The 'Barbie Effect' on Beauty

Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken opened on July 21st—and it's it the biggest movie debut of the year.

Exceeding expectations, "Barbie" made a record-setting $155 million in box office sales in the U.S. and $337 million globally. Jeff Goldstein, the president of domestic distribution at Warner Bros., said about the world's most famous doll, “We have a pink unicorn here,” says. “We thought it would be $75 million for the opening weekend. Nobody saw $155 million coming.”

As a result of the film's success, the doll industry is estimated to generate $14 billion by 2027 according to a report by Euromonitor—and beauty stands to benefit as well, if these 14 beauty brand Barbie collabs are any indication.

We spotted makeup, hair color, and nail polish in all shades of pink—with packaging to match. Plus, Barbie will have her own official fragrance when Barbie Eau de Parfum launches in August.

The 'Barbiecore' Trend

The 'Barbiecore' trend is hard to miss, since it's everywhere from fashion to home furnishings, and of course beauty. The whimsical aesthetic began last summer when the Barbie movie began filming and the first photos leaked. The word Barbiecore had 17.8 million views on TikTok in July 2022. Fast-forward one year to after the film's release and now #barbiecore content has over 504.6 million views on TikTok as of July 2023, reports Mashable.

There are more than 100 brands with licensing agreements with Mattel to sell Barbie-themed fashion, jewelry, underwear, home furnishings, pet clothes, and more, CNBC reports.

'Barbie Pink' is Everywhere

'Barbie Pink,' a vibrant magenta-pink hue, is Mattel's copyrighted Pantone shade 219 C. Laurie Pressman, vice president, Pantone Color Institute, states:

"Sparkling with enthusiasm, Pantone 219C is uplifting and celebratory, signaling excitement about the future. Due to the resonance of Barbie in popular culture, this pink shade rings true for so many different generations from younger children to those who have grown up with Barbie and are now parents and grandparents. The pinks have become a lifestyle shade, one that crosses all areas of design, and one which we look at as now being genderless and ageless."