How to Give a Barbie a Makeover

Co-authored by Margaret Maragh

Last Updated: October 10, 2024

Barbie is a popular doll loved around the world both by adults and children. After some time, however, Barbie may lose the beauty she was packaged with, therefore she's in need of an emergency makeover.

1

Give Barbie a bath.

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Find a nice tub or sink that is deep enough for you to dip her into the water. If she is filthy, wash her body with soap or washing up liquid. Do not do this on wood floors.

2

Wash Barbie’s hair.

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For a smooth finish, soak her hair with fabric softener and then rinse it with water. You can also brush shampoo and conditioner through her hair and wash it out thoroughly. Then, let her hair dry.

3

Comb Barbie’s hair.

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Some Barbies come with small brushes to comb her hair. A wide-toothed comb can also help remove tangles and mats.

4

Give Barbie a haircut.

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Take some scissors and cut Barbie's hair into a new style. Try doing something simple like short hair or a bob, or add layers if you like. Don't hold the hair between the index and middle finger while cutting; it will stretch out and might come shorter than expected.
- If you are young, ask an adult for help with cutting Barbie’s hair.

5

Dye Barbie’s hair.

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Use Kool-Aid to dye Barbie’s hair a fun color. If you want to be creative and funky, you can dye Barbie's hair using Kool-Aid. Massage some Kool-Aid powder into her hair (as well as enough water). Dry her hair and then wash out any remaining powder. It should wash off using hot water and soap. Washable markers work well, too.
- If you don't like the Kool-Aid idea, you could use a permanent marker such as a Sharpie to color her hair. But remember, a permanent marker is permanent.
  
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- If you don't want to dye her hair at all, you can temporarily use a fluorescent highlighter to give Barbie some awesome highlights. The liquid in a highlighter is not usually permanent, so if you are not satisfied, you could try again.
  
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- Another way to temporarily dye Barbie's hair is to use washable markers. You can use washable markers and color directly onto Barbie's hair. However, being washable, this dye will wash out.
- As another alternative, dye Barbie’s hair with paint. Mix conditioner and the paint color you chose in a cup, then paint the color in the doll's hair. Let Barbie’s hair dry, which takes about 1 day. Then, wash out the paint (the color will still be there) and let her hair dry.

6

Design new clothes for Barbie.

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If you have experience sewing or you know how to, find some really neat fabric. Try designing a cool fashion for Barbie and sew it together. If you hate your current Barbie outfit, you can just alternate it to suit your liking (like sewing on beads, etc).

7

Apply makeup on Barbie.

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Use acrylic paint and a small paintbrush to add makeup. You can use black for eyeliner, red for lips, pink for cheeks, etc. You can soften the acrylic paint colors by adding water. After the paint has dried, go over the paint with a matte finish to make sure the paint stays on the Barbie. If you want to remove the makeup from Barbie before you start painting her, you can remove the makeup by using pure acetone and a cotton swab. You can finish off her lips with some petroleum jelly to provide a lovely shine to those lips, or you can use a clear gloss acrylic paint.
- Never, ever, ever use ink on a doll of any kind, especially a Barbie. The ink will expand on the vinyl and permanently change and damage your Barbie. So do not use a pen to create her makeup, unless you want to end up with a ruined doll.

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Tips

Dress her nicely.

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It helps to know what you want to do with your Barbie before you start.

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Put oil where her legs bend.

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The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Try using a hair mask (preferably a nice, avocado one) for a smooth finish. Then, rinse it out and softly brush the hair to avoid tangles. For me, a mask works much better than a regular conditioner.
If you want a unique look for your Barbie, make her over to look like one of your favorite television or comic book characters.

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Warnings

If you are sewing, make sure you know what you are doing, especially if you decide to use a sewing machine for this matter. However, it is better to use just a needle and thread to stitch.

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Be careful when you're handling scissors, especially if you are young or you do not know what you are doing.

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These are just guidelines only. You do not need to follow every single step, although it helps if your Barbie is in extreme need of a makeover.

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Barbie's hair will not grow back. Once you cut it, it's permanent. Buy a Barbie Doll Wig. You cannot make hair for Barbie dolls. You can also reroof your doll's hair by buying doll hair and taking out the doll's hair. Then you put the hair in the holes with a sewing needle.

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Only give a Barbie doll a makeover if she comes with toy makeup if she is in need of a makeover.

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Things You'll Need

Barbie in need of a makeover (only with toy make-up. See Warnings section.)
Barbie pick or small pick
Scissors
Washable Marker, Fluorescent Highlighter
Pens
Needles and thread and fabric if sewing
Vaseline
Soap
Water
Acrylic paint of assorted colors
Small paintbrushes
Acetone

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How to Give a Barbie a Makeover

Steps

Give Barbie a bath.

Wash Barbie’s hair.

Comb Barbie’s hair.

Give Barbie a haircut.

Dye Barbie’s hair.

Design new clothes for Barbie.

Apply makeup on Barbie.

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