MerBella Studios Inc.

[AniaR]

**EDIT: My tail actually isn't neoprene lined. It's some fake kind of foam stuff. He advertises neoprene and doesn't even use it! I had never seen neoprene before I got my tail so I didn't know until my mom got a neoprene wetsuit and compared it. NOTHING like it!!

Yeah he uses neoprin which is a cheaper alternative to neoprene and basically feels like a burlap sack It also NEVER stops stretching, and is super bouyant. I cant believe he's still using these crappy materials.

[Mermaid Karin]

Yeah he uses neoprin which is a cheaper alternative to neoprene and basically feels like a burlap sack It also NEVER stops stretching, and is super bouyant. I cant believe he's still using these crappy materials.

It even states on the discription of the tail that it's Neoprin. I used to looovee the Mertailor, but I heard too many complaints. I know that his latex/neoprin tails are horrible, but I dunno about the silicone tails he makes. Oh well. Either way, I had a change of heart when found Raven's tails. <3 So flowy in zee water. I still admire the color schemes on Mertailor's tails though. But Raven is my #1 She seems to understand how everything works. No one understands a mermaid, like another mermaid. <3

[Kanti]

Well Mertailor DOES use Dragonskin on his silicone tails, or at least I think so, because one of
his photos showed a picture of a couple gallons of Dragonskin in his garage xD
Unless he just likes to keep them around and sniff them or something.

[AniaR]

He cuts his dragonskin to make it last longer, that;s why his silicone tails smell so strong. At least, that's what I've been told by silicone tail owners. My silicone tail is made with the same stuff but isnt cut with anything else, and never smelled in the slightest

[Kanti]

I've never read any complaints about his silicone tails, especially not in the smell department.
Are you sure you're not confusing it with latex?
He wouldn't really be able to "cut" Dragonskin with anything without messing up the curing process.
Even adding something as insignificant as water to Dragonskin messes with it's final properties.
And the only thing he'd be able to use would be more silicone (tin cure) and that would no longer make
the tails skin-safe.

I highly doubt he cuts his Dragonskin with anything.

[AniaR]

I've never read any complaints about his silicone tails, especially not in the smell department.
Are you sure you're not confusing it with latex?

Just email some people who have them and you'll see- they've all told me there is a smell. Also, he himself in videos talks about the 'smell' and so has melissa. The person who told me he cut them, was also someone who helped him make them- obviously I dont know from personal experience but if you're right about it messing it up that would explain a lot of the issues with a certain purple tail. I wouldnt be surprised if the latex was cut with something too, though the consensus seems to be that it's just the smell that happens when not cured.

Also, didnt mean for this to turn back and forth into a mertailor thread XD if an admin wants to move the mertailor posts to his part of the forum that's fine.

[Mermaid Lorelei]

And the only thing he'd be able to use would be more silicone (tin cure) and that would no longer make
the tails skin-safe.

You cannot cure platinum silicone with tin cure. The tin cure would inhibit the platinum curing process, just like sulphur and latex.

[Nemefish]

Beautiful, you really are an inspiration to all of us. I'm moving to FL soon and I would love to meet you and have a swim. I'm dying to have a photoshoot in FLa springs, the water is so clear. I miss it!

haha im hoping to move to florida this year! maybe we can all meet and talk while we swim i totally want to heart about my home island ilonka :3 <3 i miss it so much ^.^ <3 and i totally want a tour of florida raven <3 luvs yas guys

[Kanti]

@Lorelei - Ahh then that makes it even less likely in my opinion o_o

I dunno, either way I still doubt he cuts it with anything. Sounds like something that has little backing
and not a rumor I'd ever care to spread o_o

Either way, it's nice Raven's starting the $1k tails that have neoprene in them. That provides a nice
alternative for people who want the silicone but don't have the cash :x

[Mermaid Rillia]

Ohhh Nemefish when are you moving to florida and what part? Same for you Ilonka. We should all totally meet up

And i too think its amazing that Raven has made an alternative silicone tail. My only concern is that in the picture i saw the monofin was clearly defined. It really might have just been the glare though. Seriously though, Raven, you are total awesomeness!

[Mermaid Karin]

Well Mertailor DOES use Dragonskin on his silicone tails, or at least I think so, because one of
his photos showed a picture of a couple gallons of Dragonskin in his garage xD
Unless he just likes to keep them around and sniff them or something.

Yeah, I saw that. I had asked how much silicone he uses per-tail, but i never got an answer. D: </3 oh well.

And yeah, about the smell thing. Do you think all silicone tails kinda smell? I know probably some more than others, I wonder how long it takes for the smell to go away. xD

[Mermaid Lorelei]

Having personally used dragonskin silicone in large amounts, it shouldn't smell noticeably. There is only the slightest smell and you seriously have to stick your nose on the stuff to smell it.

[Kanti]

Yeah, I saw that. I had asked how much silicone he uses per-tail, but i never got an answer. D: </3 oh well.

And yeah, about the smell thing. Do you think all silicone tails kinda smell? I know probably some more than others, I wonder how long it takes for the smell to go away. xD

Like Lorelei said, Dragonskin isn't supposed to smell like anything. If there is a smell, it's possible that
it may be coming from something other than the actual silicone. Some lubricants smell funny, as do some
paints. I actually have a mask I make that once it's done, the paint makes it smell like a fortune cookie xD
Either way, it could be multiple things and depending it may take a couple days to a week or two for the
smell to go away.

And yea, he probably isn't going to tell people much about his tails. People tend to get secretive when
it comes to that sort of stuff for whatever reason lol :'P

[Kanti]

Ohhh Nemefish when are you moving to florida and what part? Same for you Ilonka. We should all totally meet up

And i too think its amazing that Raven has made an alternative silicone tail. My only concern is that in the picture i saw the monofin was clearly defined. It really might have just been the glare though. Seriously though, Raven, you are total awesomeness!

Yea for real what's with all these people going to Florida!
It's so hot over here you all might regret it xD

We should have a meetup really bad x_x
Maybe that merpalooza thing?? O:

[Ilonka]

I'm going to Bradenton first and then I'm moving to Orlando to study special FX makeup. It would be awesome to have a meeting, maybe next summer? And yeah FL is hot but I think its hotter here in Puerto Rico LOL at least there is a "winter" in FL!

[AniaR]

And yeah, about the smell thing. Do you think all silicone tails kinda smell? I know probably some more than others, I wonder how long it takes for the smell to go away.

My tail never had any smell ever, at all, which I am incredibly thankful for because I have environmental illness and cant handle any offgassing. Anyway they DO talk about the smell in a video of him and melissa, one where he's like using sinurinse in the video. I remember because another member of the forum brought it up to me and asked me before I got my new tail if I'd be able to handle the smell. Melissa says something like "the smell of silicone in the room" from all the tails.


lol and Florida winter is about as hot as it actually gets here. lol >.>

[Mermaid Bella]

ohhhh i wonder how much one would cost to ship here... mwahahahahahahahaha

[Mermaid Rillia]

Yea for real what's with all these people going to Florida!
It's so hot over here you all might regret it xD

We should have a meetup really bad x_x
Maybe that merpalooza thing?? O:

Ohh Kanti Thats a great idea. I second that!

[Mermaid Rillia]

I'm going to Bradenton first and then I'm moving to Orlando to study special FX makeup. It would be awesome to have a meeting, maybe next summer? And yeah FL is hot but I think its hotter here in Puerto Rico LOL at least there is a "winter" in FL!

Cool Bradentron is just a bit away from me. And moving to orlando sounds fun.

[Ilonka]

My latex tail smells like condoms lololol