A Guide to Barbiecore Beauty: Six Easy Steps to Ace the Pink, Ultra-Feminine Aesthetic
Whether you are a fan of the Mattel doll or not, Barbie will always evoke feelings of nostalgia. Luckily for Barbie’s loyal patrons, their favorite childhood icon is coming to the big screen on July 21 in a self-titled film. Centered around Barbie’s newfound experiences in the real world, Barbie is an upcoming comedy fantasy movie filled with Hollywood’s biggest stars, including Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Dua Lipa, Simu Liu, America Ferrera, and Issa Rae.
Since last year, Barbie’s pink punch of nostalgia has been rapidly infiltrating the fashion and beauty scene. From runways to shopping malls, the world has been flooded with people rocking the ultra-feminine, pink aesthetic coined as Barbiecore. While Barbiecore fashion is all about Valentino’s hot pink looks, platform sandals, and feminine fits, Barbiecore beauty thrives on curly blowouts, punchy-pink eyeshadow, and magenta-clad nails — all heavily inspired by Y2K and 1990s trends.
What better way to anticipate the big movie than to get primped and pampered like Barbie herself? Just in time for Barbie, here is everything you need to know to embrace Barbiecore beauty in six easy steps.
1. Pink Eyeshadow
Pastel, shimmery eyeshadow and pink-painted everything are the pinnacle of the Y2K aesthetic, and coincidentally they’re also at the core of this Barbie-inspired trend. For that signature Barbie beauty look, you need to start off by blending pink eyeshadow all over the lid and lower lash line. Different shades of pink, from pastels to deep magentas can be used for this step. The key is finding a shade that complements your skin tone the best. Patting glitter on the lid and inner corners is optional if you want to add an extra eye-catching touch.
Take as an example from the Filipino film industry darling, Liza Soberano. The actress is not one to shy away from any fashion concept that comes her way, and Barbie beauty is no different. The Filipino film star has previously appeared with a wash of bubble gum pink eyeshadow that matched perfectly with her monochromatic ensemble. If you want to take a page from Liza’s beauty book, add subtle pink blush and a mauve pink lip gloss to finish off this ultra-feminine look.
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2. Fluffy Doll Lashes
If you really want to emulate Barbie’s beauty routine, another non-negotiable is a fluffy set of lashes. For this thick-lashed look, the key is to use a volumizing mascara to make the lashes pop against the pinky haze of eye shadow. In recent months, people are achieving the large lashes look, honing in on the spider lashes trend. These chunky spiked lashes are a blast from the past making a recent comeback in the beauty scene. Conveniently, they just so happen to pair perfectly with bright-pink eyeshadow. If a couple coats of mascara isn’t doing the trick for you, a good pair of false lashes can mimic the ultra-femme eye look.
Spotted wearing inky spider lashes on countless occasions (including her appearance at the Met Gala), the powerhouse vocalist Dua Lipa has become synonymous with the well-debated beauty trend. The pop hit songstress is soon to find herself as Mermaid Barbie on the big screen as well as on the soundtrack of the highly anticipated Barbie. As the film is all about embracing the cute, pink side of life, fans can’t wait to see how the vocal vixen will sneak in her perfect pair of spider lashes.
Always appearing chic and fashionable, Turkish actress Hande Erçel is another star rocking spider lashes from time to time. The dramatic lash look flawlessly complements her deep-set eyes and stunning features. From red carpet glam to a minimal everyday makeup look, she shows that this thick-lash look is quite versatile and can be sported on any occasion.
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Lash
3. Flirty Blushed Cheeks
Flirty blushed cheeks are the next step to mastering the pretty-in-pink look. For this step, diffuse a warm or cool-toned blush on a fluffy brush across the apples of the cheeks to the temples. Many opt for a baby-pink puff of rouge on their cheeks, but matching the undertone of the blush to your personal undertone will give a beautiful harmonious finish.
Known for her infectious, bubbly on-and-off screen persona, Anna Cathart wore a blush that perfectly matched her joyful spirit to a tee. For the premiere of the viral hit show XO Kitty (2023), the lead actress wore a generous amount of diffused guava-toned blush all over her cheeks and on the tip of her nose. Additionally, champagne highlighter was pinpointed on the apples of her cheeks and the tip of her nose for a glass skin finish. Wire-rimmed glasses and glamourous, flushed cheeks made for the perfect cute yet quirky take on Barbiecore blush.
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Blush
4. Glossy Pink Lips
Who knew that the original Mattel girl was up to date with current beauty trends? This Barbiecore beauty routine is complete with any glossy pink lip product of your liking. When choosing a glossy lip product, make sure it has the same undertone as the former steps for peak monochrome glamor. Fuschia, baby pink, and even hot pink lip products are great for this step.
Serenading the whole world with their cupid-themed tunes, the girls of FIFTY FIFTY have landed themselves in the upcoming Barbie soundtrack. The sensational K-pop girl group is perfect for this role as they radiate a bright youthful attitude and subscribe to a Barbie-approved lip look. Dancing their hearts out on countless music shows, the quartet has appeared with glossy pink lips that compliment their cutesy theme. Some opt for coral pink while others stick with true magenta shade, showing the importance of picking the perfect pink lip for you. The members also rocked a major K-beauty secret — lip gloss swiped just above the cupid’s bow for that plump, juicy pout.
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Lip
Gloss
5. Iconic 1990s Blowout
Barbie wouldn’t be recognizable without her signature platinum-blonde blowout. A voluminous mane ending in perfect ultra-femme curls is the key to looking like the world’s favorite doll. Smoothing the lengths of the hair with a round brush and a blow dryer can create a perfect base. Then, curling the ends of the hair with a curling iron or smaller brush will help lock in this ‘90s-inspired blowout. A set of swoopy, curtain bangs is always a plus when it comes to this iconic blowout. For hair that becomes frizzy or cannot hold a curl, a couple of hairspray spritzes and smoothing treatments can help lock in your curls.
Being blessed with natural texture is amazing for iconic Barbie hairstyles as well. Skip the heat styling and go straight into products that can hydrate your hair to give it a healthy and shiny look. Natural waves and texture already will provide the volume needed for this hair look, so focus on taming frizz with conditioners and styling products. For voluminous bouncy curls, the finishing touch is a quick blow dry with a diffuser attachment.
Often recognized for her doll-like beauty, Jeon Somi is no stranger to the Barbie blowout. Since the release of her summer single “Dumb Dumb” in 2021, the vocalist can be spotted from a mile away for her glowing platinum-blonde hair. Although she has rocked different hairstyles over the years, Somi was recently spotted with a set of 1990s curtain bangs paired with a pink number from Prada — which makes her look like a real-life Barbie. Regardless of hair length or color, anyone can unlock their inner femininity with the perfect Barbie blowout just like Somi.
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6. Pink Lacquered Nails
Barbie knows how to sport a set of candy-colored nails, so a pink-lacquered manicure is the final touch to this Barbiecore beauty look. Short to long nails painted with an opaque coat of pink shellac is the minimum requirement for this step. Lighter pastel shades are great for a modern interpretation, but Barbie’s signature hot pink is the ultimate nail trend making the rounds in beauty spaces.
Since the dawn of time, everyone has loved a pink lacquered nail. K-pop group (G)I-DLE are no exception. In promotional material for their single “Queencard,” the five-member girl group was doused head to toe in magenta miniskirts, chunky charm jewelry, and frosted pink makeup that screamed Y2K. As an addition to their hot pink ensembles, the girls all wore a long set of cotton candy-pink acrylic nails — their take on Y2K beauty. But this was not the first time the stars made a case for Barbiecore beauty. Minnie, specifically, has been donning the trend since last year, sporting different iterations of the Barbie-approved manicure, from glittery hot pink to pastel pink French tips.
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With the rise of ultra-feminine trends and the highly-anticipated release of Barbie, this pink, doll-like aesthetic is here to stay. Now that we’ve broken down the tips and tricks to look like the world’s most famous doll, let your inner Barbie shine with this EnVi-approved Barbiecore routine.
Interested in more Barbie-approved beauty? Check out how hairstylist Bryce Scarlett created Margot Robbie’s Barbie ponytail here.
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