How to Give Barbie a Makeover

Hair

• 1

  Wash the hair with gentle shampoo and rinse it thoroughly in warm water.

• 2

  Apply a mild conditioner. If the hair is stuck together, leave the conditioner in for 10 minutes.

• 3

  With the conditioner still in the hair, comb out snarls with a small comb. (It's best to use the comb that came with the Barbie doll.) Start at the bottom of the hair and work your way toward the scalp.

• 4

  Rinse out the conditioner. This may take several rinses.

• 5

  While the hair is still wet, set it in curlers. Use bobby pins for tight curls and small foam curlers for larger curls. Use a tiny orthodontic rubber band for a ponytail holder.

• 6

  Dip the hair in hot water to set the curls.

• 7

  Let the curls dry overnight. Remove the curlers and style the hair.

Face and body

• 8

  If your doll is especially grimy, soak the Barbie in mild dishwashing liquid and warm water for 15 minutes.

• 9

  Wipe away dirt with a soft, damp cloth. Use a cotton swab to clean crevices.

• 10

  Tackle any ink or grease stains with a cotton swab soaked in rubbing alcohol.

• 11

  For really tough ink stains, apply acne cream with a "vanishing formula," such as Oxy 10 or Clearasil. Place the Barbie in the sun for a day and then scrape away the cream. Repeat several times if necessary.

• 12

  Repaint any chipped or missing facial features, such as brows or lips, with a fine brush and acrylic hobby paints.

• 13

  If the head is torn at the neck area, fix it with glue designed for plastic, such as Permatex.

• 14

  If you want to replace a broken limb with a good one taken from another Barbie, plunge the torso and limb in boiling water for 30 seconds. This will soften up the vinyl and make it easier to pry off the old limb and pop in the new one.