Buffy The Vampire Slayer Star Charisma Carpenter Is Still A Knockout Today
When "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" Season 1 premiered in 1997, it played with high school stereotypes just as much as it explored supernatural threats. You had your computer geeks, your band nerds, your football players ... and, of course, the queen bee cheerleader, represented here by Buffy's frenemy, Cordelia Chase. Cordelia started as a classically shallow mean girl, more concerned with her hair and makeup than the occasional dead classmate. But over time, she evolved into an ally of protagonist Buffy and the rest of the so-called Scooby Gang, becoming a fan favorite for her character growth and surprising complexity. She even earned a central role in the 1999 spinoff show, "Angel," guaranteeing fans plenty more Cordy screen time.
Cordelia's popularity with viewers was thanks in large part to actor Charisma Carpenter, who managed to play the character with humor and charm, despite Cordelia's many personality flaws. Carpenter perfectly captured the it-girl attitude of the late '90s and early 2000s — not to mention, the it-girl look. The leading ladies of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" look amazing many years after the show's end, and Carpenter is no exception. And even though three decades have passed since "Buffy" started making waves, the performer still looks as gorgeous as Cordelia did strutting the hallways of Sunnydale High. There are '90s actors who are unrecognizable now, but Carpenter isn't one of them.
In a July 2026 Instagram post, 56-year-old Carpenter was smoking hot in a red bikini, aviator sunglasses, and an orange bandana to keep back her long, luscious hair. It was a flirty summertime 'fit worthy of Cordelia herself, proving that the "Buffy" star is equally stunning in real life. And this photo wasn't an outlier — Carpenter regularly shares glamorous selfies on social media, showing off her lasting beauty.
Charisma Carpenter is still dazzling in her 50s
Charisma Carpenter may be inching her way toward 60, but you'd hardly know it — the "Charmed" alum still looks as radiant and fresh-faced as she did back in the '90s and noughties. Sunny Instagram selfies from 2026 show off Carpenter's smooth skin and bright smile, accented with just a soft touch of makeup.
Wondering how Carpenter stays so youthful? While she doesn't normally tout specific products, Carpenter occasionally gives fans a few hints about her beauty routine. For instance, in a get-ready-with-me Instagram post in February 2026, Carpenter credited Charlotte Tilbury makeup, Shu Uemura shampoo and conditioner, and beauty tools from Make Up For Ever and Sheila Stotts Luxury Tools.
When she's too tired to bother with a full face, the "Angel" star also isn't above getting a little help from technology. In a December 2024 TikTok video, Carpenter bluntly addressed fans wondering why and how she hasn't aged since playing Cordelia. "You guys. I am using a filter. ... I wanna look like this, but I don't," she laughed. "Aren't you here for the content of my character? My funny, my goofiness, my authenticity, my realness? You don't care about my face. Come on, now. ... Some things about Cordelia and Charisma are very much alike, and vanity just might be one of them. So thanks for telling me how beautiful I look with my filter." We think Carpenter isn't giving her natural allure enough credit, but she certainly hasn't let her lasting good looks go to her head. If anything, she wishes we would all spend less time obsessing over women's bodies.
Charisma Carpenter thinks we place too much attention on external beauty
Charisma Carpenter is happy to admit her own vanity, but she also hates the overall discourse around beauty. In a passionate TikTok video, Carpenter bemoaned society's fixation on women's looks and anti-aging. "We're focused on women's appearances. Like, did they or didn't they? And should she, or shouldn't she? Oh my god, there's too much discussion around this. If I wanna get a facelift, if I wanna use lip filler, if I wanna nip and tuck and suck ... I'm gonna do it!"
Carpenter becomes even more incensed by the widespread judgment of a woman's beauty choices, suggesting that whether you use treatments or not, there's no way to win in the court of public opinion. "If I do do it, then it's like, 'Oh, she's done it.' And then if I don't do it, it's like, 'Damn, doesn't she look like s***?' ... So, these are my options? It's so tired. Let's move on from appearances," she said.
In response to this zero-sum game, Carpenter admitted that she was seriously considering growing out her gray hair — with vocal support from her son. "He's like, 'Mom, wouldn't it be so liberating if you just went gray?' ... There's a part of me that really wants to do that." Maybe Carpenter will join the many celebs who proudly show off their gray hair, but ultimately, she's going to follow her own tastes before kowtowing to expectations. "If I wanna wear red lipstick, get a facelift, and get boobs out to here like Dolly Parton, I'm gonna do it, and I'm gonna mind my business, and I'm gonna ignore the haters. Because what other choice do I have? Live and let live."