Took me A LOT of tries to get my points across effectively, hence why this is so late. Here’s a run-down: 1. Please don’t treat me like a “queen” or someone above you. It drives me CRAZY. The point of this channel is that I’m talking TO you and WITH you, not AT you. That’s why the quality doesn’t have to be perfect and everything doesn’t have to be perfectly polished and edited (in my opinion). 2. Doll reviews aren’t meant to sell you things. Don’t buy things because it seems cool or exciting or new- buy things because they make you happy. 3. PR is simply a company sending me (or anyone else) a product for free. When you view a PR video from me or anyone else, you need to understand that the product was free. There’s been shady things happening with this power imbalance and dynamic in the community lately that has been VERY ugly around a recent brand launch. Some people ARE paid by companies especially through the use of affiliate links. Be careful when navigating this kind of content. I’ve personally never been paid or incentivized to do any review. 4. Don’t force yourself to be someone else or do something else just to be liked. You deserve to be loved and have friends for who you are and I promise you don’t want a friendship/relationship with a foundation of power imbalances and falsehoods. Ok I’m done for now ! These are all things that are important to me
In regards to point #1, and I don't mean this in a rude way, the expression is to "give someone the time of day" not light like you said. Of course what you were conveying is more interesting than grammar, but I thought you'd might want to know? If you read this, which I doubt, since this video's been out a while.
wait you’ve fully just put a finger on why i love this channel! it’s like having a friend who is also into dolls and hearing their opinions vs watching a “doll influencer”
That’s my big reason I like doing RUclips. Just being a corporate shill would not serve me or anyone else. When I am at my worst mentally I can just sit down and talk about dolls with people and that is so unbelievably cool to me
Yo, you're absolutely right. I only recently found xCanadensis, but I love listening to her opinions because she just talks about them like I do with my friends. There's a stream of consciousness that gets derailed and is unpolished, but in that way where you feel you're just chatting and getting an honest opinion. I'm really enjoying it, tbh.
Honestly, Brook’s videos are what i always look forward watching same with BeautyInsideABox. They’re not someone who likes to sugarcoat stuff in their videos just for their viewers to love them and I enjoy watching vloggers that look like real people in their bedroom/dollroom talking about dolls without the fancy production and other stuff. Can we also praise Brook for uploading everyday?! She’s really a hardworking person. Love you sis ✨😘
BIAB does SUCH a good job at just being a doll friend on the internet type of channel which is what I love. I’ve watched him for years and love that I can be completely enthralled by a video about Disney dolls from a line I have no interest in aha! And thank you, it means a lot. I don’t know if I can keep this going forever but it’s fun for now!
@@xCanadensis you’re one of the reasons why im on youtube, I discovered you because of your monster high and winx videos before i even created this account of mine. I dont have interest with both lines but you made me see why you love those lines so much and how much they meant to you. Just last year, i got myself a china exclusive bloom believix ( cuz she’s the only one i can get here in Philippines) and now im waiting for my Frankie Haunt Couture to come into the mail. And can I highlight that I learned how to not be guilty unboxing dolls because of you? I appreciated some of my dolls now that theyre out of their boxes!
you’re honestly the reason i’m more unapologetic about my collection and love for dolls. I went to target to get the jh dolls and i never go in because of my social anxiety but I can’t pay $31 for 3 defects lol. thank you for making these videos 💖
My biggest advice to calm anxiety in the toy section is to start out by pretending to be on the phone. I used to pretend I was buying a gift for my sister LOL. After a while I figured out that literally nobody cared or paid me any mind so I am now a troll who lives in the doll section proudly. But it takes a LOT of time to get there
You need to detatch yourself from the fears that plague you. You need to take on the attitude that you just don't care. Don't care about other people, or what they might think. Don't care about what you think is wrong with you. Don't care about the things that scare you. Your peace of mind is all that matters. When doubts or fears creep in your mind, Just keep saying out loud, "I DON'T CARE!"
@@xCanadensis thank you! yes! haha I do that too haha. when I got them I impulsively got simone and some lady was staring at me with her kid like I just stole from her lmao and i loudly said “I dont care I love dolls” so i’m slowly getting to the point of not caring 😅BTW your rainbow high videos are my absolute favorite videos and your winx 💖 thank you for taking the time to respond. it means so much 💖
The other day I was in the doll section with a pregnancy test and pens in my hand. You can’t be judged as much as I was in that moment. Next time just think “at least I’m not the girl with the pregnancy test” hope that helps. And btw the test was negative, thank god lmao
Very interesting. Enjoyed hearing your thoughts. I am 63 years old and I collect barbie and seamless silicone dolls but I long for people to share my thoughts on dolls with. It is a strange hobby. I started collecting during Covid and then through a serious illness. It gave me immeasurable comfort and delight. I feel a bit lonely though, all the folk I enjoy are online and I wish I had a doll collector friend in person. But it is these channels (like yours) that help me feel I am not crazy, though I would say I am addicted.
Why did forced perspective make my brain see the Chelsea doll as a large styling head behind you at the beginning? 😂. Wonderful breakdown on how and why you make content about what you collect. Your narrative style is really unique on RUclips, and brings me and so many others lots of joy and knowledge. Super proud of your trajectory here and in the academic world!
BAHAHA! The reason she’s there is because the initial video idea was going to be about community discourse and infighting over brands and I was gonna use my scene and Bratz as examples
Heavy on the bootlocking, especially when they received the MH dolls for FREE. And to say people are overreacting about the price when we actually have to pay out of our own pockets, chileee....😑
It’s weird to defend the price of anything honestly. Everyone has their own standards for what is acceptable to spend on something… I’ll buy a $40 doll in one shopping trip but refuse to spend $10 on a pack of socks because I think that’s too much LOL. I think it’s fine to kinda try and analyze prices and even to say that you personally are okay with the price but FIGHTING WITH PEOPLE OVER HOW YOU THINK THE PRICE IS FINE AND IF THEY DON’T THINK SO THEY’RE POOR AND CHILDISH??? WHATTTTT??? Insanity.
@@xCanadensis Honestly I think some people just have to look at the difference between what it'd be worth to you and what it'd be worth in general. You can be willing to get something but still able to acknowledge that it is kind of overpriced. A certain (cough) few doll youtubers never seem to point these things out. Not mentioning the Jett bald spot or how the ridiculously overpriced Frankie looks nothing like the stock pics or the ridiculously chipped mermaze tails. Because at the end of the day, the viewers kinda rely on the honest review, both the positive and the negative.
I think what I like most about your videos is that they feel like im watching a friend I’ve never really met that has the same interests as me, we have very similar personalities and I love that. Keep being unapologetically yourself, you’re doing great!
Yes! Exactly why I love this channel. I don't and haven't had friends who share the interest of dolls, let alone who would want to sit down and talk about it with me for an hour. It's different than a toy review channel, it's more about sharing a hobby and chatting :D
Also: "honestly surprised it didn't cost more" and "don't criticize companies" gotta be some of my _fave_ things said about the launch we do not name, because they simply _will not_ leave my head 🤪
please that was so funny (if it's the same person i'm thinking rn) Being really vocal about RH flaws and price and then... complimenting the same stuff about the spooky $75 ones? lol
@@TheFeelingOfC there was one RUclipsr who isn’t even that huge in comparison to the doll circle who basically did that but worse and that’s who I thought that was referring to (i can’t even remember her name )
I LOVE the term "living library of dolls". That's kind of how I feel about my collection too. I love a big variety whether it be companies, materials, or eras so it's like I have a little mini museum of the history of the Art of Dolls. 😄 Except library is more accurate as I can actually hold them, and rearrange and organize them all the time.
I watch you because you're so personable, you talk like a friend with an obsession, and I love that. Thank you. If I ever go the "we're not worthy" route, please take it as a joke, because it totally is. I think it's too easy for people to forget that famous people are still people. My worry has always been acting too close because of how one sided this type of interaction is, so I'm never quite sure how to show that I'm open to a real friendship without being creepy. I've learned over time how to handle myself by just interacting more often with famous people, and learned how my earlier behavior wasn't always fun for the other side. Not everyone gets that opportunity and in their heads famous people remain the shiny front that's shown to the world with no dimension. It's really too bad that you haven't been able to overcome that from your end, that's got to be so frustrating! I think being open about what types of fans you enjoy the most and which ones bother you in a general way would help, that was something that helped me in the past. I hope this video helps. Something I've noticed with one of the doll RUclipsrs I watch is that they complained about people being too picky about factory defects, but then all of the dolls they got from that company were all free directly from the company. Of course the promo dolls have better quality control than the dolls straight off the shelf! It frustrates me because they're acting like we have access to the same things. I'm sure they're not purposefully being disingenuous, but I think it's a good example of why it's so important for influencers to be open about getting things for free or when things are paid endorsements. Totally agree with you.
I appreciate this video a lot! I JUST got into doll collecting. When I was a little kid I loved playing with dolls but as I grew older I became quite ashamed of them. So I stopped. Now that I'm older and don't really care what other people think, I've started collecting them again and it has been so much fun! But yes I can understand how the extra pressure of your growing following can be a slippery slope to climb, but you're doing it beautifully!
Brooke, your transparency and making videos like these is what keeps me coming back to you. You’re one of the most honest RUclipsrs (in general not just doll influences) and it’s truly admirable. Keep up the good work!
All of these chat videos are giving me LIFE!!!! I appreciate your honesty. A hobby RUclipsr I used to watch slowly switched to only doing videos of one subscription box with no note about being sponsored or having affiliate links, and it really upset me to see her channel become a giant deceptive ad. Also It's clear that you care a lot about others and place a lot of weight on yourself for others feelings. But you're doing so much for this community and investing so much time and thought and I truly believe most of your subscribers understand that.
Amen to all of this. I hate the word 'influencer', because it just comes off as people trying to brainwash others. You've always been super down to earth and so genuinely passionate about your dolls, and I really appreciate that you're honest even now that you're getting free stuff. I'm glad you still read all your comments. You responded to a couple of mine before but then I thought maybe I said something weird to make you not want to answer anymore 😆
"To be a queen and wear a crown is a thing more glorious to them that see it than it is pleasant to them that bear it." Queen Elizabeth I. It's an honor and calls for strength.
Thank you for being yourself. I am personally so sick of people playing into companies hands and promoting something they really don’t care for. This has been happing too often. Thanks for being real and genuine. Also, thanks for encouraging me to be happy and proud of my doll collection rather than ashamed.
"I really like having a lot of'em." So what you're telling me here is that you are not only secretly a mermaid, but also secretly a dragon who collects dolls!
This is why you’re getting the amount of subscribers you are getting! You are such a real, honest and joyful person. Keep being you. We love you for it 🙏🏽
I am not a doll collector but just seeing how pretty dolls are and happy they make people makes me smile makes me wish I had these dolls when I was younger. I like seeing all the new ones come out
It's so appreciated all the effort you put in to your videos and talking to us, the audience, every single day without fail. You make each of your videos feel like a real conversation and a one on one connection- something that's really rare to see on RUclips now a days. The community that you've created this little corner of the Internet- I love it so much! It's "cozy," y'know?
I discovered your channel not long ago. Thanks to you I don't feel ashamed about liking / collecting dolls. Even buying dolls from the store. Listening to you talk about them in such passionate, fun way, it's like I'm listening to a friend, not a "famous" youtuber. Very comforting. Honestly wish i had a friend like you irl.
You and Serena are probably the two people on this platform that I really feel a friendly connection with! 🥰 I literally check around midnight to see if you’d posted yet, lol. This is a little out there but it’s relevant. I have a really good friend one twitch streams but she’s super shy! She makes comments about not being professional yet with her content, but something I had told her was a lot of what you said! I too personally really enjoy when content feels more from a “homey” kind of view! Someone sitting in their house surrounded by things they love and talking openly and honestly about things that bring them joy! I love the way you do your videos and appreciate all the work you do for us followers coming to see you! And I truly enjoy how you don’t try to push a product on us too! Like personally never had a rainbow high doll in my life and never saw them until your channel, I don’t quite feel an interest in all of them, but the winter versions of the red (ruby) and the green one (jade) I have come to think about often and would really enjoy having them as my first rainbow high! Anyways sorry for such a long comment! Hope you have a awesome day and anyone reading! 🥰💕
Yes! This is why I stopped watching so many doll influencers. As they were getting dolls for free and as you said boot licking the price and then getting mad that people, who said that those dolls aren’t worth the price it was being sold for. Amongst other things
Intelligent, funny, on point and so very true! Your hitting on everything I love and hate about RUclips, doll collecting and doll collector's. It's all become so.......complicated, and now more then ever, that's the last thing we need in a hobby that for me was always about fun, sharing and escapism. Your integrity is so refreshing and admirable. You genuinely love your dolls for no other reason then that; YOU LOVE THEM! I wonder how many so called "influencers" who have huge followers like you are doing it strictly because they love dolls? Love these chats because it really goes to the core reason's we collect dolls or anything for that matter. Some are motivated by reason's that are sadly substitutions for some emotional void and it ends up making them more miserable because they never loved dolls. The "buy what you love" golden rule should be the absolute logical reason anyone collects anything. Yet another reason I love your posts. For so young you seem to be so together about what's important. I'm 57 and though I still believe wisdom comes with age, your living proof there are exceptions to the rule. Thanks for this post. It was as relaxed and intriguing as all your posts. I wish you all the very best!
Glad you made this video! For me, we’ve messaged back & forth about this topic briefly, I’m usually overly supportive of people who show me genuine support as well, so naturally for me, I would always wanna go above & beyond to show that my support is real. I can see how it can be difficult when people become fans because you don’t wanna feel superior, because you never want to feel like you’re unreachable or not down to earth or have a celebrity complex, it does become an exclusive task when trying to find genuine leveled friendships.
Hey sweetheart! I’m a recent subscriber but I’ve been watching for a while and I really do appreciate your honesty. And what’s been happening in the doll collecting world is kinda sad, especially in regards to PR. I’ve been collecting for a long time (xennial here) but I don’t have a vast amount. Some OMGs here, RH, a few MH, old school Barbie… (oh, just got the Splash Queen OMG Queen… gorgeous! A thousand times better in person! Okay imma stop). Anyway my point is I understand PR. It’s a huge part of consumerism. Sell product, make money. Cool. What I don’t appreciate is how a small group of people have been gaslighting a lot of doll fans in regards to doll vs. price. I have collector dolls, I get why things tend to be more expensive. But I want my money’s worth because, well, I could be using that money for other things. However… a lot of folks aren’t pleased with a certain current line and have been talking in certain areas. But to be talked down to by a certain person because they received free product and told the price is fair and to basically shut up because fee-fees are being hurt… sorry. I just lost respect. You, my dear, are a gem. I LOVED your Mermaze review and I could tell you had so much fun making it. You deserved the PR. All I want in a review is the honesty! I don’t care if someone got it for free, but be honest! We need that! How’s the fabric, the hair, was there a lot of thought in the design, what are the factory errors if any? Don’t give me “ohmagawd this is aMaAAzing (tm) while glossing over the crappy contents. So, tldr, you’re awesome, I appreciate you, and thanks for not talking down to us. I will continue to watch and value your opinions!
I think this is so important to talk about, so I feel the need to comment even though I don't usually lol. It's SO easy on the Internet nowadays to put someone up on a pedestal and then freak out because they inevitably disappoint the fans and get cancelled, only for fans to find someone else to put on a pedestal. It's cool that you're aware of those sorts of dangers. Yes to everything you said about gatekeeping, honesty, and "yes men" as well.
Thank you for always being real and authentic! I love your videos such as doll reviews, or thrifting. Overall, your doll advice is helpful and didn't know about this topic in the doll community. This topic isn't talk about as often.
thank you SO MUCH for highlighting that content has influence on people, even if it doesn't have words or the person thinks that it doesn't. it does subconsciously. i made a post recently on instagram about fatphobia in the doll community, and i mentioned how editing a dolls waist to be skinnier is pushing the beauty standard. i got a lot of negative feedback, and while i understand that this is more of a societal and doll industry issue, the community can still push that narrative. i hope one day they recognize that. thank you for your content and expressing how you feel; you're genuinely the only doll youtuber i fully trust.
I love you. Your content is fantastic because you’re such a smart and insightful person. You were one of the first doll channels I followed and it’s been super cool to see how much your channel has grown.
Excellent video! I’ve been giving the side eye to a lot of the goings-ons from certain peeps in the community. 😒 Love and respect your candor. *cough* “genuinely a fair price” *cough*
Omg!! I loved this. Entertaining and great advice. I really enjoy your discussions surrounding the community itself. These are great and I think help bring people together. Best wishes to you❤️
Ok so first videos I watched from you was jakks love and pet bloom doll and china exclusive Winx lovix dolls, and those videos are still some of my favorite videos that you made. I'm following you since 2017, I saw your ups and downs, and trust me when I say that you are one of my favorite RUclipsr I truly mean it! I always loved how casual your videos are, like when I watch your doll video I can undoubtedly say that you are truly enjoying that doll, like how you immediately brushing their hair right after unboxing, like how you explore the doll then say your opinions, I love it!!!! It's like watching myself playing with my doll(I don't have any doll, currently preparing myself for varsity admission... So wish me luck, so that I can finally buy my dream Winx dolls, anime figures DVD's and all that) and it's so cool for me to see how similar opinions we share on most of the things, don't know how to put but it's like for example I see a doll and felt alot of things about it and move on, and few days later I see your review on it and I was like yeah that's exactly what I felt you just described my feelings through words perfectly! And I love how you sometime literally says your feeling about the doll by using body language! Yes the casualties! You are literally now my comfort channel. Even if I'm not hype about a certain doll I still love to see you talking about it, it's like a friend talking about his favorite activities. And you are truly an amazing and adorable person! Always stay amazing like this. And ofc congratulations for 23k! You always deserved it.
I think you're a very down to earth person. I enjoy watching and learning about all the different dolls. I hope you continue to doing videos for as long it makes you happy 😊. Sending positive you're way 💗...😘
I love your videos so much, you are one of my favorite doll youtuber because how natural and honest you are, and your whole setting when filming as well, it's so much more relatable than many others. Also it feels like I'm watching a friend/acquaintance talking about something they are passionate about with me, on an equal level. We are all humans, and always try to have that in mind so I never put people up on pedestals. Still it can be scary sometimes interacting with someone who has a huge following cause it's sometimes hard to know if they consider themselves better or more important than others. I managed to find a couple of those back when I were active on my dollstagram and those people one of the main reasons I stopped enjoying posting there, just gave me anxiety, and felt judged for not having as "professional" looking photos as they did. The sole reason of me watching doll reviews is almost always to look up if a particular doll or doll line is worth buying. I just want to see how the doll looks out of box and form my own opinion of it. So I usually ignore the commentary if there is unnecessary praise (if they do that I turn off the sound lol). Dolls in general cost A lot more where I live (Sweden) than in the US (almost none is under $30, and that's just for the more standard/basic releases) and not made of money myself so want to make an extremely informed decision before buying (my dad does the exact same with his comic collection xD).
I think what makes a good doll review is that it isn’t made with the intention of making the viewer want to buy the doll, it’s made with the intention of helping the viewer decide if they want the doll, and the success of the video isn’t dependent on if the viewer decides to buy it or not. My favourite thing about your channel is that you know so much about so many different doll brands that I can always expect to learn about something new. I’ve definitely put dolls on my radar and bought them because you’ve talked about them (such as enchantimals and la dee da) and that’s because I just find dolls to be fascinating. even if they’re not my favourites in my collection I still learn something from them. It’s my goal to get at least one of every playline fashion doll brand so I can have an accurate survey of different types of dolls. that’s the purpose of doll youtubers to me: to give people information so they can make more informed decisions about dolls. I think a lot of newer collectors don’t get this, and that’s why so many people are obsessed with getting a complete collection, even if they don’t have the money to do so, and their only motivation is that they feel like they have to. it’s really unhealthy, but brands do benefit from that behaviour, so it’s not gonna go away easily. that’s part of why I love these doll chat videos you make. it’s so important to me to thoughtfully collect, and I’m sure it’s even more true for people with smaller collections. Love the video 💖
I wish all doll RUclipsrs had your same logic and values because maybe I’d actually have some doll collecting friends by now. :( I’ve tried reaching out to people with only a couple thousand subs or less and still no luck, they put themselves on a pedestal and it’s sad for people like me who are just looking for people to connect with that are interested in the same hobby. I love your channel and ALL your content and thank you for posting this. I needed to hear literally all of it. You’re a true sweetheart.
Gah I’m so sorry :( I had the same problem and then I gained subs and those same people suddenly decided I was worth their time and I just laughed and blocked them. How silly and fickle. I know it’s hard as hell for me to answer messages and comments all the time because of how much I have to do all the time and how anxious I’ll get over them sometimes so I can’t say that being ignored is always intentional but I completely understand and relate to that frustration :( My best advice for finding doll friends is responding to stories and posting your own dolls on an account and people may come to you :) I made quite a few new friends when I started posting about some of the more obscure dolls that I collect and it was so exciting!
If you are not on reddit yet, I recommend joining /r/dolls and /r/RainbowHigh. If there are other dolls you collect, there are probably specific groups for those, too.
I love when u do videos like these . I dmed you a couple weeks ago and thought you’d never answer . So u clarifying is super sweet . Ur a very humble person . Glad I’m subscribed to you 😌
Cool video and explains a lot of what's happening now on RUclips generally not only doll community, it is very brave to make such a video and just to let you know it shows who's passionate and who's doing it for advertising and we have always trusted you because it's your passion.
this is why i love your vids i can tell that you have such a dedication to your fan base and you are always honest and you are a great person and you genuinely care about us:) your amazing thanks for all that you do.
Love your channel. Thanks for keeping it real. In my opinion, you and A Thousand Splendid Dolls are the 2 channels that are the most honest, genuine, and passionate about your collections.
Brooke, I really enjoy your channel and the content. I see your channel as a friend sharing her excitement, her enthusiasm and her opinion of her new doll finds. You are very real on your channel and it is extremely refreshing to get honest views on things going on in the doll community. Thank you for all you share.....🙂🙂
Thank you for your kind comment! Your comments are always so sweet and I appreciate it a lot. I just like to make the type of videos that I like to watch ahaha. I haaaate overproduced corporate videos, they feel so sterile and weird to me
I loved your mermaid 🧜♀️ video because it showed you love mermaids and you’re showing that passion plus we had all seen you in your tail it’s not like something you got just to show us the dolls I feel like 👍 you’re a huge fan and this was right up your alley you still were the most honest about the doll and how it will get wet because that’s what kiddos do as an adult I’ll not wet the doll now thanks to seeing you do it! Anyway enjoy your videos
Thank you for making this video! I know of one doll reviewer that almost NEVER discloses that he gets dolls from the company for free. It's a wonder that he hasn't been caught by RUclips.
🥲 you put so much time, effort, work, love, and self-reflection in building this community. This video helps me with my unconscious behaviors as someone who can be desperate for friendship in the doll community, it is nice to be aware of the things that you deal with from your perspective and lived experience. 💝 I hope you know how much we appreciate the extreme amount of work you put into making sure we are heard and seen. You are only one person Brooke. But you do a wonderful job at being our friend!!💚💙💜💛🧡
Thank you for your videos. I may have said it before but, your honesty is great. What makes us all human is our uniqueness. I know I have said this, I love dolls and collect vintage vintage vintage barbie mostly but other cute dolls too. Having children who have doll interests is fun too. I like to see all the new dolls available and reviews. Between my kids and friend's kids I hear lots of different doll and toy lines. You have helped me see reviews of some the kids mentioned before buying them and shown dolls I was unaware of also. If this were a dialogue I am sure my love for vintage barbie would show. Wish I could show you just how awesome the 60s and 70s barbies and their outfits are. So compareable to the rainbow high quality. I actually was introduced to rainbow high by my friend's daughter she was so excited to show her doll. Then I bought her another and my daughter one. They are so cute. Cave club I was eh about then saw your dolls and decided to give it a try. My kid loves them. I have so many different dolls in my house it's funny. Madame alexander has fashion dolls the size of tonner and integrity dolls. I have a few of those too. I like variety but my love is vintage barbie. I never have taken you as pushing a doll just a passionate doll lover. You seem like a wonderful person. Someone I can relate to. Just thank you for all your hard work and fun videos.
I love this video so much! love how you're always bringing up very valid topics that honestly dont get brought up enough. In an odd way(never looked at it like that until now) I guess im lowkey apart of the crowd that turned your number/the view point into influencer cause tbh i have gotten a lot of dolls because of you but, mostly because growing up i never had much access to dolls,games,board games so i wanted a good review on the bratz sasha doll at the time as it was going to be the first doll i ever got and from there i just kept watching your content(iv since gotten cave club,rainbow high,hairmazings ) and still want the disney store dolls but, expensive so hmm personally i think you do a good job or giving the negative and the good.
It’s not a bad thing to be influenced at all- I just really want to make people think about the reasons for it- you know? I’m influenced ALL THE TIME ahaha. I see a doll a new way when someone posts a pic or video and I get really excited and decide to buy them or start hunting for them! There’s nothing wrong with that and it doesn’t make someone weak or wrong! I just worry that the dynamic becomes- “well I have to buy this now too!” Instead of “ohh I like that, I’m interesting in having this!”
@@xCanadensis Oh absolutely! Its actually very normal. whats not normal is people being odd/manipulative and recommending stuff they really dont like... theres not a single doll you have reviewed and given a good review too that i ended up getting that i regret cave club was one of them like 90% of doll collectors especially on youtube did not like that doll line I thought it was such a unique line and almost talked myself out of it til i saw your reviews and got fernessa,furrah,emberly, and another now its in my top 5!
Brooke, you have “influenced” me to buy some dolls I might not have otherwise. I can think of Cave Club, Hairdorables Hairmazing Prom, and the LOL OMG Remix Super Set. Not all of them quite hit the mark for me a few months later, but I never doubted that you were sincere in your enthusiasm for them, and the quality for price is definitely there. I am also mature and educated enough that I did actually make my own decision, it’s just I had another look at something I probably would have passed by. Beyond that, though, I do worry particularly about younger people seeing doll reviewers and the number of dolls they have and thinking that is a normal goal to aspire to. You have touched on this somewhat: about how your collection is something important to you personally and the sacrifices you make for it. However, I wish doll collectors on social media in general would emphasize more that they are not “normal” in regards to their hobby. Even an honest reviewer is still generally promoting purchasing, and it could lead some people with mental health issues down the wrong path. I don’t even know how I feel about what the responsibility or ethics are in that regard, I just see that it is somewhat of a silo (i.e. only the good side presented of the hobby) that could hurt someone who can’t see the entire context.
I follow some dolls channels on RUclips because I find them very nostalgic. I myself don’t collect dolls. And I never had a ton of dolls growing up but the ones I did have, I absolutely loved. (I was a big winx fan as a kid) so I enjoy watching your videos. Also I love long format videos because I can work on stuff and literally use the video as background noise. So you talking in a very detailed manner is very helpful lol Anyways keep up the great work.
Although you are my favorite person to watch on You Tube you also make me feel like a friend ❤️ I think you do a awesome job of making us all feel that way, so I say just keep being YOU that’s why you have so many followers. 😊
Honestly you’re probably one of the few people who have worded this AMAZINGLY! I feel like most of the time a lot of bigger creators just sound like their bragging and etc….
The Peep and the Big Wide World reference threw me for a loop lol. There really is nothing like a duck. Anyway on the actual topic, been subbed to you for a few years, not super long, probably 2017/18, and an occasional watcher before that, and all that's just to say, the reason you're one of my favorite doll collectors to follow is because you're just Some Guy. Your excitement is infectious even for dolls I'm not personally interested in, your commentary is thoughtful and nuanced and sincere, and you always try to be informed and informative when sharing with others. Like for a while there you seemed like the only doll youtuber I knew who really delved into the behind the scenes process, like with the promo material, or was willing to dissect why or how companies did things. I look forward to and trust your perspective not because you have a lot of subs or dolls, but because I just think you know your shit! xD Your sheer breadth of dolls merely speaks to the experience and history you have with the subject. But you also don't claim to be an expert, and always point out that you could be wrong, or that something is just your opinion, and you're open to other people informing you in return. You are peak Just Some Guy in your modesty and I have a lot of respect for that, and though I can't speak for anyone else, from what I've seen, I think that's what a lot of people like about you. Not surprising your channel blew up during the pandemic, with everyone stuck at home, more online, and trying new hobbies. There's a lot to be said about parasocial relationships, and nothing really I can add that hasn't already been said, but while I don't think a parasocial relationship is inherently bad or unhealthy (provided you stay aware of it), it has a lot of crossover with celebrity worship. Which is super weird because now it's like anyone can slip into "celebrity" status (not even touching the topic of celebrity culture itself) and be put on a pedestal just for trying to share themselves or their interests online. Like it _should_ be a good feeling to have people respond well to what you share, but instead it ends up isolating people, alone in the "superiority" assigned to them by other people. Because on one hand, it's perfectly normal to admire someone else even if you don't really know them! And to then feel shy around people you admire (especially if you don't think very highly of yourself). But people treating you like a "queen" is like seeing you just as your status. It's dehumanizing. People don't realize it because "it can only be a good thing to have people admiring you!" And they would never _mean_ to dehumanize anyone they admire! But they are doing it. ...I don't even know where I'm going with this longass comment anymore other than I'm really sorry that's happening to you. I know that probably doesn't mean much, as someone who doesn't personally have to deal with being a creator with a following, but I _do_ have a hella lot of social and general anxiety that makes me afraid of it, especially because my ultimate goal is to create and share those creations with others... I do relate on wanting to talk to people about dolls more and not feeling able to though. I can't even respond to comments on doll photos on my insta without feeling anxious, which sucks because I'd like to make friends in the hobby, but it's like there's a weird wall of performativity, like working in customer service... And then I turn around and write comments that are way too long on youtube orz (Do I write long comments because I usually avoid commenting, or do I avoid commenting because I might write long comments? Yes. Tfw you're anxious about saying anything but also feel a compelled to say something lmaoooo) tl;dr Thank you for doing what you do, you're a breath of fresh air, I hope you continue to enjoy it and that people act more normal towards you about it 😅
Ok. You got guts lady. We admire it. You did the right thing, even when you did not have to. Don’t let anything steal your joy. Thanks for sharing it all with us. In the words of one of the greats... Love yourself Love your life Love your dolls Know that we love your heart 💖
I literally take half an hour in the same aisle of dolls just to stare at them lol! I never cared about what others would have to say coz i just dont. 😂 dolls keep me happy and fun
You are my favorite channel when it comes to dolls.. you was positive on your mermaze mermaidz review, but you also was honest and pointed out the negatives , like the doll not having knew articulation or not being able to sit..
I think posting and filming in the same day makes it a bit more difficult to have negatives but with Mermaze I couldn’t post until way later because of the contract so I had a lot more time to get a lot more familiar with the dolls. I want to do more of those overall series reviews I used to do for RH videos because those are much more retrospective which I think is more helpful
I just want you to know I found you on RUclips about 6 months ago. You make me happy to watch because I feel comfortable your my homie that loves dolls like me.
I appreciate your channel. Its not gimmickey. Your channel is a product of your enthusiasm for a hobby. You are not doing it for fame or becoming a brand. Well done.
I can't stand doll channels who sugarcoat everything for thr sake of free PR. When they do not acknowledge the flaws of a product at all, I find it very annoying, fake, and decieving. If someone is getting free PR, they should also make it clear to their audience. I admit that it makes me a little bit sad and jealous seeing all these people get free dolls from PR or fanmail with their grail dolls and not realize how lucky they are for that chance when everyone else does not have those chances. Sometimes I feel alone in my doll collecting hobby because I don't have any IRL friends who strongly share my interest in dolls. And I can't stand it when people judge others just because they have a smaller collection. Its not that easy to have a big collection and not everyone has a super high budget for dolls. I just buy the dolls I really like and will often skip the majority of dolls released in a line just because I only like one or two.
So far this is such an interesting topic (im half way through your video lol). I just gotta say that you're not a "queen" to me you are a fellow doll collector who is on the same level as the rest of us. You've never ever came across to be above us in any way like other doll influencers I've seen. I also love how open u are with ur anxiety, i have extreme anxiety too and am very much reluctant to even comment on ur videos and dm you a single picture of my collection or cat. So thanks for just being there and just being our acquaintance? Friend? Whichever you prefer lol
When I say my subscribers/viewers are my doll friends I need to be more careful. I’m not sure how to articulate my thoughts on it but I worry about building an unhealthy parasocial relationship dynamic as well, you know? And thank you. I have such a problem commenting on other people’s videos and I always have. There’s just something about it. You’re so kind for reaching out despite that. And I’m really glad it comes off the way I intend ;-; I would be very sad if it didn’t and it was all in vain.
I watch doll reviews for the sole purpose of seeing what the pro/cons are. Same reason I read reviews on Etsy/Amazon before I purchase items so I really appreciate it when reviewers like you are honest. If you are seeing common manufacturing errors, I wanna know about it. Spill all of the tea! I never watch a video and am like Eww they don't like the doll so screw them! No- I try to see the reasons why instead of immediately attacking and then formulate my opinion on whether I will purchase after that. We are all entitled to our own opinion. If we don't connect to dolls, we just flat don't. I never understood the need to be ugly about other people's opinions about anything really. We all should collect only what we love. That doesn't and shouldn't harm anyone🤷 On another note as a moderator and on the subject of power dynamics. I cannot stand people who get upset when their favorite influencers don't stop what they are doing to immediately shout them out on a live! What if the influencer has ADHD and by them saying that it completely throws the person into a tangential conversation or makes them forget what they were talking about? Then the person gets mad and its just so unnecessary. I know that can and will cause tons of anxiety so its just a peeve.
One time I messaged you on insta about a couple items for ID info. You responded and helped me. You are very nice and helpful when you could. It was cool. Thank you Brooke. ❤️ you are just a person too & you are nice. Sorry there’s an “above you” dynamic & if I made you feel like that in my messages I didn’t mean to. Xx
Love this so much. I agree totally. My channel is tarot and oracle and I have done and do do reviews for decks sent to me by publishers and honesty is so important to me. I’m adding my doll collection in too now and I’m happy beyond belief about it. You are literally the first doll channel I found and your honesty and true love of dolls is so wonderful❤️🥰
When you’re randomly recommended an old video and of course watch it since the new one isn’t out yet… My how far xcanadensis has come! Gaining over 50k since this was posted a year ago! You’ve worked so hard; you deserve all the best! It’s been fun to watch you grow over the past few years. Congratulations!
OKay, so I am dramatically older than you, and can I just say that it's great to see a young person talking like you are, especially at 30:00. it can take people much older than you YEARS to come to this realisation of this truth, that friendships you have to *work for* are not real friendships. I'm incredibly new to dolls, like, it's been a week since I saw a video about them and was like "I want that, because this type of thing didn't exist when i was a kid" and honestly you're so kind and genuine and that's great to see. Your excitement about the subject is what makes it interesting.. I mostly just like the rainbow high ones, from dolls that I've seen of current lines, but even then yeah, I won't buy Simone because I don't like that colour. I prefer blue/purple/green so... yeah, those are the ones I bought. My favourite is River and Violet.
For me, doll stuff is a hobby above all. Even if people get money or free stuff, they still have jobs and their own lives. And I think it's easy to lose track of that when it's so ingrained in our lives, and even more now that we're exposed to seeing others gaining recognition by companies or otherwise And it doesn't have to be a negative thing but there are people that need to be reminded of the core idea of collecting dolls or partaking in a hobby
Yes exactly. It’s nearly impossible to make a career off of it. It’s a hobby and making it miserable for yourself to be cool or popular is so sad. I think social media is wonderful in so many ways but a HUGE issue comes with the power dynamic imbalances and cliques :(
I don’t think you need to keep repeating or clarifying yourself. If people get offended let them be. It either someone young and doesn’t understand yet or someone who just easily offended. Those people shouldn’t be bother with. One thing I learn from online is someone will be offended no matter what and twist your word. You seem so sweet and sincere and I feel bad seeing how many time you have to keep “clarifying things” so people aren’t offended. If you didn’t mean any harm then don’t worry about it. Your true subscriber/audience will stay regardless what you say. Just wanna out this out there so you don’t stress in the future. Worrying someone gonna get hurt cuz we can’t control how people get offended. We can only live our lives. Now on to the topic of the video. I really do watch you cuz I love posting in your video. It like an chatting with people who love dolls. It fun to see people opinion even if they offended at mine. It good to just chat and really talk about dolls. I don’t have dolls friend in real life. You are one of the less toxic RUclipsr. I can say I hate lol doll and not be attack by 100 comment telling me I am wrong 🙄 it my opinion people move on. I think it was doll community been more about money these days then just pure joy. Like the only good video are the 1-2 k one talking about doll topic cuz most people only review dolls. I like doll review but it get boring. It nice to just chat about dolls in general.
I have no doubt mga will continue to send you PR, you actually deserve it and you do such a great job at reviewing the doll, i hope mattel notice you too and send your some PR as well
There’s a bit of behind the scenes stuff I think but I would be very grateful to continue getting PR but I don’t expect it. But regardless I’ll just keep going as normal
It's honestly why I like watching you a lot. Your videos feel like a conversation with a friend rather than something that's overly polished; that's just trying to sell me a product or appeal to brands
I am proud to say I was one of your original subscribers. I deleted my old account that followed you then, but I am glad to still be following. I am happy for your success (although I admit it is so weird how I used to be one of 3 commenters on your videos and now you have hundreds of comments). Best wishes for the future!!! 💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝
I am not influenced by you, but I am more than double your age. I just like watching you because you are an intelligent, truthful and fun doll collector. You are very informed about all of your doll collections. I really enjoy seeing the passion you have for your dolls and the enjoyment you get out of them.
I hate the word influencer but I realized that I needed to be more careful because that's kinda what having a youtube channel is. Thank you. It means a lot and I'm so glad it's coming through
most of my collection is actually things I looove but my MH dolls are just sitting there, I took me some time(and money) to realize you don't have to do things just because other people doooo
I was very pleased when I commented on one of your videos a few days ago and you responded the same day :) I’ve never gotten that from another youtuber so it was nice, like we were just chatting about something we both love (lol well it was actually on a video about some things you don’t like about dolls, but you get what I mean). So in my opinion anyway you have never come across as trying to be above your viewers, sorry to hear that it’s been causing you trouble with others :/
You covered so many things in this video I agree with that I kinda don’t know what to type other than “I agree” lol But yes being genuine friends with somebody who shares an interest with you is better than trying to fit in with the “cool kids” I’d rather find that one person who has the same weird obsession with the forgotten gorgeous creatures doll line than pretend I like American girl dolls just to make friends (I don’t hate them I just don’t collect them and they were the first thing that came to mind. But then again I collect so many doll lines that I can just make friends from other communities anyway but still
One of the topics in this video is really funny to me because....I bought my first My Scene doll.....after years of not really liking/caring about them. Now to be fair, I justified it as I could get it to pass onto one of the girls in my doll group but I have not decided yet. (She is a Day to Nite Nolee in case you were wondering) I am thinking of your video about your favorite My Scene dolls....yeaah.....lol. I am giving her a chance....because of you.....rofls. I got her for five bucks at a second hand store and she had her clothing which I thought was impressive. Anyways, I agree with you on the PR ethics and laws. When I watch a review I want three things. To see the doll and their details for curiosity or to help me decide if I want to get it and to see their flaws AND for the reviewers thoughts. If I wanted to just see the doll, I would just look at the PR photos but as a viewer, I WANT peoples opinions. I am also not into Cabbage Patch Kids (but I think I have watched the same videos you have....:) Because its fun to see someone with passion talk about their loves and memories and thoughts on something. Its not just the dolls but the personality that keeps someone coming back. I also dont want everyone to love the same dolls. That would be so boring. On a side note, I am sure you put A LOT of work and stress into your Mermaze video so bravo for that! It came out really good and you looked fantastic! I love that you mermaided out and went to the pool...and beach....You should be really proud of your creativity and effort there. If you are doing a video like the power dynamics one in the future too you should jot down your key points and that way you get everything covered. Just a suggestion. I do love me the rambles....that is all I do.....:)
I watch doll review videos (and other things) because I like hearing other people's opinions about them and also because I like seeing details on something I might not have yet myself, but I don't think my own opinion gets influenced too much by what other people think about them. I think I am actually influenced more when I am just reading a review, or discussion forum, without the video, because there is less context there to base my own opinion on, if that makes sense. I didn't want youtube for a long time (and I still don't watch too many channels) because if I find someone annoying to listen to, it's not worth it (and maybe I am easily annoyed). Happily I enjoy listening to your videos!
I found your channel while I was watching Rainbow High and omg its been so awesome I watched so many of your videos specifically cuz I was seeing what rainbow high dolls to get and I saw that your favorite was Poppy so I was like "oh maybe I'll get her to start" and so I did along with Gabriella and wao, I don't really like her. So far I have Jet, Kia, Georgia, Gabriella, Stella, and Poppy and I for sure fell inlove with Georgia she's my favorite right now (although I am getting Emi soon so who knows). I felt bad that I wasn't connecting as much with Poppy and after this video I was like "well yea of course its okay that I didn't connect with Poppy cuz we are literally two different people with different likes and dislikes. Anyways just wanted to share oh but after I put my Poppy in Georgia's pearl top, cardigan, Stella's white skirt, and Poppy's socks and butterfly shoes I liked her a whole lot more.
dam how happy i was watching your video, and i conect with you personaly because i used to draw, OC Monster High and Ever After characters, and a lot of things, but them, Swangellical came in my life and storm everything away, he has a lot of followers who like his art, and "influencers" that he keeps in touch, one of them is Mama*** who i think is gross, but anyway o got a RH doll, Ruby and i LOVED her design, but the quality control was trash and i took to ID and Swangellical and his group of "friends" started calling me out, like "you are poor, you don't know how to draw, you dumb b**** etc etc" and it was soo toxic and keeping in mind, i used to LOVE his arts and also of the other friends in his friend group, but everybody started treating me like Sh** i started disliking dolls and the "doll community" in general, i stoped drawing also got exclued by 2 youtubers who i used to talk everyday because they are "afraid of getting he mad he has a lot of followers", but i think you're in the right side of things, keep your mind and spirts up you are doing nothing wrong! And for me really is amazing that you took your time to be nice and say things, iven if i see you got a little nervous at times, its brave! Keep up!
You're a Tiktoker, cosplayer, doll collector, Paleontologist, a mom to leggy, Amaya, and mini Brooke and a RUclipsr with Thousands of subscribers, but you never think of yourself as "the queen of the universe" or anything like that. You're very humble, you treat us like your friends, and you're not always "perfect" which is why I looooove watching your videos!
Took me A LOT of tries to get my points across effectively, hence why this is so late.
Here’s a run-down:
1. Please don’t treat me like a “queen” or someone above you. It drives me CRAZY. The point of this channel is that I’m talking TO you and WITH you, not AT you. That’s why the quality doesn’t have to be perfect and everything doesn’t have to be perfectly polished and edited (in my opinion).
2. Doll reviews aren’t meant to sell you things. Don’t buy things because it seems cool or exciting or new- buy things because they make you happy.
3. PR is simply a company sending me (or anyone else) a product for free. When you view a PR video from me or anyone else, you need to understand that the product was free. There’s been shady things happening with this power imbalance and dynamic in the community lately that has been VERY ugly around a recent brand launch. Some people ARE paid by companies especially through the use of affiliate links. Be careful when navigating this kind of content. I’ve personally never been paid or incentivized to do any review.
4. Don’t force yourself to be someone else or do something else just to be liked. You deserve to be loved and have friends for who you are and I promise you don’t want a friendship/relationship with a foundation of power imbalances and falsehoods.
Ok I’m done for now ! These are all things that are important to me
In regards to point #1, and I don't mean this in a rude way, the expression is to "give someone the time of day" not light like you said. Of course what you were conveying is more interesting than grammar, but I thought you'd might want to know? If you read this, which I doubt, since this video's been out a while.
wait you’ve fully just put a finger on why i love this channel! it’s like having a friend who is also into dolls and hearing their opinions vs watching a “doll influencer”
That’s my big reason I like doing RUclips. Just being a corporate shill would not serve me or anyone else. When I am at my worst mentally I can just sit down and talk about dolls with people and that is so unbelievably cool to me
Yo, you're absolutely right. I only recently found xCanadensis, but I love listening to her opinions because she just talks about them like I do with my friends. There's a stream of consciousness that gets derailed and is unpolished, but in that way where you feel you're just chatting and getting an honest opinion. I'm really enjoying it, tbh.
Honestly, Brook’s videos are what i always look forward watching same with BeautyInsideABox. They’re not someone who likes to sugarcoat stuff in their videos just for their viewers to love them and I enjoy watching vloggers that look like real people in their bedroom/dollroom talking about dolls without the fancy production and other stuff. Can we also praise Brook for uploading everyday?! She’s really a hardworking person. Love you sis ✨😘
BIAB does SUCH a good job at just being a doll friend on the internet type of channel which is what I love. I’ve watched him for years and love that I can be completely enthralled by a video about Disney dolls from a line I have no interest in aha!
And thank you, it means a lot. I don’t know if I can keep this going forever but it’s fun for now!
@@xCanadensis you’re one of the reasons why im on youtube, I discovered you because of your monster high and winx videos before i even created this account of mine. I dont have interest with both lines but you made me see why you love those lines so much and how much they meant to you. Just last year, i got myself a china exclusive bloom believix ( cuz she’s the only one i can get here in Philippines) and now im waiting for my Frankie Haunt Couture to come into the mail. And can I highlight that I learned how to not be guilty unboxing dolls because of you? I appreciated some of my dolls now that theyre out of their boxes!
you’re honestly the reason i’m more unapologetic about my collection and love for dolls. I went to target to get the jh dolls and i never go in because of my social anxiety but I can’t pay $31 for 3 defects lol. thank you for making these videos 💖
My biggest advice to calm anxiety in the toy section is to start out by pretending to be on the phone. I used to pretend I was buying a gift for my sister LOL. After a while I figured out that literally nobody cared or paid me any mind so I am now a troll who lives in the doll section proudly. But it takes a LOT of time to get there
You need to detatch yourself from the fears that plague you. You need to take on the attitude that you just don't care. Don't care about other people, or what they might think. Don't care about what you think is wrong with you. Don't care about the things that scare you. Your peace of mind is all that matters. When doubts or fears creep in your mind, Just keep saying out loud, "I DON'T CARE!"
@@xCanadensis thank you! yes! haha I do that too haha. when I got them I impulsively got simone and some lady was staring at me with her kid like I just stole from her lmao and i loudly said “I dont care I love dolls” so i’m slowly getting to the point of not caring 😅BTW your rainbow high videos are my absolute favorite videos and your winx 💖 thank you for taking the time to respond. it means so much 💖
The other day I was in the doll section with a pregnancy test and pens in my hand. You can’t be judged as much as I was in that moment. Next time just think “at least I’m not the girl with the pregnancy test” hope that helps. And btw the test was negative, thank god lmao
@@botanicals_1259 I love this haha I will do that next time lmaoo
Very interesting. Enjoyed hearing your thoughts.
I am 63 years old and I collect barbie and seamless silicone dolls but I long for people to share my thoughts on dolls with. It is a strange hobby. I started collecting during Covid and then through a serious illness. It gave me immeasurable comfort and delight. I feel a bit lonely though, all the folk I enjoy are online and I wish I had a doll collector friend in person. But it is these channels (like yours) that help me feel I am not crazy, though I would say I am addicted.
Why did forced perspective make my brain see the Chelsea doll as a large styling head behind you at the beginning? 😂. Wonderful breakdown on how and why you make content about what you collect. Your narrative style is really unique on RUclips, and brings me and so many others lots of joy and knowledge. Super proud of your trajectory here and in the academic world!
I totally thought it was a styling head too for like half the video lol
BAHAHA! The reason she’s there is because the initial video idea was going to be about community discourse and infighting over brands and I was gonna use my scene and Bratz as examples
Heavy on the bootlocking, especially when they received the MH dolls for FREE. And to say people are overreacting about the price when we actually have to pay out of our own pockets, chileee....😑
It’s weird to defend the price of anything honestly. Everyone has their own standards for what is acceptable to spend on something… I’ll buy a $40 doll in one shopping trip but refuse to spend $10 on a pack of socks because I think that’s too much LOL.
I think it’s fine to kinda try and analyze prices and even to say that you personally are okay with the price but FIGHTING WITH PEOPLE OVER HOW YOU THINK THE PRICE IS FINE AND IF THEY DON’T THINK SO THEY’RE POOR AND CHILDISH??? WHATTTTT??? Insanity.
Especially if the company priced it as so just because they could and not because it's worth that much
@@xCanadensis Honestly I think some people just have to look at the difference between what it'd be worth to you and what it'd be worth in general. You can be willing to get something but still able to acknowledge that it is kind of overpriced. A certain (cough) few doll youtubers never seem to point these things out. Not mentioning the Jett bald spot or how the ridiculously overpriced Frankie looks nothing like the stock pics or the ridiculously chipped mermaze tails. Because at the end of the day, the viewers kinda rely on the honest review, both the positive and the negative.
I think what I like most about your videos is that they feel like im watching a friend I’ve never really met that has the same interests as me, we have very similar personalities and I love that. Keep being unapologetically yourself, you’re doing great!
This
Yes! Exactly why I love this channel. I don't and haven't had friends who share the interest of dolls, let alone who would want to sit down and talk about it with me for an hour. It's different than a toy review channel, it's more about sharing a hobby and chatting :D
Also: "honestly surprised it didn't cost more" and "don't criticize companies" gotta be some of my _fave_ things said about the launch we do not name, because they simply _will not_ leave my head 🤪
please that was so funny (if it's the same person i'm thinking rn)
Being really vocal about RH flaws and price and then... complimenting the same stuff about the spooky $75 ones? lol
Is this about the doll circle? I don’t follow well with all the big dolltubers so I’m trying to see if it’s the same thing that I’m thinking of
@@TheFeelingOfC there was one RUclipsr who isn’t even that huge in comparison to the doll circle who basically did that but worse and that’s who I thought that was referring to (i can’t even remember her name )
Awe. What did doll circle do? Like her
I LOVE the term "living library of dolls". That's kind of how I feel about my collection too. I love a big variety whether it be companies, materials, or eras so it's like I have a little mini museum of the history of the Art of Dolls. 😄 Except library is more accurate as I can actually hold them, and rearrange and organize them all the time.
I watch you because you're so personable, you talk like a friend with an obsession, and I love that. Thank you. If I ever go the "we're not worthy" route, please take it as a joke, because it totally is. I think it's too easy for people to forget that famous people are still people. My worry has always been acting too close because of how one sided this type of interaction is, so I'm never quite sure how to show that I'm open to a real friendship without being creepy. I've learned over time how to handle myself by just interacting more often with famous people, and learned how my earlier behavior wasn't always fun for the other side. Not everyone gets that opportunity and in their heads famous people remain the shiny front that's shown to the world with no dimension. It's really too bad that you haven't been able to overcome that from your end, that's got to be so frustrating! I think being open about what types of fans you enjoy the most and which ones bother you in a general way would help, that was something that helped me in the past. I hope this video helps.
Something I've noticed with one of the doll RUclipsrs I watch is that they complained about people being too picky about factory defects, but then all of the dolls they got from that company were all free directly from the company. Of course the promo dolls have better quality control than the dolls straight off the shelf! It frustrates me because they're acting like we have access to the same things. I'm sure they're not purposefully being disingenuous, but I think it's a good example of why it's so important for influencers to be open about getting things for free or when things are paid endorsements. Totally agree with you.
I appreciate this video a lot! I JUST got into doll collecting. When I was a little kid I loved playing with dolls but as I grew older I became quite ashamed of them. So I stopped. Now that I'm older and don't really care what other people think, I've started collecting them again and it has been so much fun! But yes I can understand how the extra pressure of your growing following can be a slippery slope to climb, but you're doing it beautifully!
This was a great wholesome video. Off topic, you nail “hey everyone it’s me …” every time. I’m Impressed
Brooke, your transparency and making videos like these is what keeps me coming back to you. You’re one of the most honest RUclipsrs (in general not just doll influences) and it’s truly admirable. Keep up the good work!
All of these chat videos are giving me LIFE!!!! I appreciate your honesty. A hobby RUclipsr I used to watch slowly switched to only doing videos of one subscription box with no note about being sponsored or having affiliate links, and it really upset me to see her channel become a giant deceptive ad. Also It's clear that you care a lot about others and place a lot of weight on yourself for others feelings. But you're doing so much for this community and investing so much time and thought and I truly believe most of your subscribers understand that.
Amen to all of this. I hate the word 'influencer', because it just comes off as people trying to brainwash others. You've always been super down to earth and so genuinely passionate about your dolls, and I really appreciate that you're honest even now that you're getting free stuff. I'm glad you still read all your comments. You responded to a couple of mine before but then I thought maybe I said something weird to make you not want to answer anymore 😆
Your the reason I love to go thrifting! Everyday when I wake up I see that you posted and it makes me so happy! So thank you.❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for being here! I looove thrifting so I’m glad you’ve been able to find joy in it too!!
"To be a queen and wear a crown is a thing more glorious to them that see it than it is pleasant to them that bear it." Queen Elizabeth I. It's an honor and calls for strength.
I just don’t like being seen as anything but equal to anyone else. I’m truly just talking about dolls on the internet, you know?
Thank you for being yourself. I am personally so sick of people playing into companies hands and promoting something they really don’t care for. This has been happing too often. Thanks for being real and genuine. Also, thanks for encouraging me to be happy and proud of my doll collection rather than ashamed.
"I really like having a lot of'em." So what you're telling me here is that you are not only secretly a mermaid, but also secretly a dragon who collects dolls!
This is why you’re getting the amount of subscribers you are getting! You are such a real, honest and joyful person. Keep being you. We love you for it 🙏🏽
I am not a doll collector but just seeing how pretty dolls are and happy they make people makes me smile makes me wish I had these dolls when I was younger. I like seeing all the new ones come out
I love that too! You’re always welcome here :)
It's so appreciated all the effort you put in to your videos and talking to us, the audience, every single day without fail. You make each of your videos feel like a real conversation and a one on one connection- something that's really rare to see on RUclips now a days. The community that you've created this little corner of the Internet- I love it so much! It's "cozy," y'know?
I discovered your channel not long ago. Thanks to you I don't feel ashamed about liking / collecting dolls. Even buying dolls from the store. Listening to you talk about them in such passionate, fun way, it's like I'm listening to a friend, not a "famous" youtuber. Very comforting. Honestly wish i had a friend like you irl.
You and Serena are probably the two people on this platform that I really feel a friendly connection with! 🥰 I literally check around midnight to see if you’d posted yet, lol. This is a little out there but it’s relevant. I have a really good friend one twitch streams but she’s super shy! She makes comments about not being professional yet with her content, but something I had told her was a lot of what you said! I too personally really enjoy when content feels more from a “homey” kind of view! Someone sitting in their house surrounded by things they love and talking openly and honestly about things that bring them joy! I love the way you do your videos and appreciate all the work you do for us followers coming to see you! And I truly enjoy how you don’t try to push a product on us too! Like personally never had a rainbow high doll in my life and never saw them until your channel, I don’t quite feel an interest in all of them, but the winter versions of the red (ruby) and the green one (jade) I have come to think about often and would really enjoy having them as my first rainbow high! Anyways sorry for such a long comment! Hope you have a awesome day and anyone reading! 🥰💕
23:29 I also watched A Thousand Splendid Dolls’ hour long video on cabbage patch even though I don’t collect Cabbage Patch 😂
Yes! This is why I stopped watching so many doll influencers. As they were getting dolls for free and as you said boot licking the price and then getting mad that people, who said that those dolls aren’t worth the price it was being sold for. Amongst other things
Intelligent, funny, on point and so very true!
Your hitting on everything I love and hate about RUclips, doll collecting and doll collector's.
It's all become so.......complicated, and now more then ever, that's the last thing we need in a hobby that for me was always about fun, sharing and escapism.
Your integrity is so refreshing and admirable. You genuinely love your dolls for no other reason then that; YOU LOVE THEM!
I wonder how many so called "influencers" who have huge followers like you are doing it strictly because they love dolls?
Love these chats because it really goes to the core reason's we collect dolls or anything for that matter.
Some are motivated by reason's that are sadly substitutions for some emotional void and it ends up making them more miserable because they never loved dolls.
The "buy what you love" golden rule should be the absolute logical reason anyone collects anything.
Yet another reason I love your posts. For so young you seem to be so together about what's important. I'm 57 and though I still believe wisdom comes with age, your living proof there are exceptions to the rule.
Thanks for this post. It was as relaxed and intriguing as all your posts.
I wish you all the very best!
Glad you made this video! For me, we’ve messaged back & forth about this topic briefly, I’m usually overly supportive of people who show me genuine support as well, so naturally for me, I would always wanna go above & beyond to show that my support is real. I can see how it can be difficult when people become fans because you don’t wanna feel superior, because you never want to feel like you’re unreachable or not down to earth or have a celebrity complex, it does become an exclusive task when trying to find genuine leveled friendships.
Hey sweetheart! I’m a recent subscriber but I’ve been watching for a while and I really do appreciate your honesty. And what’s been happening in the doll collecting world is kinda sad, especially in regards to PR. I’ve been collecting for a long time (xennial here) but I don’t have a vast amount. Some OMGs here, RH, a few MH, old school Barbie… (oh, just got the Splash Queen OMG Queen… gorgeous! A thousand times better in person! Okay imma stop). Anyway my point is I understand PR. It’s a huge part of consumerism. Sell product, make money. Cool. What I don’t appreciate is how a small group of people have been gaslighting a lot of doll fans in regards to doll vs. price. I have collector dolls, I get why things tend to be more expensive. But I want my money’s worth because, well, I could be using that money for other things. However… a lot of folks aren’t pleased with a certain current line and have been talking in certain areas. But to be talked down to by a certain person because they received free product and told the price is fair and to basically shut up because fee-fees are being hurt… sorry. I just lost respect. You, my dear, are a gem. I LOVED your Mermaze review and I could tell you had so much fun making it. You deserved the PR. All I want in a review is the honesty! I don’t care if someone got it for free, but be honest! We need that! How’s the fabric, the hair, was there a lot of thought in the design, what are the factory errors if any? Don’t give me “ohmagawd this is aMaAAzing (tm) while glossing over the crappy contents. So, tldr, you’re awesome, I appreciate you, and thanks for not talking down to us. I will continue to watch and value your opinions!
I think this is so important to talk about, so I feel the need to comment even though I don't usually lol. It's SO easy on the Internet nowadays to put someone up on a pedestal and then freak out because they inevitably disappoint the fans and get cancelled, only for fans to find someone else to put on a pedestal. It's cool that you're aware of those sorts of dangers. Yes to everything you said about gatekeeping, honesty, and "yes men" as well.
Thank you for always being real and authentic! I love your videos such as doll reviews, or thrifting. Overall, your doll advice is helpful and didn't know about this topic in the doll community. This topic isn't talk about as often.
thank you SO MUCH for highlighting that content has influence on people, even if it doesn't have words or the person thinks that it doesn't. it does subconsciously. i made a post recently on instagram about fatphobia in the doll community, and i mentioned how editing a dolls waist to be skinnier is pushing the beauty standard. i got a lot of negative feedback, and while i understand that this is more of a societal and doll industry issue, the community can still push that narrative. i hope one day they recognize that. thank you for your content and expressing how you feel; you're genuinely the only doll youtuber i fully trust.
I love you. Your content is fantastic because you’re such a smart and insightful person. You were one of the first doll channels I followed and it’s been super cool to see how much your channel has grown.
Excellent video! I’ve been giving the side eye to a lot of the goings-ons from certain peeps in the community. 😒 Love and respect your candor.
*cough* “genuinely a fair price” *cough*
Lord that video almost feels like a parody
@@xCanadensis I was watching it like 🤣😮😧😒. Like this cannot be real lmfao.
Omg!! I loved this. Entertaining and great advice. I really enjoy your discussions surrounding the community itself. These are great and I think help bring people together. Best wishes to you❤️
Ok so first videos I watched from you was jakks love and pet bloom doll and china exclusive Winx lovix dolls, and those videos are still some of my favorite videos that you made. I'm following you since 2017, I saw your ups and downs, and trust me when I say that you are one of my favorite RUclipsr I truly mean it! I always loved how casual your videos are, like when I watch your doll video I can undoubtedly say that you are truly enjoying that doll, like how you immediately brushing their hair right after unboxing, like how you explore the doll then say your opinions, I love it!!!! It's like watching myself playing with my doll(I don't have any doll, currently preparing myself for varsity admission... So wish me luck, so that I can finally buy my dream Winx dolls, anime figures DVD's and all that) and it's so cool for me to see how similar opinions we share on most of the things, don't know how to put but it's like for example I see a doll and felt alot of things about it and move on, and few days later I see your review on it and I was like yeah that's exactly what I felt you just described my feelings through words perfectly! And I love how you sometime literally says your feeling about the doll by using body language! Yes the casualties! You are literally now my comfort channel. Even if I'm not hype about a certain doll I still love to see you talking about it, it's like a friend talking about his favorite activities. And you are truly an amazing and adorable person! Always stay amazing like this. And ofc congratulations for 23k! You always deserved it.
I think you're a very down to earth person. I enjoy watching and learning about all the different dolls. I hope you continue to doing videos for as long it makes you happy 😊. Sending positive you're way 💗...😘
I love your videos so much, you are one of my favorite doll youtuber because how natural and honest you are, and your whole setting when filming as well, it's so much more relatable than many others. Also it feels like I'm watching a friend/acquaintance talking about something they are passionate about with me, on an equal level. We are all humans, and always try to have that in mind so I never put people up on pedestals. Still it can be scary sometimes interacting with someone who has a huge following cause it's sometimes hard to know if they consider themselves better or more important than others. I managed to find a couple of those back when I were active on my dollstagram and those people one of the main reasons I stopped enjoying posting there, just gave me anxiety, and felt judged for not having as "professional" looking photos as they did.
The sole reason of me watching doll reviews is almost always to look up if a particular doll or doll line is worth buying. I just want to see how the doll looks out of box and form my own opinion of it. So I usually ignore the commentary if there is unnecessary praise (if they do that I turn off the sound lol). Dolls in general cost A lot more where I live (Sweden) than in the US (almost none is under $30, and that's just for the more standard/basic releases) and not made of money myself so want to make an extremely informed decision before buying (my dad does the exact same with his comic collection xD).
I think what makes a good doll review is that it isn’t made with the intention of making the viewer want to buy the doll, it’s made with the intention of helping the viewer decide if they want the doll, and the success of the video isn’t dependent on if the viewer decides to buy it or not. My favourite thing about your channel is that you know so much about so many different doll brands that I can always expect to learn about something new. I’ve definitely put dolls on my radar and bought them because you’ve talked about them (such as enchantimals and la dee da) and that’s because I just find dolls to be fascinating. even if they’re not my favourites in my collection I still learn something from them. It’s my goal to get at least one of every playline fashion doll brand so I can have an accurate survey of different types of dolls. that’s the purpose of doll youtubers to me: to give people information so they can make more informed decisions about dolls. I think a lot of newer collectors don’t get this, and that’s why so many people are obsessed with getting a complete collection, even if they don’t have the money to do so, and their only motivation is that they feel like they have to. it’s really unhealthy, but brands do benefit from that behaviour, so it’s not gonna go away easily. that’s part of why I love these doll chat videos you make. it’s so important to me to thoughtfully collect, and I’m sure it’s even more true for people with smaller collections.
Love the video 💖
I wish all doll RUclipsrs had your same logic and values because maybe I’d actually have some doll collecting friends by now. :( I’ve tried reaching out to people with only a couple thousand subs or less and still no luck, they put themselves on a pedestal and it’s sad for people like me who are just looking for people to connect with that are interested in the same hobby. I love your channel and ALL your content and thank you for posting this. I needed to hear literally all of it. You’re a true sweetheart.
Gah I’m so sorry :( I had the same problem and then I gained subs and those same people suddenly decided I was worth their time and I just laughed and blocked them. How silly and fickle.
I know it’s hard as hell for me to answer messages and comments all the time because of how much I have to do all the time and how anxious I’ll get over them sometimes so I can’t say that being ignored is always intentional but I completely understand and relate to that frustration :(
My best advice for finding doll friends is responding to stories and posting your own dolls on an account and people may come to you :) I made quite a few new friends when I started posting about some of the more obscure dolls that I collect and it was so exciting!
@@xCanadensis Seriously thank you so much for the response and advice.
If you are not on reddit yet, I recommend joining /r/dolls and /r/RainbowHigh. If there are other dolls you collect, there are probably specific groups for those, too.
@@lalalinotte thank you!!
I love when u do videos like these . I dmed you a couple weeks ago and thought you’d never answer . So u clarifying is super sweet . Ur a very humble person . Glad I’m subscribed to you 😌
Cool video and explains a lot of what's happening now on RUclips generally not only doll community, it is very brave to make such a video and just to let you know it shows who's passionate and who's doing it for advertising and we have always trusted you because it's your passion.
The best part of the day is when you upload a video
You’re so sweet
this is why i love your vids i can tell that you have such a dedication to your fan base and you are always honest and you are a great person and you genuinely care about us:) your amazing thanks for all that you do.
This is the first video of yours that’s ever popped up on my feed, but damn you make the most valid points 😂
Love your channel. Thanks for keeping it real. In my opinion, you and A Thousand Splendid Dolls are the 2 channels that are the most honest, genuine, and passionate about your collections.
Brooke, I really enjoy your channel and the content. I see your channel as a friend sharing her excitement, her enthusiasm and her opinion of her new doll finds. You are very real on your channel and it is extremely refreshing to get honest views on things going on in the doll community. Thank you for all you share.....🙂🙂
Thank you for your kind comment! Your comments are always so sweet and I appreciate it a lot.
I just like to make the type of videos that I like to watch ahaha. I haaaate overproduced corporate videos, they feel so sterile and weird to me
I loved your mermaid 🧜♀️ video because it showed you love mermaids and you’re showing that passion plus we had all seen you in your tail it’s not like something you got just to show us the dolls I feel like 👍 you’re a huge fan and this was right up your alley you still were the most honest about the doll and how it will get wet because that’s what kiddos do as an adult I’ll not wet the doll now thanks to seeing you do it! Anyway enjoy your videos
Thank you so much for this video, Brooke!! I love how real you are 😄
Thank you for making this video! I know of one doll reviewer that almost NEVER discloses that he gets dolls from the company for free. It's a wonder that he hasn't been caught by RUclips.
🥲 you put so much time, effort, work, love, and self-reflection in building this community. This video helps me with my unconscious behaviors as someone who can be desperate for friendship in the doll community, it is nice to be aware of the things that you deal with from your perspective and lived experience. 💝 I hope you know how much we appreciate the extreme amount of work you put into making sure we are heard and seen. You are only one person Brooke. But you do a wonderful job at being our friend!!💚💙💜💛🧡
Thank you for your videos. I may have said it before but, your honesty is great. What makes us all human is our uniqueness. I know I have said this, I love dolls and collect vintage vintage vintage barbie mostly but other cute dolls too. Having children who have doll interests is fun too. I like to see all the new dolls available and reviews. Between my kids and friend's kids I hear lots of different doll and toy lines. You have helped me see reviews of some the kids mentioned before buying them and shown dolls I was unaware of also. If this were a dialogue I am sure my love for vintage barbie would show. Wish I could show you just how awesome the 60s and 70s barbies and their outfits are. So compareable to the rainbow high quality. I actually was introduced to rainbow high by my friend's daughter she was so excited to show her doll. Then I bought her another and my daughter one. They are so cute. Cave club I was eh about then saw your dolls and decided to give it a try. My kid loves them. I have so many different dolls in my house it's funny. Madame alexander has fashion dolls the size of tonner and integrity dolls. I have a few of those too. I like variety but my love is vintage barbie. I never have taken you as pushing a doll just a passionate doll lover. You seem like a wonderful person. Someone I can relate to. Just thank you for all your hard work and fun videos.
I love this video so much! love how you're always bringing up very valid topics that honestly dont get brought up enough. In an odd way(never looked at it like that until now) I guess im lowkey apart of the crowd that turned your number/the view point into influencer cause tbh i have gotten a lot of dolls because of you but, mostly because growing up i never had much access to dolls,games,board games so i wanted a good review on the bratz sasha doll at the time as it was going to be the first doll i ever got and from there i just kept watching your content(iv since gotten cave club,rainbow high,hairmazings ) and still want the disney store dolls but, expensive so hmm personally i think you do a good job or giving the negative and the good.
It’s not a bad thing to be influenced at all- I just really want to make people think about the reasons for it- you know? I’m influenced ALL THE TIME ahaha. I see a doll a new way when someone posts a pic or video and I get really excited and decide to buy them or start hunting for them! There’s nothing wrong with that and it doesn’t make someone weak or wrong!
I just worry that the dynamic becomes- “well I have to buy this now too!” Instead of “ohh I like that, I’m interesting in having this!”
@@xCanadensis Oh absolutely! Its actually very normal. whats not normal is people being odd/manipulative and recommending stuff they really dont like... theres not a single doll you have reviewed and given a good review too that i ended up getting that i regret cave club was one of them like 90% of doll collectors especially on youtube did not like that doll line I thought it was such a unique line and almost talked myself out of it til i saw your reviews and got fernessa,furrah,emberly, and another now its in my top 5!
Brooke, you have “influenced” me to buy some dolls I might not have otherwise. I can think of Cave Club, Hairdorables Hairmazing Prom, and the LOL OMG Remix Super Set. Not all of them quite hit the mark for me a few months later, but I never doubted that you were sincere in your enthusiasm for them, and the quality for price is definitely there. I am also mature and educated enough that I did actually make my own decision, it’s just I had another look at something I probably would have passed by.
Beyond that, though, I do worry particularly about younger people seeing doll reviewers and the number of dolls they have and thinking that is a normal goal to aspire to. You have touched on this somewhat: about how your collection is something important to you personally and the sacrifices you make for it. However, I wish doll collectors on social media in general would emphasize more that they are not “normal” in regards to their hobby. Even an honest reviewer is still generally promoting purchasing, and it could lead some people with mental health issues down the wrong path. I don’t even know how I feel about what the responsibility or ethics are in that regard, I just see that it is somewhat of a silo (i.e. only the good side presented of the hobby) that could hurt someone who can’t see the entire context.
I follow some dolls channels on RUclips because I find them very nostalgic. I myself don’t collect dolls. And I never had a ton of dolls growing up but the ones I did have, I absolutely loved. (I was a big winx fan as a kid) so I enjoy watching your videos. Also I love long format videos because I can work on stuff and literally use the video as background noise. So you talking in a very detailed manner is very helpful lol Anyways keep up the great work.
Although you are my favorite person to watch on You Tube you also make me feel like a friend ❤️ I think you do a awesome job of making us all feel that way, so I say just keep being YOU that’s why you have so many followers. 😊
Honestly you’re probably one of the few people who have worded this AMAZINGLY! I feel like most of the time a lot of bigger creators just sound like their bragging and etc….
LOL I was just looking for your newest video cuz every morning you post a new one so YAY
The Peep and the Big Wide World reference threw me for a loop lol. There really is nothing like a duck.
Anyway on the actual topic, been subbed to you for a few years, not super long, probably 2017/18, and an occasional watcher before that, and all that's just to say, the reason you're one of my favorite doll collectors to follow is because you're just Some Guy. Your excitement is infectious even for dolls I'm not personally interested in, your commentary is thoughtful and nuanced and sincere, and you always try to be informed and informative when sharing with others. Like for a while there you seemed like the only doll youtuber I knew who really delved into the behind the scenes process, like with the promo material, or was willing to dissect why or how companies did things. I look forward to and trust your perspective not because you have a lot of subs or dolls, but because I just think you know your shit! xD Your sheer breadth of dolls merely speaks to the experience and history you have with the subject. But you also don't claim to be an expert, and always point out that you could be wrong, or that something is just your opinion, and you're open to other people informing you in return. You are peak Just Some Guy in your modesty and I have a lot of respect for that, and though I can't speak for anyone else, from what I've seen, I think that's what a lot of people like about you.
Not surprising your channel blew up during the pandemic, with everyone stuck at home, more online, and trying new hobbies. There's a lot to be said about parasocial relationships, and nothing really I can add that hasn't already been said, but while I don't think a parasocial relationship is inherently bad or unhealthy (provided you stay aware of it), it has a lot of crossover with celebrity worship. Which is super weird because now it's like anyone can slip into "celebrity" status (not even touching the topic of celebrity culture itself) and be put on a pedestal just for trying to share themselves or their interests online. Like it _should_ be a good feeling to have people respond well to what you share, but instead it ends up isolating people, alone in the "superiority" assigned to them by other people. Because on one hand, it's perfectly normal to admire someone else even if you don't really know them! And to then feel shy around people you admire (especially if you don't think very highly of yourself). But people treating you like a "queen" is like seeing you just as your status. It's dehumanizing. People don't realize it because "it can only be a good thing to have people admiring you!" And they would never _mean_ to dehumanize anyone they admire! But they are doing it.
...I don't even know where I'm going with this longass comment anymore other than I'm really sorry that's happening to you. I know that probably doesn't mean much, as someone who doesn't personally have to deal with being a creator with a following, but I _do_ have a hella lot of social and general anxiety that makes me afraid of it, especially because my ultimate goal is to create and share those creations with others... I do relate on wanting to talk to people about dolls more and not feeling able to though. I can't even respond to comments on doll photos on my insta without feeling anxious, which sucks because I'd like to make friends in the hobby, but it's like there's a weird wall of performativity, like working in customer service... And then I turn around and write comments that are way too long on youtube orz (Do I write long comments because I usually avoid commenting, or do I avoid commenting because I might write long comments? Yes. Tfw you're anxious about saying anything but also feel a compelled to say something lmaoooo)
tl;dr Thank you for doing what you do, you're a breath of fresh air, I hope you continue to enjoy it and that people act more normal towards you about it 😅
!
Ok. You got guts lady. We admire it.
You did the right thing, even when you did not have to.
Don’t let anything steal your joy. Thanks for sharing it all with us.
In the words of one of the greats...
Love yourself
Love your life
Love your dolls
Know that we love your heart 💖
I literally take half an hour in the same aisle of dolls just to stare at them lol! I never cared about what others would have to say coz i just dont. 😂 dolls keep me happy and fun
You are my favorite channel when it comes to dolls.. you was positive on your mermaze mermaidz review, but you also was honest and pointed out the negatives , like the doll not having knew articulation or not being able to sit..
I think posting and filming in the same day makes it a bit more difficult to have negatives but with Mermaze I couldn’t post until way later because of the contract so I had a lot more time to get a lot more familiar with the dolls. I want to do more of those overall series reviews I used to do for RH videos because those are much more retrospective which I think is more helpful
I just want you to know I found you on RUclips about 6 months ago. You make me happy to watch because I feel comfortable your my homie that loves dolls like me.
I appreciate your channel. Its not gimmickey. Your channel is a product of your enthusiasm for a hobby. You are not doing it for fame or becoming a brand. Well done.
All jokes aside, I LOVE peep and the big wide world!!! That show is my JAM, Quack is so freaking funny
You get it!!
I can't stand doll channels who sugarcoat everything for thr sake of free PR. When they do not acknowledge the flaws of a product at all, I find it very annoying, fake, and decieving. If someone is getting free PR, they should also make it clear to their audience. I admit that it makes me a little bit sad and jealous seeing all these people get free dolls from PR or fanmail with their grail dolls and not realize how lucky they are for that chance when everyone else does not have those chances. Sometimes I feel alone in my doll collecting hobby because I don't have any IRL friends who strongly share my interest in dolls. And I can't stand it when people judge others just because they have a smaller collection. Its not that easy to have a big collection and not everyone has a super high budget for dolls. I just buy the dolls I really like and will often skip the majority of dolls released in a line just because I only like one or two.
Hey if you're looking for a doll collector friend I'll be happy to help
So far this is such an interesting topic (im half way through your video lol). I just gotta say that you're not a "queen" to me you are a fellow doll collector who is on the same level as the rest of us. You've never ever came across to be above us in any way like other doll influencers I've seen. I also love how open u are with ur anxiety, i have extreme anxiety too and am very much reluctant to even comment on ur videos and dm you a single picture of my collection or cat. So thanks for just being there and just being our acquaintance? Friend? Whichever you prefer lol
When I say my subscribers/viewers are my doll friends I need to be more careful. I’m not sure how to articulate my thoughts on it but I worry about building an unhealthy parasocial relationship dynamic as well, you know?
And thank you. I have such a problem commenting on other people’s videos and I always have. There’s just something about it. You’re so kind for reaching out despite that.
And I’m really glad it comes off the way I intend ;-; I would be very sad if it didn’t and it was all in vain.
I watch doll reviews for the sole purpose of seeing what the pro/cons are. Same reason I read reviews on Etsy/Amazon before I purchase items so I really appreciate it when reviewers like you are honest. If you are seeing common manufacturing errors, I wanna know about it. Spill all of the tea! I never watch a video and am like Eww they don't like the doll so screw them! No- I try to see the reasons why instead of immediately attacking and then formulate my opinion on whether I will purchase after that. We are all entitled to our own opinion. If we don't connect to dolls, we just flat don't. I never understood the need to be ugly about other people's opinions about anything really. We all should collect only what we love. That doesn't and shouldn't harm anyone🤷
On another note as a moderator and on the subject of power dynamics. I cannot stand people who get upset when their favorite influencers don't stop what they are doing to immediately shout them out on a live! What if the influencer has ADHD and by them saying that it completely throws the person into a tangential conversation or makes them forget what they were talking about? Then the person gets mad and its just so unnecessary. I know that can and will cause tons of anxiety so its just a peeve.
One time I messaged you on insta about a couple items for ID info. You responded and helped me. You are very nice and helpful when you could. It was cool. Thank you Brooke. ❤️ you are just a person too & you are nice. Sorry there’s an “above you” dynamic & if I made you feel like that in my messages I didn’t mean to. Xx
Ugh I love girls like you
Love this so much. I agree totally. My channel is tarot and oracle and I have done and do do reviews for decks sent to me by publishers and honesty is so important to me. I’m adding my doll collection in too now and I’m happy beyond belief about it. You are literally the first doll channel I found and your honesty and true love of dolls is so wonderful❤️🥰
When you’re randomly recommended an old video and of course watch it since the new one isn’t out yet…
My how far xcanadensis has come! Gaining over 50k since this was posted a year ago! You’ve worked so hard; you deserve all the best! It’s been fun to watch you grow over the past few years. Congratulations!
What a positive message to be out there.
Much respect to you. x
Thank you! 😀
This is so important.
I work with children and I try to teach them to think for themselves.
OKay, so I am dramatically older than you, and can I just say that it's great to see a young person talking like you are, especially at 30:00. it can take people much older than you YEARS to come to this realisation of this truth, that friendships you have to *work for* are not real friendships. I'm incredibly new to dolls, like, it's been a week since I saw a video about them and was like "I want that, because this type of thing didn't exist when i was a kid" and honestly you're so kind and genuine and that's great to see. Your excitement about the subject is what makes it interesting.. I mostly just like the rainbow high ones, from dolls that I've seen of current lines, but even then yeah, I won't buy Simone because I don't like that colour. I prefer blue/purple/green so... yeah, those are the ones I bought. My favourite is River and Violet.
16:08 The way you pop up the giant poster of My Scene doll on the screen kills me! So funny! XD
You remind me of myself that's why I can connect to you so much. I wish more channels would think like this
For me, doll stuff is a hobby above all. Even if people get money or free stuff, they still have jobs and their own lives. And I think it's easy to lose track of that when it's so ingrained in our lives, and even more now that we're exposed to seeing others gaining recognition by companies or otherwise
And it doesn't have to be a negative thing but there are people that need to be reminded of the core idea of collecting dolls or partaking in a hobby
Yes exactly. It’s nearly impossible to make a career off of it. It’s a hobby and making it miserable for yourself to be cool or popular is so sad. I think social media is wonderful in so many ways but a HUGE issue comes with the power dynamic imbalances and cliques :(
12:52 "I have no reason to make you want to buy a thing." (Moves doll into perfect view.) 🤣
My roundabout agenda to make myself look less weird by making more people into doll collectors MUAHAHAHA
@@xCanadensis Your plan is working!
I love your video so much ive been watching you since you have 3000 something subscriber and since then i watched you all the time
and about the bootlicking abt the price, THANK YOU. GOD I HATE WHEN INFLUENCERS DO THAT.
I love watching your vids I started watching in 2018 and sinc you’ve became like a friend And how you go off and rant lol you seem real lol
I don’t think you need to keep repeating or clarifying yourself. If people get offended let them be. It either someone young and doesn’t understand yet or someone who just easily offended. Those people shouldn’t be bother with. One thing I learn from online is someone will be offended no matter what and twist your word. You seem so sweet and sincere and I feel bad seeing how many time you have to keep “clarifying things” so people aren’t offended. If you didn’t mean any harm then don’t worry about it. Your true subscriber/audience will stay regardless what you say. Just wanna out this out there so you don’t stress in the future. Worrying someone gonna get hurt cuz we can’t control how people get offended. We can only live our lives.
Now on to the topic of the video. I really do watch you cuz I love posting in your video. It like an chatting with people who love dolls. It fun to see people opinion even if they offended at mine. It good to just chat and really talk about dolls. I don’t have dolls friend in real life. You are one of the less toxic RUclipsr. I can say I hate lol doll and not be attack by 100 comment telling me I am wrong 🙄 it my opinion people move on.
I think it was doll community been more about money these days then just pure joy. Like the only good video are the 1-2 k one talking about doll topic cuz most people only review dolls. I like doll review but it get boring. It nice to just chat about dolls in general.
I have no doubt mga will continue to send you PR, you actually deserve it and you do such a great job at reviewing the doll, i hope mattel notice you too and send your some PR as well
There’s a bit of behind the scenes stuff I think but I would be very grateful to continue getting PR but I don’t expect it. But regardless I’ll just keep going as normal
It's honestly why I like watching you a lot. Your videos feel like a conversation with a friend rather than something that's overly polished; that's just trying to sell me a product or appeal to brands
I am proud to say I was one of your original subscribers. I deleted my old account that followed you then, but I am glad to still be following. I am happy for your success (although I admit it is so weird how I used to be one of 3 commenters on your videos and now you have hundreds of comments). Best wishes for the future!!! 💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝
I am not influenced by you, but I am more than double your age. I just like watching you because you are an intelligent, truthful and fun doll collector. You are very informed about all of your doll collections. I really enjoy seeing the passion you have for your dolls and the enjoyment you get out of them.
I hate the word influencer but I realized that I needed to be more careful because that's kinda what having a youtube channel is.
Thank you. It means a lot and I'm so glad it's coming through
Xennial dolly fan, too? Hi! Lol!
There is only two doll RUclipsrs who are worth my time to actually watch and that is xcanadensis and the zombiexcorn
There’s lots of other wonderful people out there!
For me they're in my top five alongside Courtly Jester, Darling Dolls, and Beauty inside a box highly recommend them as well
most of my collection is actually things I looove but my MH dolls are just sitting there, I took me some time(and money) to realize you don't have to do things just because other people doooo
me in the first seconds of the video: "whoa, that myscene doll is HUGE"
me 10 seconds later: "oh wait, i'm just dumb"
"You should be buying, or interacting with the things that you like" - xCanadensis
I was very pleased when I commented on one of your videos a few days ago and you responded the same day :) I’ve never gotten that from another youtuber so it was nice, like we were just chatting about something we both love (lol well it was actually on a video about some things you don’t like about dolls, but you get what I mean). So in my opinion anyway you have never come across as trying to be above your viewers, sorry to hear that it’s been causing you trouble with others :/
You covered so many things in this video I agree with that I kinda don’t know what to type other than “I agree” lol
But yes being genuine friends with somebody who shares an interest with you is better than trying to fit in with the “cool kids”
I’d rather find that one person who has the same weird obsession with the forgotten gorgeous creatures doll line than pretend I like American girl dolls just to make friends (I don’t hate them I just don’t collect them and they were the first thing that came to mind.
But then again I collect so many doll lines that I can just make friends from other communities anyway but still
One of the topics in this video is really funny to me because....I bought my first My Scene doll.....after years of not really liking/caring about them. Now to be fair, I justified it as I could get it to pass onto one of the girls in my doll group but I have not decided yet. (She is a Day to Nite Nolee in case you were wondering) I am thinking of your video about your favorite My Scene dolls....yeaah.....lol. I am giving her a chance....because of you.....rofls. I got her for five bucks at a second hand store and she had her clothing which I thought was impressive. Anyways, I agree with you on the PR ethics and laws. When I watch a review I want three things. To see the doll and their details for curiosity or to help me decide if I want to get it and to see their flaws AND for the reviewers thoughts. If I wanted to just see the doll, I would just look at the PR photos but as a viewer, I WANT peoples opinions. I am also not into Cabbage Patch Kids (but I think I have watched the same videos you have....:) Because its fun to see someone with passion talk about their loves and memories and thoughts on something. Its not just the dolls but the personality that keeps someone coming back. I also dont want everyone to love the same dolls. That would be so boring.
On a side note, I am sure you put A LOT of work and stress into your Mermaze video so bravo for that! It came out really good and you looked fantastic! I love that you mermaided out and went to the pool...and beach....You should be really proud of your creativity and effort there. If you are doing a video like the power dynamics one in the future too you should jot down your key points and that way you get everything covered. Just a suggestion. I do love me the rambles....that is all I do.....:)
I love this Brooke ❤
I watch doll review videos (and other things) because I like hearing other people's opinions about them and also because I like seeing details on something I might not have yet myself, but I don't think my own opinion gets influenced too much by what other people think about them. I think I am actually influenced more when I am just reading a review, or discussion forum, without the video, because there is less context there to base my own opinion on, if that makes sense. I didn't want youtube for a long time (and I still don't watch too many channels) because if I find someone annoying to listen to, it's not worth it (and maybe I am easily annoyed). Happily I enjoy listening to your videos!
I found your channel while I was watching Rainbow High and omg its been so awesome I watched so many of your videos specifically cuz I was seeing what rainbow high dolls to get and I saw that your favorite was Poppy so I was like "oh maybe I'll get her to start" and so I did along with Gabriella and wao, I don't really like her. So far I have Jet, Kia, Georgia, Gabriella, Stella, and Poppy and I for sure fell inlove with Georgia she's my favorite right now (although I am getting Emi soon so who knows). I felt bad that I wasn't connecting as much with Poppy and after this video I was like "well yea of course its okay that I didn't connect with Poppy cuz we are literally two different people with different likes and dislikes. Anyways just wanted to share oh but after I put my Poppy in Georgia's pearl top, cardigan, Stella's white skirt, and Poppy's socks and butterfly shoes I liked her a whole lot more.
dam how happy i was watching your video, and i conect with you personaly because i used to draw, OC Monster High and Ever After characters, and a lot of things, but them, Swangellical came in my life and storm everything away, he has a lot of followers who like his art, and "influencers" that he keeps in touch, one of them is Mama*** who i think is gross, but anyway o got a RH doll, Ruby and i LOVED her design, but the quality control was trash and i took to ID and Swangellical and his group of "friends" started calling me out, like "you are poor, you don't know how to draw, you dumb b**** etc etc" and it was soo toxic and keeping in mind, i used to LOVE his arts and also of the other friends in his friend group, but everybody started treating me like Sh** i started disliking dolls and the "doll community" in general, i stoped drawing also got exclued by 2 youtubers who i used to talk everyday because they are "afraid of getting he mad he has a lot of followers", but i think you're in the right side of things, keep your mind and spirts up you are doing nothing wrong! And for me really is amazing that you took your time to be nice and say things, iven if i see you got a little nervous at times, its brave! Keep up!
You're a Tiktoker, cosplayer, doll collector, Paleontologist, a mom to leggy, Amaya, and mini Brooke and a RUclipsr with Thousands of subscribers, but you never think of yourself as "the queen of the universe" or anything like that. You're very humble, you treat us like your friends, and you're not always "perfect" which is why I looooove watching your videos!
this!!!!