Do you ever have the feeling that you’re living in a dream? Well, that’s exactly what Valeria Lukyanova, the real-life Barbie, is making the world feel right now. This Ukrainian model and social media sensation has been taking the internet by storm, garnering millions of followers, and turning heads everywhere she goes.
Rise to Fame
Lukanova first gained attention in 2012 when photos of her circulated the internet and her distinctive look was noticed by the world. Valeria has since been featured in a variety of magazines and media outlets, such as Vogue, GQ, and MTV, despite her having no background in modeling.
I'm A Barbie Girl
Valeria Lukyanova is known for her doll-like features, which have been achieved through a combination of makeup, diet, and exercise. She has often been compared to the famous Barbie dolls of the past, and her look has become iconic. Valeria claims that she is not trying to be a Barbie doll, but it’s obvious that her blonde aspirations have stemmed from famous figures of the past.
She Loves The Way She Looks
She has stated in interviews that she does not intend to have more plastic surgery, and that she is content with her current appearance. Valeria Lukyanova is an example of how beauty can be improved through natural means, like makeup and exercise. Her look is unique and captivating, and she has inspired many to try to achieve the same look. But Valeria wasn’t always so sure of herself.
Social Media Sensation
Valeria Lukyanova has become a global icon and her look has inspired many others around the world who are trying to achieve a similar look for themselves. She has been featured in numerous fashion campaigns and has been contacted by many companies to collaborate on projects. Valeria has become a social media sensation, with millions of followers on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Becoming Barbie
Valeria Lukyanova is a Russian-born Ukrainian model who has become an internet sensation due to her striking looks. She has been famously referred to as the “Human Barbie” due to her doll-like features. But the measures she took to get her famous looks might surprise you.
Her Early Struggles
Valeria experienced the harshness of life at a young age, and this inspired her to strive for success. She moved to Odessa at 16, graduating with a degree in architecture. In 2014, she went to Moscow, and her life changed for the better.
Beauty Queen
From a young age, Valeria was praised for her beauty and won the "Miss Diamond Crown of the World" beauty contest in 2007. Her full lips, big eyes, and blonde hair made her stand out from the 300 other contestants, though she still felt she could improve her appearance.
Her Original Look
Valeria made increasingly drastic changes to her body, becoming more and more noticeable to those around her. Despite the obvious cosmetic procedures such as a nose job, brow lift and liposuction, she denied having done anything, yet still looked more like a Barbie than before.
Going Viral
Valeria gained international attention when she posted provocative photos and videos of her new Barbie-like look. While some criticised her for setting unrealistic beauty standards, it only made her more determined to flaunt her new look online. This led the media to dub her a real-life Barbie doll.
She Says She's All Natural
People speculated Valeria had ribs removed to look slimmer than average, but she denied it. She condemned the comments and defended her appearance, claiming it was only her makeup, contacts and breast enhancement that was plastic. She credited her slim figure to good genetics and diet.
Her Strange Diet
Valeria's diet of liquids and raw vegetables was met with skepticism, but she had tried a "breatharian" diet of air and sunshine before, which caused even more uproar. Despite failing due to the sun's effects on her skin, she still hopes to give it another go in the future.
Keeping Her Mind and Body Strong
Valeria appears like a Barbie doll but doesn't act like one. She spends her days meditating and practicing yoga, gymnastics, blogging and astral projection. Despite how peculiar this may seem, she regards herself as a spiritual guru and works as an instructor at the International School of Out-of-body Travel, where she teaches people to travel their spiritual body, under her spiritual name, Amatue.
Spiritual Tendencies
Valeria has achieved fame and success but believes one needs spiritual discipline too. She wrote a book in 2012 titled "Astral Travel Amateur", and she believes she has a higher purpose beyond her looks.
Her Feminine Powers
Valeria's interest in spirituality began as a teen, when she experimented with being a witch and explored the forest, wearing black and dancing around fires. This was the first of many identities she would try, and it set her on the path to discovering her true self.
It Runs In The Family
Valeria was already attractive before her transformations and it's clear where she gets her beauty from - her mother Irina. Valeria's mum was supportive of her daughter's choices and even imitated them herself. While Irina was a physical influence, Valeria was spiritually influenced by her.
She's Otherworldly
Valeria's wild identities have astounded people - she's told people that she's an otherworldly being from Venus sent to teach humans a lesson. Her hyper awareness and spiral visions as a young girl only reinforced her belief that she was different from others.
Her Medical Conditions
Valeria, nicknamed Space Barbie, suffered from vertigo at a young age, causing her to have spiral visions. She decided to take control and manage her condition, and adopted the spiritual name Amatue shortly after. Knowing there must be something going on in her mind, she persevered.
Sense of Purpose
Valeria sought psychiatric help to manage her spiritual thoughts and concerns, but doctors found no cause for alarm. Rather, they believed she had special psychic abilities that ought to be nurtured, providing her comfort and a sense of purpose.
Varied Interests
Valeria pursues hobbies like DJing and composing music, and even has released two albums. She hopes to create an opera with soft melodies inspired by nature in the future, and has recently partnered with composers to make this happen.
Similar Sisters
Valeria's sister Olga has brown locks and more human-like features, and at one stage wanted to be like Valeria. But she realized a Barbie-like appearance wasn't for her and chose her own identity, defending her sister against criticism. Olga believes Valeria shouldn't be compared to a lifeless doll, as she is the complete opposite.
Her Extended Family
Valeria's brother Ivan is an average-looking man who loves building planes and is oddly obsessed with Valeria. As children, they used to dress up in their parents' wedding outfits and act out being married. Ivan has said Valeria's appearance is his idea of beauty, leading to her growing distant from him.
Family Matters
Valeria's family life may not be perfect, but she has attempted to make the best of it. At one point, she even tried to play matchmaker for her brother by setting him up for a date with one of her female fans. Although the siblings are estranged now, Valeria has spoken candidly about the situation on her social media pages.
She Doesn't Want a Normal Life
Valeria loves her nephew, but is not interested in having a baby. She married her childhood friend Dmitry Shkrabov, but the two are in an open relationship. Valeria has repeatedly stated she has no desire to be a mother, claiming there are no children in her otherworldly realm.
She Found The One
Valeria's husband Dmitry completely understands his wife and always stands behind her. Valeria is proud of him, saying, "He loves and supports me with and without makeup." They have a lot of love for each other, and Dmitry even adopted a vegetarian diet like Valeria. He also does all the usual husband duties like cooking meals for his wife.
She Was Attacked
Dmitry is a good husband but he can't always be there to protect Valeria, as was the case when she was attacked in 2014. Valeria, a.k.a. the human Barbie, had many admirers but also many haters who, one Halloween, decided to physically harm her. Luckily, a neighbor stepped in and Valeria was taken to the hospital for treatment.
Public Persona
Valeria endures physical and verbal attacks often, but refuses to be beaten down by it. She chooses to fight back in a different way, by refusing to give negative media attention. She knows that she is a public figure, and she refuses to let her audience bring her down.
She's An Energy Vampire
Valeria calls herself an "energy vampire" who absorbs negative energy and uses it to her own advantage, such as getting attention. Despite the hardships of seeming perfect and being treated as a novelty, it still works to her benefit as she gets more attention.
Inner Ugly
Valeria, who has had cosmetic surgery, is the opposite of compassionate to other women, particularly Sarah Jessica Parker, whom she has publicly called "lazy horse face" and claimed that her looks reflect her inner ugliness.
She's A Shapeshifter
Valeria believes "perfection has no limitations," so she changes her physical appearance and even her year of birth. Though she initially denied having surgeries, she later admitted to a few. Despite this, she isn't ruling out more surgery in the future. What else is left for her to do?
Different Personas
She changes her identity regularly, using makeup, clothes and her attention to detail to create different personas. This has caught the eye of influential people, and even led to her being cast in a horror film.
Change of Routine
Valeria wanted a stronger look, so she worked hard to build her biceps and abs. Her new look combining a feminine face and buff body surprised many. Valeria proved she could achieve anything, and proved this by starring in a horror film titled "The Doll."
Her Debut Film
The human Barbie managed to bring her best to her debut horror movie, The Doll. Directed by Susannah O'Brien, it's about a female escort created from doll parts who's instructed to kill her clients. She was praised for her acting, but her confidence had been building since before she was cast.
Millions of Followers
In 2014, Valeria's fan base grew exponentially, with over 30 million YouTube views and over a million fans across other social media channels. She became an idol for many, with one fan, Anastasiya, even creating her own YouTube account in her idol's image. Though her fame had extreme fans, her success was unquestionable.
Barbie and Ken
Justin Jedlica, who has been dubbed the "Human Ken" by some outlets, may seem like the perfect match for Valeria, but that wasn't the case. When the two met for a photoshoot, Valeria acted coldy around Justin, which angered him enough to say that she looked like a "drag queen" in her makeup.
The Future Ahead of Her
Valeria hopes to share her spiritual teachings and be accepted for who she is. She strives to make a worldwide impact through her new-age opera music and other projects. From being a witch to bodybuilding, Valeria's ambition knows no bounds. But she isn't the only human Barbie doll out there...
Meet Lolita
Lolita Richi, a 16-year-old Turkmenistan native, shares striking similarities to Valeria Lukyanov. Lolita's 20-inch waist, 32F cup size, and Barbie-like appearance resemble Valeria's, yet she insists she's never had cosmetic surgery. Lolita's style seems to have been heavily influenced by Valeria, yet she states that she's never even heard of her.
She Used to Be a Tomboy
People often admire Lolita's beauty, but she remains modest. Boys pursue her, but she doesn't like any of them. Contrary to her current image, she was a tomboy growing up and didn't care about her looks. She preferred playing outside with boys than with dolls, which surprised her parents when she began to look more like a doll.
A Doll's Life
Lolita's Barbie-like look is achieved with makeup, contacts and clothing. She wanted to be her own inspiration, and enhance her features - she hardly needs to diet to maintain her slim figure. She enjoys eating whatever she likes without gaining weight.
She Doesn't Focus On Negativity
Lolita often gets nasty comments about her looks, and has even blocked some people for their criticism. Fortunately, her mother Anya stands by her side and takes all her beautiful photos. Lolita isn't looking for anyone just yet, as she believes that no one is good enough for her.
Her Biggest Goals
Lolita's ideal guy is someone who is manly, polite, sensible and doesn't run away from his problems—plus they must have a full head of hair. However, Lolita is a practical woman and is focused on her future—wanting to become a psychologist and be recognized for her looks.
Another Barbie In The Toy Box
Besides Valeria and Lolita, Ophelia Vanity from Los Angeles is becoming more well-known. She admits to spending $35,000 on procedures such as Botox, fillers, and beauty treatments to look like Barbie. She's also planning on having ribs removed to get an even tinier waist.
A New Look
Ophelia has always had a strong fondness for Barbie dolls, receiving one as a gift for each birthday and Christmas. As she has grown, her admiration for Barbie has only strengthened, so much so that she aspires to look like her dolls. Barbie represents an iconic figure for Ophelia, and people were surprised when she moved from her goth style to a girly look.
Funding Her Lifestyle
In 2009, Ophelia had her first Botox procedure and was thrilled with the results, leading her to get lip fillers to mimic Barbie's pout. She then regularly got Botox and lip fillers every 6-9 months and dyed her hair platinum blonde to complete the look. To fund her procedures, Ophelia has multiple jobs, including PA and modeling.
To The Extreme
Ophelia is determined to reach her dream of becoming Barbie, inspired by her friend and fellow Barbie aesthetic enthusiast Pixie Foxx. Breast and butt implants, rib removal and other procedures are on her list, though she knows it will be painful and expensive.
Hours in the Makeup Chair
Ophelia devotes 3 hours every day to perfecting her look with makeup and contacts to emphasize her large eyes. When she's running errands, she goes for a more toned down look, but when she attends events, she often gets stopped by admirers.
Viral Moment
Ophelia's beauty may lead people to expect she has a blooming love life, however, this is not the case. She prefers to focus on perfecting her look rather than relationships, and she has thousands of followers on Instagram. Despite criticism, she will continue to do what she loves.