Bringing blonde hair to the big screen, Barbie is taking over the world this summer. Pure and vivacious, the Barbie blonde is the epitome of 'blondes have more fun'. So, with these tips from stylists, your clients' hair will look fabulous throughout the summer months.
With over 2.3 million views on TikTok videos relating to the hashtag #barbieblonde, the popularity of the style is so obvious and perhaps its versatility is responsible. Fracesca Spirito, new Talent Stylist at the Neil Moodie Studio, states: "The golden tone of the Barbie Blonde shade suits more skin tones than platinum; it gives your hair more of a natural sun-kissed tone, which people love. People choose this tone over platinum because it looks great with the latest hair trends, like layered haircuts and butterfly cuts."
Click here to find out how to choose the best hair colour for your clients.
So, to meet the vast demand for the Barbie Blonde look, make sure you follow these steps:
1. Ensure you have an in-depth consultation with your client first, primarily discussing whether they will be able to maintain the look. Then, analyse the hair's condition, checking for any previous colour, natural depth and pigments, as suggested by David McNeill from Brooks and Brooks, London. Also Michelle Summers Davies, Matrix Artist ambassador, says to get a good visual guide before the full service, and before your client commits, take a strand test to judge not only how many levels it will take to lift, but examine the hair's condition after too.
2. Demineralise the hair to create a more even and clean 'canvas'.
3. Lighten and lift the hair - the Barbie Blonde look is a classic clean level 10. Michelle advises: "Don't go any higher than a level 10 pale yellow because this loses integrity and the cuticle becomes damaged. Using a pre-bonded lightner gives me full control without pushing the hair too far as the bonder helps to protect the hair's fibre while lifting."
4. Michelle points out that clients' hair should not be left to develop alone; you should oversee each stage of lightening. She recommends using a level finder, which shows the underlying pigments for every level, so that you know exactly what each stage should look like on your clients' hair.
5. For a clean result following the lightening process, David suggests to keep toning to a minimum and adding clear to your toner will avoid over toning. He states: "If the client has a lot of warmth in their hair, or their hair is prone to turning warmer when lifted, then toning with an ash may be required for more longeivity." Although this means your client may not leave with their desired 'light golden' result, the hair will eventually fade into this after washing.
Barbie Bonus!
To perfectly recreate Margot Robbie's blonde red carpet look, Celebrity Colourist, Jacob Schwartz, explains how he created the look on the Barbie actress herself at the movie's premiere.
He shares: "I really wanted Margot's blonde look to embody Barbie on the red carpet without it being so obvious and over bleached. I wanted it to sparkle when the lights hit her hair and bounce like those legendary blonde supermodels and actresses of the 90s."
1. Jacob started by using a babylight technique to highlight fine weaves of hair and lift to a golden light blonde.
2. Then, he washed the hair with shampoo and conditioner to help build new bonds and prepare the hair for an even toning application.
3. When the hair was damp, he applied the Schwarzkopf Professional IGORA VIBRANCE in a range of dilutes to both tone the blonde and add shine.
4. After developing for 15 to 20 minutes, he carefully rinsed the deeper base colour first while holding the lighter pieces up to maintain brightness on the ends. He sealed the colour, and rebuilt the hair's strength, by washing again with shampoo and conditioner.
Why not check out some more ways for your clients to embrace their inner Barbie here?