Ask anyone with a blonde bouncy blowout complete with bangs (try saying that twice as fast) who their hairspiration was and I can guarantee a response along the lines of: "Why, Sabrina Carpenter, ofc!". I mean, not only is she the biggest pop star ATM but one of Hollywood's biggest beauty muses, too – and for good reason, considering her signature hair look takes six whole hours to achieve. Did you just audibly gasp? Same, girl, same.
Earlier this week [September 12, 2024], the 'Espresso' singer took to the MTV VMAs with a glam look like no other. Inspired by one of the biggest stars in the world, Sabrina wore the same dress that was previously worn by Madonna when she attended the 1991 Oscar Awards. No big deal.
Now, as gorgeous as the sparkly floor-length gown was, what completed the look was Sabrina's Old Hollywood hairstyle, which also drew similarities to the hairstyle Madonna originally wore... it's an homage, if you will.
Evanie Frausto was the hairstylist behind Sabrina's bouncy blowout and per an Instagram post shared by content creator Kirbie Johnson, the look took six entire hours to complete.
As Kirbie says, the details of Sabrina's look were shared via a press release from the Redken US team – a brand which Sabrina is now a global ambassador for. In this, Evanie explained the details. "For Sabrina Carpenter's MTV VMAs 2024 hair look, we started 6 hours before glam by prepping her medium-sized bang in a roller and letting it sit until it was time to get her ready.
"Styling starts with the signature Evanie blowout, but with a special red-carpet twist. To give her the chic and elegant old Hollywood look, we cut her hair to lay on her shoulders. I then dampened Sabrina's hair with water and layered in the Redken Volume Maximizer ($30) on top from roots to ends, brushing it through with a round brush. I then sectioned out the hair and clipped the parts in roller clips," Evanie said.
Continuing, he explained: "After the blowout, I sectioned the top of her hair around the hair line and sectioned off underneath the crown. I ironed this section with a 1" curling iron and continued the set. Then with 3/4" of the head I used a 3/4" curling iron to give some tightness and bounce while embracing the shorter texture.
"Lastly, I took out all the pins and added the Redken Dry Texture spray ($30), brushing it all out to keep it soft and sexy."
Unfortunately, with EU and FDA regulations, we Brits aren't able to purchase the exact same products used. However, Redken does have UK adjacents, which you can shop below.
Sabrina's Old Hollywood hair kit
Beauty Works Professional Styler
Redken Volume Boost Hair Spray Gel for Volume 250ml
Big Sabrina-inspired blowout bangs, here we come!
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Lia Mappoura (she/her) is the Beauty Writer at Cosmopolitan UK, with over four years of experience reporting across the brand's print, social, video and digital platforms. Lia covers everything from emerging trend analysis to viral celebrity hair and makeup moments, making her an expert at spotting the season’s next big beauty look (before it takes over social media feeds).
In 2025, she was named The Rising Media Star at the Love Perfume Awards with The Perfume Shop, recognised for her outstanding digital fragrance content and for building genuine authority within the space. She is passionate about challenging outdated beauty stereotypes, championing inclusive representation in beauty, and educating readers on the trends, products and conversations shaping the industry today. Follow her on Instagram or find her on LinkedIn.
