Sabrina Carpenter’s VMAs Blonde: Laurie Heaps and Evanie Frausto Tell All

At this year’s VMAs, no one looked to be having more fun than Sabrina Carpenter. The “Tears” singer slayed the red carpet, crushed her Britney Spears-ian performance which also served as a powerful show of support for the Trans community, and scooped up three “Moonmen” for her wins. Central to each show stopping look, of course, was her iconic blonde — fluffy as ever (except for that rain) but never fussy.

The Tease got in touch with Carpenter’s longtime colorist Laurie Heaps, who also cut her hair for the show, and go-to hairstylist Evanie Frausto to breakdown the star’s biggest hair moments from the show. Read on for the details on the formula Heaps actually uses and Frausto’s must-have Redken care and styling products.

Sabrina’s Blonde

1. “Flash Lift with bonder inside is always my go to for Sabrina’s blonde. I use 20 volume for the interior and 10 volume around the hairline to keep everything soft and seamless while leaving touches of her natural color for balance and dimension.
2. Once we got the lift I gloss with shades eq in 10gi for the ultimate shine.
3. For me blonde is only beautiful when it’s healthy, so I always finish with the acidic bonding concentrate system to keep it strong and healthy.”

Sabrina’s Red Carpet Hairstyle

Get the Look:

1. “For Sabrina’s red-carpet look, I wanted to create something that felt glamorous yet effortless, almost like a modern nod to Claudia Schiffer. I began by prepping her hair with Redken Root Lifter Spray for volume at the base, followed by Redken Thermal Spray 22 High Hold to protect the hair during heat styling.
2. Using a 1-inch curling iron, I set loose waves, then brushed them out to create that natural movement and softness.
3. To enhance the lived-in texture, I worked in Redken Dry Texture Spray 15, and finally, I locked everything in with Redken Max Hold Hairspray 32 for long-lasting shape and control. The layering of these products ensured the hair stayed polished but still touchable, with a glamorous finish that didn’t feel overworked.”

Sabrina’s Performance Hairstyle

Get the Look:

1. “We wanted to pay homage to a glamorous disco-era aesthetic, inspired by those big, airy, and voluminous 70’s curls you might have seen on Goldie Hawn. To achieve this look, I started by prepping her hair with the Redken Root Lifter Spray to build volume right at the roots.
2. I then applied the Redken Thermal Spray 22 High Hold on the ends to protect her hair from heat. Using a half-inch curling iron, I created curls that were defined yet not too tight, allowing them to remain soft and movable. The key reference was that iconic 70s volume, and we made sure not to rely on teasing so that the hair could also handle elements like water.
3. Finally, we set the style with Redken Dry Texture Spray 15 and finished with Redken Max Hold Hairspray 32 to ensure the style stayed voluminous and in place throughout her performance.”

Sabrina Ceremony Hairstyle

Get the Look:

1. “Since time was of the essence right after her performance and her hair was still soaking wet, we had to work very quickly. We used the Redken Root Lifter Spray to do a rapid hand-dry, lifting at the roots to create maximum volume as fast as possible.
2. Then we set her hair with a 1 1/4-inch iron, focusing on adding texture more toward the ends rather than the roots.
3. After curling, we brushed it out and lightly stretched a few pieces with a blow dryer to give it that effortless 90s Claudia Schiffer vibe.”

If you get inspired to recreate Sabrina Carpenter’s color or any one of her VMAs hairstyles — whether for your next client, or for yourself — we want to see it. Tag @readthetease on Instagram and TikTok.