A woman in Toronto, Canada, has unveiled her clay-made hyperrealistic dolls, stunning people with their lifelike appearance. Viceinzia Care, a 27-year-old, developed a fascination for toys at the age of seven when she received a doll from her mother. Heartbroken by the doll’s unexpected breakage, she embarked on crafting her own replacement, setting off a journey that has now become part of her history.

Viceinzia now creates dolls with various facial differences and health conditions to promote inclusivity.

Using polymer clay, she meticulously hand-sculpts the dolls, drawing inspiration from her own baby photos as well as images of her friends and family. These unique creations are either sold as one-of-a-kind pieces or reproduced in vinyl for a wider audience.

The miniature dolls can be crafted in a matter of months, while larger ones may take up to three years, depending on their size and complexity.

“I started making dolls with different health conditions because I believed it was crucial to represent all people in dolls,” Viceinzia explains. “Dolls have always been seen as symbols of perfection, but I believe we are all perfect in our own way, regardless of how we were born. Some of these dolls are the result of extensive research and creativity, sculpting the qualities I wanted them to embody in order to make them as universally inclusive as possible.”

“I love capturing expressions that people can relate to in dolls with different conditions, bringing personality back into the reality of conditions that are often dehumanized because they are different.

“I’ve created dolls representing Down syndrome, dwarfism, and craniofacial duplication. My dolls aim to explore and educate about various conditions, spreading awareness.

“My main life goal is to represent as many conditions as I can. I dress them just like any mother would dress their child, showing the world that they are equally deserving of celebration and valued as precious lives.

“After I use an outfit, I usually donate the clothing to mothers and friends so they can dress their beautiful babies.”

Viceinzia lost her job during the pandemic but was able to turn her craft into a full-time career. She also works part-time in administration and teaches art to kids. She finds the doll-making process to be “extremely relaxing” and even described it as “therapeutic” when she was younger.

These days, she monitors her progress by maintaining cabinets filled with her older dolls. Comparing her past creations to her recent ones allows her to see how her sculpting skills have improved over time.

The doll maker recently showcased her work on TikTok, where one post featuring a doll with craniofacial duplication went viral with over 106 million views.

Captioning the post, she wrote: “It doesn’t matter how long you live, every life deserves love and appreciation.”

The video, featuring a baby doll with what appears to be two fused heads, garnered 4.6 million likes, leaving many viewers in disbelief that the toy isn’t a real newborn.

“Who else thought the baby was real at first?” one person commented.

Another viewer added: “Omg… I thought it was a real baby.”

Reflecting on the reactions, Viceinzia says: “Although I’ve made many videos explaining why I make them and that they are dolls, a lot of people still think they are real. I mostly receive positive comments, but there are some people who aren’t very supportive.”

“I understand that for some, embracing a new perspective can be challenging, especially when society has portrayed differences in such a negative light for years.

“My family and friends are very supportive of my dolls and my message, although it took me years to first show them what my main goal in making them was.

“My mother loves to knit and crochet outfits for them, and my father helps me make props to display them.”