Coffee and Dolls EN: Shaving Fun Ken 1994

I’ve been falling behind with my English posts lately, but I’ve been pressed for time and my Polish blog takes precedence over the English one. So without a further ado, here’s my Shaving Fun Ken 1994. I published my anniversary post some weeks ago and it made me realize how great disproportion there is in my collection between my ladies and my gentlemen. Of course, my collection is a woman’s world, there will always be more females, but it doesn’t mean I don’t like Ken dolls. There are several Kens that I’d love to own and it was high time I searched for one. Toy Story 3 Hawaiian Vacation 2011 Ken is one of my top favorites and I looked for him with little result, but instead I found Shaving Fun Ken whom I like a lot. He’d been quite elusive too. For some reason, despite being a 90s doll he’s hard to get and comes with a shocking price tag. What makes him so highly sought after? Maybe it’s his stubble?

I’ve compared my hairy Ken with his first release from 1961 and I’m amazed how much he’s changed. The first Ken was slender and youthful, with the expression of innocence all over him. He’s sweet and adorable, but he’s no match for such a woman as Barbie. What she needs is a macho with a jaw like an anvil and a sixpack, and in 1968 Ken became just that. He also got inevitably older by good 10 years and he’s soon to become hopelessly addicted to tanning cream. He’s a true alpha male, but it’s not enough, give him a beard!

the source: https://barbie.mattel.com/shop/en-us/ba/vintage-dolls/ken-dolls-original-swimsuit-750-1961

the source: https://pl.pinterest.com/pin/539165386609052346/?lp=true

So Ken grew himself a beard and real hair – first time in Ken’s history you could actually brush him! He’s called Mod Hair Ken and he was produced in 1972. Mod Hair Ken comes with quite a dowry, as all shaving Kens would so that you could play a little barber for him. The most interesting thing however is a set of flocked stickers to put on his face, he’s got a mustache, a beard and sideburns too! The only problem is that at some point the glue on the stickers refuses to cooperate, it grows thin and dirty and Ken gets his final clean shave. Being at their wits end, Mattel came up with a very primitive solution to that problem. In 1979 Sport & Shave Ken was given a marker pen that you could literally draw his beard on his face! What kind of idea is that! It’s a no-no to me! But other than that S&S Ken is an interesting specimen – and very manly too. And should you have any doubts as to that, read what his box says – “Shave him. He’s athletic. He’s all man.” Wow!

the source: https://pl.pinterest.com/pin/555561304025258156/?lp=true

the source: https://pl.pinterest.com/pin/355995545515594633/?lp=true

the source: https://pl.pinterest.com/pin/1196337375067305/?lp=true

To sum up, we've already had Ken with a sticker beard, and another one that you can draw his beard on with a marker, but these were not nearly good enough. The real revolution took place in the 90s along with the application of a thermal paint! From now on, Ken’s beard will grow, you’ll shave it and then it’ll grow back on itself and the first to present that magic is the 1994 Shaving Fun Ken – my Ken. The below picture shows you Ken still in captivity of his box. My Ken does’t look like that anymore, because I purchased him second-handed, but he’s still a handsome guy! His box holds a number of treasures too – there’s a Frisbee, a visor, some kind of drink, two brushes, a shaver with a sponge so you don’t cut his head off, and real shaving foam! My Ken has lost all these, but I’m not ready to pay his triple price just to get those. Two years later, Mattel blew dust off the design and came up with Cool Shavin’ Ken 1996. I honestly don’t know what to say about him, he renders me speechless! I mean, he has a handsome face – Alan face, he has stubble, he’s outfit is realistic and well made, he comes with a lot, but ... his hair! Oh woe! I guess the designers were trying to copy the style of Backstreet Boys but the result is mediocre at best! He does smell nice at least. Apparently he was sprinkled with Oldspice from head to toes and sources reveal that the smell still lingers if you happen to be so lucky as to get him boxed. Of course he comes with a Ken scale Oldspice bottle – empty and some other accessories. In 1999 he was replaced by Shave’n Style Ken. He’s all blonde this time and his hair is still rooted and I can’t determine if he’s handsome or not, but I’d love to have him in my cabinet.

the source: https://www.etsy.com/listing/539803541/1994-magic-shaving-fun-ken-doll-by

the source: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cool-Shavin-Ken-Doll-1996-NRFB-Mint-w-LN-box-15469-/391419615830

the source: https://pl.pinterest.com/pin/503488433322835455/?lp=true

Modern Kens are much closer to the original thing from the 60s. They got rid of their heavy tan and their muscles to become youthful again. Some of them shave themselves though. Around 2011-ish Mattel came up with another Shaving Fun Ken whose hair is rooted, he’s a blonde and has a number of accessories to groom his thermal paint beard. And then earlier this year Mattel offered us a brand new Shaving Ken & Bathroom set. This Ken’s hair is molded and painted on but he gets his wash basin and mirror to make his shaving more realistic. He’s also became the ambassador of Wilkinson Sword!

the source: https://www.amazon.com/Barbie-Shaving-Fun-Ken-Doll/dp/B0042ESFQQ

My Ken arrived in a pretty decent condition, a little dusty and awfully frizzy. The uncontrolled kanekalon hair wasn’t that difficult to tame though. I gave him a wash and shampooed and conditioned his hair. I combed it back to the desired shape and put on some hair spray while his hair was still moist. It dried and I’m satisfied. The Alan 1990 headmold looks very handsome with a 3-day stubble and eyes as cold as a winter morning. He’s smile is nice and good-natured. His beard doesn’t work anymore though, but I like him better this way. He’s not so handsome when you give him a clean shave.

Ken’s lost all his accessories, but his outfit is complete. I’m glad that he’s not a part of any Barbie line and he has his own style. His clothes are well designed and realistic looking. To make it, Mattel used good quality fabrics. He’s dressed in a hoodie, a pair of real denim shorts, he even has a matching backpack. He’s wearing some slightly too long socks and black ankle high sneakers. I must admit that I like his clothes a lot and if the shorts were just a tiny bit more fitting on the thigh part and the socks shorter, he’d be very much up to date with his fashion.

My new arrival has remided me of my favorite Ken doll list. The Japanese Ken is my all-time number one, just look how fierce he is! The next on the list is Harley Davidson second edition – amazing – all my Barbies would swoon upon the very sight of him! Then there’s my silly looking Toy Story Ken and the fourth one is Jack Sparrow, forgive me, Captain Jack Sparrow and very much like Johny Depp who by the way, is a Barbie collector as well.