Disney Glams Up!

In my other job as a beauty writer I have been writing about the new Disney Villains make up collection due out in September. The collection which will coordinate with 5 Villain dolls in time for Christmas caught my attention simply because my daughter and I love the Disney Villains. Who can’t love the slightly crazed Ursula from The Little Mermaid, Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty and of course, the completely nutty Cruella De Vil? However, while I love the idea of these dolls and make up that appeals to kids that doesn’t look as if Jordan and Barbie have collaborated, there is an odd side to the Disney venture. All the villains have been made more youthful, glammed up and in the case of Ursula and The Queen of Hearts radically slimmed down. Ursula in particular looks so different that my 5 year old didn’t know who she was when I showed her a picture. Now I’m no fan of seeing baddies depicted as fat, old, ugly and with rotting teeth (the usual Disney depiction) but it’s odd that in celebrating these anti heroes someone feels the need to say you can only look one way to be beautiful. It’s such a shame because yet again it’s sending out the message to girls that being beautiful means being young and slim. But what do you think? Would you buy these dolls? Do you think they should have stayed true to the original images. Let me know.