There’s a reason why Sabrina Carpenter’s old Hollywood glam-meets-Y2K cutie makeup is regularly recreated on TikTok, and that’s because it’s just so damn good. Her most recent Marilyn Monroe-inspired glam at the 2025 Grammy Awards sent the internet into a particular tizzy, with creators filming tutorial after tutorial attempting to replicate the look. Enchanted by Vogue’s March cover star’s always striking glam, we went straight to the source to learn the tips and tricks behind Carpenter’s signature beat.
How to Get Sabrina Carpenter’s Makeup Look:
Taking inspiration from Alberto Vargas’s pin-up girl paintings, celebrity makeup artist Carolina Gonzalez, describes her approach as “watercolored, sensual, feminine, and universally flattering.” She starts first by prepping skin, before moving onto blush, lipstick, and eyes—in that exact order. “[Molding] her makeup by working on her cheeks and lips inspires me for her eyes. I like to see what she looks like before she’s full on glammed, and go from there to ensure everything is cohesive.”
No matter the occasion, be it a red carpet appearance or an SNL performance, the makeup look Gonzalez creates for Carpenter is always a combination of “a vixen eye with a fluffy lash, angelic cheek, and pouty lips.” It’s a romantic, buffed-out look with all creamy products, which Gonzalez says she likes for its skin-like finish.
Now it’s your turn. Take a page from Gonzalez’s book with every step you need to recreate the award-winning artist’s look yourself, from skin prep to final lash application.
Step 1: Hydrated Skin
Gonzalez emphasizes the importance of starting with a well-hydrated canvas for the best possible makeup results. “I always start by cleaning off her face with an essence,” Gonzalez says. “After, I’ll apply a hydrating face mask to her skin, cleaning it off again with the same essence and cotton squares.” Then, to finish her skin prep, Gonzalez applies a moisturizer with a hydrating serum.
Step 2: Angelic Cheeks
For blush, Gonzalez gravitates toward formulas with creamy, liquid textures for their buildable consistency—with every look rooted in baby pink and muted mauve hues. “I want to keep everything very pastel and pink—there’s a certain romanticism to it, but everything is buffed out with no detectable lines.” For an extra pop, Gonzalez applies a balmy, subtle highlight to the top of her cheeks. This helps capture the natural light (or the camera flashes)—she says something as simple as Aquaphor’s chubby stick does the trick.
Step 3: Pouty Lips
Gonzalez generally sticks to a nude or mauve lip for the pop star, opting for a darker lipstick on the outer corners of her mouth and then using a smudging brush to buff out the edges for more dimension.
Step 4: Vixen Eyes
With blush and lips in place, Gonzalez is ready to put the finishing touches on the eyes. Start by curling your natural lashes and then applying a light layer of your preferred mascara. Next are the falsies. “I always go for a more cat-like, fluffy lash shape, only [applying lashes] on the outer corner of her eye,” Gonzalez says. “Applying false lashes about three hairs inward from the outer corner of your lid prevents lashes from looking floppy. It’s like a secret eye snatch!” A self-adhesive cluster lash like the one Gonzalez created with Velour simplifies the application. Once false lashes are set, apply kohl eyeliner to line your upper waterline, and few more swipes of mascara to the inner corner for an extra pop. When it comes to eyeshadow, a simple, soft, and buffed-out shadow in the outer corners suffices.
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