Barbiecore nails: Nail art inspiration straight from Barbieland

Barbiemania is well and truly taking over, with the upcoming release of the Barbie movie starring Margot Robbie that will see the iconic doll come to life on cinema screens from 21st July 2023. Instagram feeds worldwide have been flooded with beauty and fashion looks inspired by Barbie's world, especially in the nail art space. The Barbiecore nail trend is all about pinks of every shade and going all out on nostalgic girliness. 

With so many design ideas at our fingertips, it can sometimes be hard to know where to begin.

Luckily, luxury manicurist Alex Philamond and nail technician and owner of Doll Parts Manchester Millie Horton are on hand to help you navigate your clients through Barbieland.

Speaking on the hype surrounding the film, Horton shared how she's, "never seen a film or TV show create a visible nail trend like this.

"For the last couple of weeks, pink nails have been just as requested as reds at Christmas or rainbow designs during Pride."

Philamond echoes these comments about the rise in requests for nail looks inspired by the film, adding that, "The moment that Barbie stepped out of those heels in that teaser trailer, all anybody wanted was searingly hot pink nails.

"Pink has and will always be a universally-beloved nail colour. It treads the line between sophisticated and playful, flirtatious and demure, but the hype around Barbie's release has certainly swayed the decisions of those who wouldn't typically opt for pink nails.

Subtle Barbie nail art ideas

For clients wanting to take part in the trend without going too deep into it, there are a number of ways to include a subtle hint of pink and nod to the film

For Horton, one of the best ways to do this is taking a current trend and adding a pink twist.

"Airbrush and aura nails are huge at the moment, and the layering of different pinks and added 3D hearts on this design gives a subtle “life in plastic” vibe, without being too obvious."

Philamond agrees with the idea of delivering a classic nail art trend with a pink hue, adding, "The cuticle dot or heart manicure will forever reign supreme for anyone preferring minimalist nail art.

"This can be Barbiefied by opting for a vivid pink dot or heart on each nail, or elevated further with a gradient of pale or dark pinks."

Barbiecore nail art ideas

For those embracing the trend, go for a bold and bright block colour or level it up by layering different shades of pink.

"As obvious as it sounds, a single-colour manicure (I abhor the word 'plain') in a shocking pink is a quiet but adequate showcase of your Barbiecore allegiance," suggests Philamond.

"If you're feeling brave, choose two contrasting pinks and opt for a French with the paler pink as your base and a bright pink for the tip."

Horton prefers to add a bit of Ken-ergy to her designs, playing with pink and blue hues.

"This design is a fun, dreamy, summery take on layering nail art techniques, allowing you to showcase French tips, gems and airbrushing.

"It’s not too obviously Barbie themed, but you can’t deny that, alongside the classic Barbie pink, the bright, baby blue brings an unmistakeable dose of Ken-ergy to the party."

Nail art straight from Barbieland

If your clients come with "go-big-or-go-home" energy, fully embrace Barbieland by drawing inspiration from the doll's interior styles.

"There is so much iconography attached to the Barbie brand; so much pattern, imagery and lore," said Philamond.

"Take snippets from some of your favourite Barbie eras and gimmicks (such as the wallpaper of the Malibu Dream House or her silhouette logo from the 1992 Hair Salon) and translate these into nail art designs."

Horton also loves taking iconic motifs from the Barbie universe and incorporating them into you design, as seen in the stunning set below from her salon.

"There’s no room to misinterpret this design! Nail art is the perfect opportunity to lean in and fully commit to any theme," she says.

"With its temporary nature and new techniques and products becoming available all the time, you can let your imagination run wild. I have no doubt this client will be first in the cinema queue, head to toe in shades of pink, and I applaud them!"

How to work with multiple shades of pink

No Barbie design would be complete without pink, and, with so many beautiful shades and hues to select from, the Barbie trend is the perfect opportunity to play with multiple shades of the colour.

"My advice for creating a cool, fun but cohesive nail art look with multiple shades of pink would be to choose just two different shades for your design, but use as many different nail art techniques as you like with those shades," shares Horton.

By keeping your colour palette simple, but elevating the design through different art styles, it creates a fun finished product that isn't too harsh on the eye, as she explains, "This means you can experiment and have fun with your techniques, and every nail can look fun and different, while the colours keep a continuity throughout your design."

Want to learn more from Millie Horton? Register now for Professional Beauty North to attend her talk on nail art trends

Have you clients been asking for Barbie inspired nail designs? Let us know in the comments and tag us in your designs on Instagram using #PBLoves.
More Barbie content: This is how Ryan Gosling got his Ken tan for the Barbie Movie

All image credits: Millie Horton/Doll Parts Manchester