We tracked down Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s original ’90s beauty routine, just in time for ‘Love Story’
Long before “clean girl” was an aspirational TikTok aesthetic, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy was living it, breathing it and wearing it down the streets of Manhattan like it was a second skin. Her style legacy runs so deep that, more than 25 years after her untimely death in a plane crash alongside her husband, John F. Kennedy Jr., fashion devotees still covet her tailored trenches, flared jeans and razor-sharp button-downs. But while the clothes may be the splashiest items on everyone’s mood boards — Bessette-Kennedy’s makeup was just as influential.
During a time when smokey eyeshadow and brown lips were dominating ’90s beauty trends, Bessette-Kennedy — also known as CBK — chose a more minimal approach. Her skin always looked fresh, healthy and luminous, like she prioritized skin care over heavy coverage. Makeup was barely there; just a red lip that served as a stunning contrast against her glowing skin and buttery blonde hair. It was “simple,” but on her, it looked impossibly elevated.
With the Ryan Murphy-produced Love Story bringing her relationship with JFK Jr. back into the spotlight, a new generation of fans are discovering what beauty obsessives have long known: Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy wasn’t just a fashion icon, she was the beauty blueprint for a look that feels as relevant today as it ever did.
CBK’s minimalist beauty routine and fashion sense still holds up in 2026. (Getty Images) (Lawrence Schwartzwald/Sygma via Getty Images / Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images / Evan Agostini/Liaison)
For decades, beauty sleuths have been dissecting CBK’s beauty routine, from the red lipstick and MAC powder foundation (which friend Carole Radziwill confirmed Bessette-Kennedy wore when she described the famous blonde’s makeup in her memoir, What Remains: A Memoir of Fate, Friendship, and Love), to her signature scent (reported to be the hard-to-find Abdul Kareem Egyptian Musk Oil). Some of the products she loved can still be shopped today, or at the very least, swapped for close-enough dupes. Keep reading to learn more about her routine — and maybe even replicate this ultra-sophisticated look yourself.
Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s favorite beauty products
C.O. Bigelow
Bessette-Kennedy often wore a sleek tortoiseshell headband to keep her long blonde hair swept neatly back and out of her face. The exact style, crafted in France by Charles J. Wahba and reportedly purchased at C.O. Bigelow, became one of her signature accessories and can still be found at the Greenwich Village pharmacy today.
Sephora
While Bobbi Brown’s Ruby Stain — favored by CBK — is no longer available, the brand’s Crushed Lip Color in Ruby is widely considered the brand’s substitute. It lends a satin-matte ruby tone with a cushiony, moisturizing, lip-balmy texture, channeling that signature CBK red lip without feeling heavy.
Amazon
To keep her hair glossy and polished, she was said to use Kiehl’s Creme with Silk Groom. This cult-famous GenX product uses jojoba oil and hydrolyzed soy and wheat protein and seems to magically bring shine while smoothing both flyaways and frizz.
MAC Cosmetics
MAC’s Studio Fix Powder was a Bessette-Kennedy makeup essential, one of those mainstay products she always had in her bag. As described by her friend Carole Radziwill in this passage from What Remains, “Before they leave, she takes a makeup bag into the small hospital bathroom. she combs her hair up in a bun, clips it into place, and applies MAC Studio Fix Powder on her face.”
The silky powder foundation is meant to minimize the appearance of pores, reduce shine and create a smoother, more polished appearance to the skin. Radziwell said CBK even used it to cover dark circles.
Sephora
Carolyn was said to wear Bobbi Brown’s Bone, a neutral-toned shadow often used by makeup enthusiasts to brighten eyes or as a base. While the original powder has since been discontinued, the brand now offers this Cream Eyeshadow Stick in the same color, which delivers the same effect in a modern, swipe-and-go formula.
Ulta
In the ’90s, MAC’s Spice liner was famously worn by icons like Drew Barrymore, Cindy Crawford and Linda Evangelista during the era of defined, neutral lips. Even CBK was rumored to favor the original version. The formula has shifted warmer over time, but the brand’s Cool Spice is now considered the closest match to that understated ’90s tone.
Jones Road Beauty
Another option for CBK’s subtle eye comes from the makeup artist Bobbi Brown’s current line, Jones Road Beauty. The brand’s creamy, neutral eyeshadow delivers the same crease-free, barely-there wash with a silky texture that melts into the lid.
Ulta
Yet another red in Bessette-Kennedy’s rotation was MAC’s Russian Roulette, a limited-edition shade that has since disappeared from counters. However! Russian Red, the brand’s iconic blue-based crimson famously worn by Madonna, is a near-identical match.
Amazon
CBK, who famously bleached and highlighted her brown hair, was known to use Philip Kingsley’s Re-Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner, to reduce breakage and keep strands strong. It’s packed with hydrolyzed elastin to make hair look smoother and healthier.
Amazon
Another rumored part of Bessette-Kennedy’s hair routine, this hair mask from Philip Kingsley uses hydrolyzed elastin, castor oil and olive oil to hydrate dry strands, reduce frizz and keep hair damage-free.
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