Inspiration knows no bounds, often creeping in during the most untimely moments and places. For makeup artist Carolina Gonzalez, creativity often sparks while in the throes of listening to a Mozart composition or intently gazing at classical art pieces. As she began conceptualizing the makeup look for Sabrina Carpenter’s 2024 Met Gala return, which asks guests to follow its “Garden of Time” dress code, Gonzalez ventured into an unexpected era: the ’60s. A time period chock full of dramatic whimsy and timeless works, there was only one place she could brain-dump her most exciting discoveries: Pinterest.
“Pinterest is my go-to platform for drawing and building beauty inspiration. It allowed me to streamline my overall mood board into one place where I could draw inspiration from all elements with a simple search,” she says. Sharing and building boards is the cornerstone of the social behemoth’s ethos, a feature that Pinterest is looking to strengthen by testing a new, engaging way to seamlessly share inspirational content between users on the platform.
“We also took cues from the golden age of Hollywood transitioning into the sixties, but with a contemporary twist—something ethereal yet edgy. Drawing from that inspiration, I retreat into my zone and turn to Pinterest for further exploration and ideas to inspire the final beauty look. It was also important to reflect Sabrina’s personal essence, so we aimed for a delicate yet fierce aesthetic,” Gonzalez explains to ELLE.com. Gonzalez’s board reflected mod makeup popularized during the 1960s: Twiggy-style wispy lashes, crystal blue eyeshadow fanned out to the brows, and lots and lots of blush, the latter a Carpenter signature.
Set against the photos of bombshell blondes with lids doused in blue or pastel white shadow are photos of French actress Michele Mercier’s portrayal as Angélique in the 1960s film series, one of her lying down, reminiscent of the Disney princess the Met Gala theme nods to. Carpenter herself channeled her former Disney days, emerging on the carpet in an ensemble fit for a modern-day Cinderella.
“When I heard the theme, I immediately thought of trends that we typically oversee: things that are beautiful and need to be brought back to the surface with a focus on nature with a modern twist,” she adds. This reimagining was marked by elements that brought her “delicately fierce” aesthetic to life with help from Armani Beauty.
“[There are] so many things I can’t live without, but if I had to say one, it would be the Armani Luminous Silk Foundation,” she gushes. To achieve Carpenter’s just-woken, fresh face, Gonzalez brushed on the cult-favorite foundation in shades 3 and 3.5 before covering blemishes with the Luminous Silk Concealer in shades 3 and 3.75. It wouldn’t be a Carpenter look without gorgeous blush draping, which Gonzalez carefully crafted using the Luminous Silk Cheek Tint in shade 50.5.
“For the blush, I like to start placing it where you would normally put a highlighter, in the middle of the check. Then, I blend it out so it becomes one feathered, seamless look. Highlighting is the last step, usually adding that glow on top of the blush to the high points of the face,” Gonzalez shares. Under all of the red carpet lights, meticulously placed radiance is the key to ensuring her clients look dewy, not greasy. “For that flawless dewy look, I swear by a high-quality setting powder. My go-to is the Armani Setting Glow Powder—it works wonders. This powder not only sets your makeup but also imparts a subtle glow, ensuring your face looks balanced and radiant without being overly shiny,” she adds. Gonzalez washed Carpenter’s eyelids in matte white shadow (Eye Tint Long-Lasting Liquid Eye Shadow) to perfectly offset the singer’s black Oscar de la Renta gown with a fluffy blue train. If Disney’s looking for a contender for a modern-day Cinderella adaption, Carpenter’s audition has been made.
Shop Sabrina Carpenter’s 2024 Met Gala beauty look below.