safe as long as you don't breathe in the dust when sanding etc. PE and other plastics should be safe even if ingested in small amounts. As to the paint - some of the make-up can rub off, but it's illegal now to use lead, mercury and most other toxic chemicals in paint. At least in the EU, but I think in the US as well.

Even fiberglass mannequins reek at first. All of mine smelled real bad for a time, but subsided eventually. I wouldn't worry about it hurting you though.

The only real issue w/ PE is you can't paint it very easy or glue anything to it VS fiberglass that accepts all kinds of paint and glue, bondo, etc for doing modifications. But you may only want the mannequin as is.