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With Platinum blonde hair, plumped-up lips and an ample cleavage, Ashton Clarke is Barbie's walking, talking doppelgänger

But the hot 22-year-old is sick of people wrongly judging her due to her plastic-fantastic style.

The multi-lingual student speaks four languages and is working towards her PHD in psychology, yet people instantly brand her as "thick".

"For years, I was terrified of doing the Barbie look because I thought people would make fun of me," she said.

"But for me when I'm look fake, I feel more like me than I ever have been in my life. This is how I like to look. It may not be natural but it's 'me'."

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But Ashton didn't always look like a living doll. At the age of 16, the mousy-brown teen decided to revamp her look and started styling herself like a Barbie doll.

To emulate the look, she dyes her hair blonde, applies fake tan, undergoes lip fillers and wears contouring make-up, false eyelashes, hair extensions and coloured contact lenses.

Although Ashton, from Knoxville, Tennessee, feels happier and more confident as a Barbie, people are quick to judge her on appearance.

The Clinical Psychology Research Assistant said: "People are always so taken back when they meet me because I don't fit into the stereotypical mould they've placed me in because of my 'artificial' appearance.

"They expect me to be an airhead or shallow."

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Ashton has gained a considerable online following through her inventive make-up tips and extraordinary before-and-after photos.

And she hopes to challenge the Barbie stereotype. She continued: "There are so many individuals who believe that you can't be a successful academic whilst also dedicating time to your appearance.

"I want to show that it is possible. Make-up is an art and looking like a Barbie is just one of my many interests."

IN PICTURES: REAL-LIFE HUMAN DOLLS

As a child, Ashton – who speaks Norwegian, Persian and Spanish as well as her native English – suffered from acute shyness.

Ashton says: "Growing up, I was extraordinarily shy. But when I was around 14-years-old, I came across a book about Theatrical Make-up.

"I was fascinated with all the methods and materials that can be used to transform a face.

"I had always associated the 'Barbie look' with confidence and being so painfully shy, the possibility of feeling confident and beautiful was very appealing."

At first, Ashton was nervous about wearing make-up in public and feared that her classmates would mock her appearance.

"I was terrified that my classmates would poke fun at me and that I would not be taken seriously," she said. "But each year, I started to care less and less about what people thought."

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Despite a huge backlash from her peers, Ashton went on to excel in her studies, gaining a place on the Psychology course at University of Tennessee.

"I got a lot of people telling me that I looked fake and that I should look more natural," she said.

"But pursuing the Barbie look improved my life massively. With all the criticism, I've developed a thick skin when it comes to my appearance."

"Most people will look at me and think I'm an airhead or shallow and materialistic," she added. "It's quite entertaining to be underestimated though."

VIDEO: SWEARING BARBIE?

Three years ago, Ashton started a blog about the Barbie look and it gained a large following.

Fans of her tumblr page regularly praise Ashton's make-up skills and the images showing her incredible transformation has gone viral. A

Ashton – who is single – explains: "When I started my blog in 2012, it was originally just an archive of photos of girls that I personally found aesthetically inspiring. For instance, I really like the way Kylie Jenner is doing the Barbie look.

"I feel comfortable in my skin. And I'm not afraid of showing my 'before' photos because I really do take pride in it. Make-up is an art.

"The comments I get on the blog are overwhelming positive and I so thankful for my followers. And when someone makes a rude comment on my photos, I make sure to let them know that my make-up isn't for them. It's for me."