Top Four Fixes Collectors Make on Vintage Barbies | Dolls

Perhaps you have placed the winning bid on the most coveted Barbie doll and you are now the proud owner of a vintage Barbie with just a few minor flaws.  As time moves on, you may find yourself staring more and more at your doll, wondering if there was anything you could do to fix those little flaws which – with time – are beginning to get bigger and bigger.  Relax and realize that you are not alone.  As a matter of fact, there are a large number of doll collectors who will fix up their dolls and either make them more presentable for display purposes, or simply fix those little flaws that make it hard to sell them

Here are the top four fixes collectors make on vintage Barbies:

Vintage Barbies used to wear metal earrings as part of their accessories.  Yet over time, these earrings caused a condition known in doll collecting circles as “Green Ear.”  Mention this condition to any doll collector, and you will receive sage nodding, and quite possibly a homemade remedy recipe that has helped her or him to remove the dreaded condition. It appears that green ear is the number one fix vintage doll collectors make on their Barbies. Some doll owners recommend the use of Tarn-X, but a larger number of collectors swear by a product known as Remove-Zit, which may be applied very carefully with a toothpick to the affected area.  The material will harden and may be removed thereafter.  Each time you remove the hardened product, you are also removing a bit of the green ear stain.  Depending on how serious the discoloration, this may take quite a while.

If you have a vintage Barbie whose hair is no longer stylish but perhaps suffered from decades of less than gentle treatment or undesirable storage, you may find yourself having to do her hair.  This is probably the number two fix performed by collectors who take pride in displaying their treasures. Yet be careful when styling your doll’s hair!  You do not know what previous owners may have done to it and you will need to avoid doing anything that might result in hair loss. For this reason, most collectors will advise that it is best to shampoo Barbie’s hair first to get rid of any hair product build up.  At the same time, you will also want to detangle the hair, so that it will not get ripped out when you style it.  Use a very mild baby shampoo on your Barbie’s head, and a hypoallergenic fabric softener – on that contains no dyes or perfumes – in lieu of conditioner. Work on your doll’s hair when it is still wet, and use wood or plastic toothpicks or straws to act as curlers.

Features are third on the list for most vintage Barbie collectors.  Are the lips not as red as they used to be?  Has a part of the brow been scratched off?  Perhaps the irises are goners. Whatever the case may be, seasoned collectors have been known to repaint their dolls’ faces occasionally.  Even novices may want to try this, but you will have to proceed slowly, with great care, and perhaps err on the side of caution – failure to do so will probably leave you looking like a Barbie that would be more at home in a circus than a fashion show. First and foremost, find a tiny high quality paintbrush.  This is not the time to skimp and save, but instead to splurge and buy quality. If the brush is still too big, you may need to go ahead and cut some of it to adapt it to your needs. Secondly, invest in some Liquitex acrylic paints.  While other paints may work as well, this appears to be the brand that collectors favor. Follow the lines as closely as possible. Inch your way around, and let the doll’s head dry frequently to gage the results.

Clothing care is usually last on the list of fixes for the serious collector.  You may wish to wash your Barbie’s clothes, but do so slowly, by hand, and using a heavily diluted baby shampoo.  Be sure to rinse until all the shampoo is washed out.  Some collectors go so far as to use distilled water for the final rinse, but this is up to you. Ironing should be avoided, since it can be too damaging on the fabrics. Instead, press the garment between paper towels with your hands.