In the cyclical world of beauty, few aesthetics have managed to define a calendar year as definitively as Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” glow did in 2024.
Long after the song’s infectious hook stopped topping the charts, the visual identity it spawned—a meticulously crafted blend of 1960s pin-up glamour and Y2K dewiness—remains a foundational pillar of modern makeup.
As of early 2026, the “Sabrina Look” has transitioned from a viral TikTok trend to a standardized “soft glam” blueprint used by professional artists and enthusiasts alike.
By analyzing the trajectory of this aesthetic, we see more than just a pop star’s signature style; we see a shift in how the beauty industry responds to celebrity influence in the digital age.
The Blueprint of the ‘Espresso’ Glow
At the heart of the obsession is a specific, “watercolored” approach to the face. Developed largely by Carpenter’s long-term makeup artist,
Carolina Gonzalez, the look prioritizes a luminous, sun-kissed base that appears lived-in rather than masked.
According to expert breakdowns from Vogue, the secret isn’t just one product, but a specific layering technique.
Gonzalez often begins with skin preparation using hydrating staples like Rhode Glazing Milk to create a “glass-skin” canvas before moving to color.
- The Viral Blush Hack: The most imitated element of the look is the “ombre blush.” Gonzalez revealed she often mixes two shades of Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Cheek Tint—specifically shade 53 (a baby pink) and shade 62 (a mauve)—to create a lifted, snatched appearance that blends seamlessly into the temples.
- The “Vixen” Eye: Unlike the heavy “clean girl” aesthetic that preceded it, the Espresso look embraces “Bambi lashes” and soft, earthy neutrals. Products like the Dior Backstage Eyeshadow Palette and the Velour x CGonzalez Beauty Self-Stick Lash Clusters became sell-out items as fans raced to replicate her flirty, wide-eyed gaze.
- The Contoured Pout: Carpenter’s lips are almost always defined by a ’90s-inspired brown liner, frequently Make Up For Ever Artist Color Pencil in ‘Wherever Walnut’ or ‘Endless Cacao,’ topped with a soft matte pigment like Prada Beauty Monochrome Lipstick.
The impact of the Espresso glow wasn’t just limited to vanity mirrors. By mid-2024, industry reports from Cosmetics Business noted that searches for “Sabrina Carpenter makeup” had grown by over 200% in a single quarter.
This wasn’t merely “fan behavior”; it was a market-altering event.
Major retailers saw immediate surges in the specific products Carpenter “name-dropped” or was seen using in her Vogue “What’s in My Bag” segments.
The Armani Beauty Luminous Silk line, already a cult favorite, saw a resurgence in popularity among Gen Z consumers who had previously leaned toward matte, full-coverage formulas.
Why did this specific look resonate so deeply compared to other celebrity styles? Psychologists and culture critics point to the “relatable perfection” Carpenter embodies.
The look is aspirational but achievable, sitting at the intersection of “your English teacher and your gym teacher”—a phrase famously coined during her engagement to Travis Kelce but applicable to her approachable, girl-next-door-with-a-vibe persona.
Furthermore, the Espresso trend successfully bridged the gap between different subcultures.
It appealed to the “Coquette” crowd with its pink ribbons and soft blushes, while satisfying the “Clean Girl” advocates with its emphasis on healthy, glowing skin.
How to Achieve the Glow in 2026
While trends move fast, the core principles of the Sabrina look have staying power because they are universally flattering.
For those looking to modernize the trend today, the focus has shifted slightly toward “frosty” accents—a 2025 evolution where Carpenter traded the warm espresso tones for icy, metallic shadows while keeping the signature flushed cheek.
- Prep is Permanent: Never skip a luminous primer or hydrating toner.
- Blush Placement is Key: Apply your cream blush higher on the cheekbones and blend upward toward the temples for a natural “face lift.”
- The “Espresso” Lip: Use a cool-toned brown liner to contour the lips, then fill the center with a sheer, nude-pink gloss.
As we look back at the beauty landscape of the mid-2020s, Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso glow stands as a testament to the power of a cohesive visual identity.
It proved that in an era of fleeting “micro-trends,” a well-executed, signature “beat” can define a generation.