Ebru is a Sunset Edition Houda Mixi Doll by YNU Group. As a doll company, YNU Group’s goal with the Mixis is to recreate, in the dolls’ sculpts and skin tones, a realistic blending of two or more ethnicities. Regular editions of the 4 dolls in the series have straight, unjointed limbs and diverse outfits, but Sunset editions have jointed elbows and outfits of sundresses and sandals. Normally either edition runs $60.00 per doll, but they can be found for less on Amazon.com, where I got mine.

I recently picked up Sunset Edition Houda for under $30.00 including shipping. She comes packaged in a sturdy keepsake box lined with a bright blue and green map of the continents, not shown because I quickly deboxed her. Secured by ribbon ties, she is in collector-friendly shape, although her handbag is attached to the box with plastic.

Once freed from her box, Houda makes quite the impression. Her body is molded in warm, honey-colored tones, with light, silky, rooted red hair. Her simple, yet welcoming, facial screening depicts a friendly face with blue eyes and pink lips. Her headsculpt features an oval-shaped face with a tapering chin, full lips and a prominent aquiline nose.

As mentioned, Houda, like the rest of the Sunset Edition Mixis, has elbow joints that swivel and allow about 90 degrees of bend. She is also articulated at the neck, shoulders, thighs and knees [these last with click-stop joints]. Overall, the Mixis body sculpt contains a modest bosom, a thicker waist than the average fashion doll and a defined rear end, as well as shapely, muscular legs and slightly arched feet. Mixis don’t fit into fashion doll clothes unless those clothes are stretchy.

As for Houda’s outfit, she wears a green sundress printed with blue flowers. Darts make it fitted in the back, and the whole garment is lined, as is her matching blue handbag. Her wedge sandals [espadrilles?], being made of white and blue leather, coordinate with her dress.

Houda is definitely a doll for older kids [above 7] and/or collectors. She and the rest of the Mixis are great choices for doll dorks who like their dolls’ faces to have character and their goods to have quality.

Following this review are pictures of my Sunset Edition Houda, renamed Ebru. I have to say that normally I’d be swapping Ebru’s head onto a more articulated body, but she just looks so endearing and soignee as is that I can’t bring myself to give her a new body. I’ve decided that she has chronic lower back pain, which keeps her from sitting down and bending her knees a lot. Maybe she has plantar fasciitis too.

Ebru is standing in front of a netsuke shelf that I am working on, trying to make into a piece of a set.