This Is Why Everyone Loves The Latte-Makeup Trend

From moisture sandwiches to glazed-donut nails, gourmand beauty trends have claimed top spots on social-media platforms this year. But, while the vanilla-girl aesthetic came under fire for its lack of inclusivity, #lattemakeup (TikTok’s latest makeup craze) is a mouthwatering blend of creamy, warm nude and brown hues that are melded together with a bronzed, glowing finish – for a look that’s flattering for all skin tones and perfectly suited for summer. Coined by TikTok video creator Rachel Rigler, who describes the look as “warm, bronzy, milky and effortless”, it’s in the same universe as the quiet-luxury trends spearheaded by beauty icons Hailey Bieber and Sofia Richie in that it’s soft, polished and tonal – gently enhancing and sculpting your features, while seamlessly bridging the gap between natural and glam.

“A lot of my celebrity clients are asking for this type of balmy, monochromatic look, both on and off the red carpet,” says makeup artist Emily Wood of the glow-enhancing latte makeup trend. “The warm nude tones offer that timeless, grown-up luxe aesthetic, whereas bringing in color such as blush would take it to a more playful place. Plus, it’s just a really easy, foolproof look that anyone can pull off.”

After prepping your skin with a hyaluronic-acid serum and a lightweight hydrating face cream to really lock in moisture and guarantee a good glow, apply a tinted moisturizer all over for sheer coverage – a cornerstone of the look. In her latte makeup tutorial, Rigler begins with a tinted moisturizer, which she applies around the perimeter of her face, avoiding the nose in order to let her freckles peek through. “Leaving the nose area bare gives the illusion of wearing less makeup than you are,” she explains; a technique that Wood regularly employs, too. Next, Wood recommends doing some strategic concealing on the areas that could benefit from a little lift, or blemishes that you want to cover.

Bronzer is the star of the show for this look, but use a light touch for a natural sun-kissed feel. Follow Rigler’s approach by slicking a creamy stick bronzer along your cheekbones, straight down towards your jaw to slim and contour the face, and along the hairline, too, blending continuously to ensure there are no hard lines. To set color in place, Rigler suggests taking a powder bronzer over the temples, cheekbones and jawline, while also adding a touch to the nose.

Once skin is thoroughly prepped and bronzy, Wood advises letting your hands do the work: “I would opt for creamy, cloudy textures, as this type of makeup is quite painterly and organic, so ditch the brushes and simply dab products on, using any residual bronzer on your hands to press onto your temples and nose.”

According to Wood, this look is super-easy to tailor – you can dial it up by choosing darker shades of brown eyeshadow for added definition, or opt for lighter caramel tones for a more neutral, no-makeup makeup look. Start with a dark-brown eyeshadow applied to lids, blending it up and outwards towards the browbone. Next, sweep a warmer brown shade over the top and add a gold shimmer to the inner corner of the eyes, being sure to blend it towards the crease. To finish, rim your eyes with a brown eyeshadow under the bottom lashline and a darker brown along the top, concentrating the color on the outer part of the eye. Add extra drama with a dark-brown eyeliner in the waterline, finishing with a touch of mascara. Rigler points out that perfection is not the goal here: “Eyeshadow is always the trickiest part of applying makeup for me, but this look doesn’t require much skill. It’s very effortless and doesn’t have to be exact.”

The look is rounded off with a soft-brown or nude lip liner. In her latte-makeup how-to video, Rigler uses a foundation sponge to apply the excess base to her lips, which she concedes helps knock back any pinky tones. Line lips, gently blending it out along the lipline for a diffused finish, fill them in with your lipliner or apply your chosen lipstick, and finish with a slick of clear lip gloss for extra polish.

The best new beauty products to try now

9 pre-event skin-prep tips loved by beauty A-listers