How to Get (or Make) Pink Barbie Paint Despite Global Scarcity

Thanks to the new Barbie movie, the world’s supply of pink paint has been severely depleted . Even before the film started painting sets, supply chain issues and access to materials slowed the production of pink paint. Now, thanks to the movie , the pink Barbie has become a hot commodity and stocks are running low. Here’s how you can get the iconic “Pink Barbie” despite the scarcity.

Is Pink Barbie available now?

The first thing to remember about getting the perfect paint color is that the name of the color is not as important as the final product. While “Barbie Pink” may be in short supply, there are plenty of similar shades if you’re looking to create a Barbie home project. Since the actual shortage of paint is limited to a company that mainly supplies theatrical and film products, there is enough suitable color pigment left in the world to create your own Barbie-inspired project.

The official color of Barbie Dreamhouse Pink is still available from Backdrop Home. At $49 for a half gallon, that’s a little pricey for latex wall paint. If you’d like to give it a try, you can order a 12″ x 12″ pattern sample for $3. If you choose to use premium pre-blended paint, be sure to carefully evaluate the amount of paint you will need so you don’t end up with too much or too little.

You can also buy pink paint from a hardware store.

A more affordable alternative is ready-made paint from a hardware store. PPG Tickled Pink from Home Depot is a good choice at $20 to $25 a gallon. Another ready-made alternative is Sherwin Williams’ Cheery Pink , which will cost between $29 and $31.50 a gallon. If you are using a branded color from a paint or home improvement store, you can try swatching to find the closest match. Keep in mind that the color balance on the screen will not always match the color of the finished paint exactly, so the best way to find the right tone is to have a real physical sample to compare.

Many paint shops will also offer color matching tools to help you get the exact shade of pink you want. However, be aware that the hue may not look exactly like it does on your monitor. You can request a sample from a paint shop if you are unsure if it will fit. Paint a small swatch and then let it dry and see how the paint will look on your walls.

You can mix your own paint

If you’re not happy with any of the “close enough” options available on the shelf for a real pink Barbie, you can always decide to mix your own. Since color matching is difficult if you do it in several batches, it is best to mix all the necessary paint at once. If you are painting a room, you will need a five gallon bucket and a paint mixing tool.

In order to blend the color with the desired shade, it is important to start with the right tone of red. A red that leans slightly towards blue, known as “cold red” instead of orange red, would be your best bet for achieving Barbie-inspired pink. Usually the best strategy for getting hot pink is to start with true white and gradually add red until you get the color you want. As a rule, it is much easier to darken a color that is too light than to lighten it when it is too dark.

Use an alternative type of paint

You can also challenge the Barbie pink paint shortage by using alternatives to latex paint. For small projects like outdoor furniture, spray paint will do and no mixing is required. Manga Pink by MTN is very similar, as is Candy Pink by Rustoleum. Other options include using acrylic paints (either pre-mixed or you can mix your own using red and white ). If painting isn’t an option, you can also try adhesive wallpaper in classic hot pink.