“Alberto Vargas was a very big inspiration for me as an artist,” she says. “That’s my world, sketching and watercoloring and all that stuff. That’s where my love began. I grew to love his work, especially the makeup in his paintings and watercolors.” Using Vargas’s work as both an inspiration and a reference, she created the now-signature makeup look in collaboration with Carpenter herself, adopting watercolor and oil-painting techniques into the makeup application process (more on that in a minute).
Recently, Carpenter took her show on the road, performing on the Lollapalooza South America tour. Then, she headed straight to the California desert to headline Coachella—no biggie. Despite the hot, humid environments, bright stage lights, and long, sweaty sets, Carpenter’s makeup continually looked flawless, and I can think of two reasons why: 1) Gonzalez’s aforementioned art-inspired application technique and 2) a selection of some incredibly long-lasting, high-performance makeup products. Ahead, read our exclusive Q&A with Gonzalez, where she opens up about what it’s like being backstage, teaches us how to layer makeup for a long-lasting look, and even clues us in on the exact products Carpenter wears.
Carpenter performs on stage in São Paulo, Brazil.
Did you set out to create Sabrina’s now-signature look, or did it happen naturally?
Sabrina is a person who really knows who she is and what she likes. She’ll come with inspo pics, and then from there, we collaborate. It really is a collaboration. I can’t take full responsibility. I just interpret, and together, we’re like, “More or less…” It just developed into that. It’s something that organically happened.
I love that she’s just one of the girls with bringing an inspo pic.
She is. Most of the time on tour, it’s just her. I don’t know if people know that. I’m like, “Girl, I don’t think you need me.” She goes, “I need you!” I’m like, “Sometimes I see your looks, and I’m like, I wish I did that.”
She’s so good at makeup on her own, then. That’s impressive.
She knows her face. She has an eagle eye. She’ll be like, “This side is longer, just by like a millimeter.” And I’m like, “You’re right.”
Is doing stage makeup, especially for a long set, more difficult than doing makeup for a photo shoot or anything else?
Yes. It’s also like a red carpet—you really see what artists are about on a carpet. You can’t hide that. If you’re doing editorial, you can always retouch pictures, but on carpets, those Getty [images] do not lie.
On stage, she’s moving; she’s dancing. It has to be locked in, and then we have the quick change. We’re just dabbing off sweat, reapplying a lip if we have to.
There has to be a primer. I use the Armani Luminous Silk Hydrating & Glow-Extending Primer ($48), and I work in layers. I do like an oil-painting makeup [technique] because I find that it really locks everything in. Then, I set it with the Luminous Silk Glow Setting Powder ($69). [The quick changes] are all about the powder, a lip, an eye drop, and dab the sweat—you have no time, and it’s back out there. So makeup prep is really the key. It’s always the key with everything but especially for performances—the prep is dire.
What are the top three Armani products you take if you’re going to do Sabrina’s makeup?
The Cheek Tint ($40). Right now, we are loving the new color, 63, and I’ll put a drop of 13 in there. I mix those two, and I could also do that for lips, too, if I need to. Next, I’d definitely say the Luminous Silk Foundation ($69) because it looks like skin. I can build that if I need more coverage anywhere and a lip [product]. Right now, I’m mixing the Matte Lip Power in 603 and 207 ($48). It’s like a berry mixed with a brown. I mix a lot. As long as she has a cheek, a lip, and her skin [done], we’re good.
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