Get Sabrina Carpenter's Curls With These Tips From Her Stylist

To say Sabrina Carpenter and her bombshell curls broke the internet last year would be an understatement. After all, "Short n' Sweet" was the album of 2024, but this summer, our obsession continues. While her latest single, "Manchild," is on repeat, we've been using our time wisely by Insta-stalking Carpenter's amazing hairstylist, Laurie Heaps. Have you ever wondered how Heaps manages to create the perfect lived-in curls every single time for the "Espresso" singer? Because, same.

We wouldn't be beauty experts if we weren't prone to doing some digging. We slid into Heaps's DMs and asked her for all her best hairstyling tips and favorite products, and the major components needed to perfect Carpenter's signature look every time. Luckily for us, she obliged. For everything she had to tell us, keep reading.

Experts Featured in This Article

Laurie Heaps is a celebrity hairstylist and Redken brand ambassador.

Tip 1: Always Style in Sections

This is key if you have thick hair, but Heaps says that this is the secret to any great hairstyle, no matter your hair type. "Clean, intentional sections give you more control," she says. "Whether you're curling, blow-drying, or framing the face."

Tip 2: Set Your Hair With Mousse at the Roots

If your hair is finer or tends to be flat, Heaps says that mousse is your BFF for a voluminous look. Using a good mousse will boost volume and will help your style hold without adding crunch. Heaps shared her exact steps on how she applies mousse to Carpenter's hair when styling her curls.

"It's key for giving the bangs that light, airy lift," she says. "I start with Bumble and Bumble Thickening Full Form Soft Mousse [$37], focusing on the roots and bangs. It's a must have for giving body to the roots and bounce to bangs and layers. It builds a strong, workable base. Then I blow dry using the L'Oréal AirLight Pro [$475] and my Eleven Australia Medium Round Brush [$36]. [Eleven's medium round brush is] my essential for sculpting Sabrina's bangs. It creates volume and movement with softness at the ends. [The AirLightPro] is also powerful, fast, and gentle. I use it on almost every set — it smooths the hair without frying it and gives that perfect polished blowout."

Tip 3: Curl, Clip, and Cool

To re-create Carpenter's signature look, curl your hair toward your face using a one-inch curling iron. She recommends rolling the section up afterwards and clipping it to let it cool.

"This creates a lasting, soft wave that moves," she says. "I use a one-inch curling iron, working in sections and curling towards the face. Each curl gets clipped with Emi Jay Clips [$34] while it cools to lock in the shape without losing softness. Once everything's cool, I take out the clips and either gently brush through [the hair] or rake it out with my fingers."

Tip 4: Use Heat Protection Religiously

Heaps declares heat protectant as the one product you should never skip when styling any look. This is especially true if you have curly hair, as excessive heat can damage your natural curl pattern. Her favorite heat protectant is Redken's Acidic Bonding Concentrate Leave-In Treatment ($34). "[It] strengthens, smooths, and protects against heat," she notes. "I use this constantly to keep hair healthy through frequent styling." It's also crucial if you're styling multiple days in a row. Another essential for faster drying, according to Heaps, is Redken's Quick Blowout heat protecting spray ($28).

"[This] speeds up drying while protecting and smoothing — great when time is tight but the finish still matters," she says.

Tip 5: Set Hair Lightly and Let It Move

The secret to any lived-in look that stays all day is a light hold hairspray. While some hairsprays can make your strands appear crunchy or dry them out, a light hold option really sets it while still giving hair enough flexibility to look natural. "I use Oribe's Superfine Hairspray [$46] for light hold — it keeps everything in place but still lets the hair move. Letting the shape stay while still having bounce and touchability," Heaps says. "[It also] never flakes or gets crunchy."

Tip 6: Create Softness With Intention

It's all about a soft, organic vibe when it comes to creating a look like Carpenter's bombshell blowout. Heaps calls this softness with intention. She says, "The curls have structure but never feel overdone. And the bouncy, disconnected bangs frame the face without being too perfect. It's glam, but it moves. That balance is everything."

Tip 7: Curly and Wavy Hair Types Should Enhance What's Already There

Heaps has a few key tips for anyone with wavy or curly hair when styling softer curly looks. First, she suggests refining and enhancing what's already there. Wavy-haired folks can define the top layer of their hair with a curling iron and smooth out any frizz. She says to always (without fail) curl toward the face. If you have curly hair already, using a light styling cream to hydrate and shape your curls is best. Then, for extra credit, you can go in with a curling iron on the top or front layer of hair to really lock in your curl shape.

Shawna Hudson is a beauty, wellness, lifestyle, and travel writer whose work has appeared in Bustle, The Zoe Report, Who What Wear, Byrdie, Elite Daily, and more.