I Got a Full-On "Barbie" Makeover, but Is a Life in Plastic More Fantastic?

To start, I knew I needed a Barbie-worthy tan. As soon as the first images of Gosling as Ken, wearing double denim, were released, fans went wild for his glow-up. The self-tanning brand Isle of Paradise was responsible for the looks on set, so, of course, I needed to get this exact faux glow. Using the Isle of Paradise Medium Self-Tanning Water ($24), with the help of a spray-tan artist who had me stretching, bending, and reaching over to get into every nook and cranny (Barbie has no streaks, you know), half the bottle was used to achieve the subtle tan.

You can re-create it at home by following the brand's five steps:

Next up, the Barbie blowout. With the aim of achieving a doll-like 'do, I headed down to Duck & Dry in London's Carnaby Street to see hairstylist Sandra Truong. Starting with the Duck & Dry Full Feathers Shampoo ($25) specifically designed for thick hair, followed by the Duck & Dry Full Feathers Conditioner ($28), I began my quest for luscious hair looking more like a drowned rat than blowdried Barbie, but trusted the process.

While still damp, Truong spritzed away with the Duck & Dry Blow Dry In A Bottle - Mega Volume Spray ($35) to add that much-needed volume and prep the hair for the heat of the hairdryer. Then, separating the hair into sections, Truong used a medium-sized brush to wrap and roll, directing the hairdryer at the ends, trapping in the heat before rolling and clipping in place.

If doing this yourself, her top tip is to roll each section forward before quickly flipping back every time you unravel. After each section was rolled, Truong doused me in hairspray. Out I went into the world looking like a 1950s pin-up, before pulling them out just in time for the finished look. The result? A voluminous blowout that gave the perfect Barbie-esque bounce.

To recreate a Barbie look, my minimal makeup was swapped out for full-faced glam; think pink with lots of lashes and shimmer. Dana Abes, KVD Beauty's makeup artist, was behind the look, and a lot went into creating it. There's no "I woke up like this" with Barbie.

For the base, Abes applied KVD Good Apple Foundation Balm ($43) with a damp sponge, followed by the KVD Good Apple Concealer ($30), focusing the lightest shade on the high points of the face to give a "bright lifted look to the complexion." To "Barbiefy", she added the KVD Everlasting Blush in Peony ($30) on the high points of the cheek to lift the face, topped with KVD Dewality Modcon Gel Blush ($30) for that juicy, dewy skin.

"To achieve those doll-like eyes, a white liner is a must," Abes explained. Using the KVD White Out Pomade ($25) on the water line and a small touch of bronzer underneath, it opened up the eyes, making them look rounder in shape. The lid was kept soft with the KVD Moon Garden Eye Palette ($43), focusing shade Petal Nebula in the crease and blending up towards the temples.

KVD Tattoo Liner in Mad Max Brown ($25) lined the eyelid before topping with lashings of KVD Go Big or Go Home Mascara ($25). Finally, a sweep of the KVD Moth Orchid Everlasting Liquid Lipstick ($23) to complete the look.

Although I won't be recreating this level of effort for myself anytime soon — a slick of blush and concealer only will do me just fine — the makeup brought out my inner Barbie. And leaning into the playful side of beauty products reminded me to that there is so much more creativity to be had.

I picked two looks from the "Barbie" trailer to recreate to ensure I fully channelled by inner Barbie: a vibrant pink co-ord and baby pink gingham dress with those now iconic, fluffy heels. Stepping into the Barbie outfits felt a bit like cosplay and a far cry from the cream, brown, and black uniform I'm most comfortable in.

For the first look, H&M had the perfect pick with a Pink Suit Waistcoat (£18), and Suit Trousers (£25). I sourced the Pink Neckerchief (£14) from Amazon, the Pink Metallic Cross Strap Sandals (£35) from Deichmann, and the Hot Pink Disco Ricky Bag (£275) from Stone & Mason.

For the second look, I leant into the beach Barbie 'fit seen in the trailer and opted for the Lola May Tie Shoulder Mini Dress (£16, originally £29) from Asos, accessorized with a Claire's Accessories Blush Pink Bow Barette Hair Clip (£7), Orelia Dainty Pearl Flower Stationed Collar Necklace (£25), and Oliver Bonas Amia Daisy Hoop Drop Earrings (£18). And finally, finished with the perfect dupe of those Pink Fluffy Heels (£10, originally £20) from Public Desire.

If you like pink, then these outfits are ideal. While it was a far cry from my usual neutral palette, I started holding myself differently. Rather than fade into the background, these clothes ensured I was centre stage wherever I went — and so I figured I might as well act the part. With all eyes on me, I walked with purpose, even in high heels.

For the final step of the Barbie makeover, I took my new look to Rawr Nail Bar while dressed in full Barbie glam. Working with my already painted baby pink BIAB (builder in a bottle) manicure because this Barbie is always on a budget, the nail tech infilled any growth to create a more polished mani and filed into an almond shape before adding chrome dust to truly make them sparkle and shine.

Then, I made my way home, via a quick trip to Zara to check out its Barbiecore offering, of course. I actually received a few compliments from strangers on my new look — an incredibly strange experience from the usual head-down rush I'm used to in London. Maybe this newfound confidence wasn't just visible to me . . .

See more of my finished Barbie makeover look below, and how I went out and about feeling more empowered than I have in a while.