If you’re on TikTok—or even if you’re not and have seen reposts of the viral videos on your Instagram—you know that there’s new makeup trends are popping up on the daily. From “revenge makeup” to “cold girl makeup” and everything in between, creators are constantly finding new, innovative ways to spice up their makeup routines, and it almost always catches on.
Most recently, the “latte makeup” trend has taken over the app, and influencers, celebrities and viewers alike are gravitating towards this bronzy look for summer. Popular largely for being universally flattering and for not needing to be perfect in terms of execution, the latte makeup look has made waves all over social media—with a whopping 20.6 million views on TikTok—and might just be the look of the summer.
How to Achieve the Latte Look
Originally coined on TikTok by creator Rachel Rigler, the latte makeup look earned it’s name as a result of the “warm, bronzey, milky” aesthetic. In terms of how Rigler recommends achieving the look, it starts with a light, minimal-coverage base applied to the face, avoiding the nose to create the illusion that you’re wearing less makeup than you are. The, she blends the same base onto her brow bone for a seamless look.
Next, she goes in with a dark brown, liquid eyeshadow all over the eyelids and buffs it out all the way to the end of the brow bone before going in with a warmer brown shade just over the brow bone. Using a light, gold shimmer shadow, Rigler then applies the product to her inner corner and blends it up into the rest of the lid. “None of this has to be perfect,” she reminds viewers when it comes to application.
Going back to the face, the next step in nailing the latte look is to take a cream bronzer and contour the face, avoiding hard lines as much as possible. She then applies concealer—ideally a shade that is not too light for your skin to avoid an overly “done” appearance—under the eyes, around the nose, between the brows and on the chin, blending with a damp beautyblender. “There’s no blush, no color involved in the latte makeup,” she explains while going over the contoured areas with a powder bronzer in place of a setting powder.
To finish out the eyes, the creator takes a brown eyeliner pencil and applies the product to her lower lid, buffing it out generously with an eyeshadow brush. Then, she takes a dark brown eyeshadow and applies a small amount to the upper lash line to connect with the shadow on the lower lid. She finishes off the eyes by using a fluffy brush to extend some bronzer up and out of the brow bone before adding just one coat of mascara. For the lips, Rigler takes the excess product on her beauty blender and pats it onto the lips before adding a nude liner over top and sealing the look with a simple, clear lip gloss.
What Makes the Latte Look So Special?
Even though it’s clear the latte look is effortlessly gorgeous, you may be wondering why this specific trend is gaining so much traction when there are so many other trends circulating. What really separates the latte look from other looks like that of “clean girl” or “vanilla” makeup moments is that the color palette and application technique makes the latte trend far more universal and accessible. Creators like Jade Simmone have demonstrated how the latte look compliments different skin tones, and the fact that there is no need for “perfect” technique and application makes this style far more attainable for the average makeup lover.
“The latte makeup trend on Tik Tok is all about embracing neutral tones and enhancing your natural beauty with warm, glowy products,” says celebrity makeup artist Jaime Greenberg, “to master this look try sticking to bronzers, light coverage foundations, and warm highlighters–no blush needed! I recommend the PUR 4-in-1 Tinted Moisturizer ($35) for a perfect dewy complexion and the Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Cream Bronzer from Charlotte Tilbury to achieve the warm ‘latte’ glow that the trend is all about.”
Recently, some of our favorite celebs have been catching on to this coffee-inspired look, including the queen of sweets-related skin care, Hailey Bieber. In a series of Instagram selfies just yesterday, Bieber showed off her take on the bronzey look, and even acknowledged the TikTok trend in the caption, saying “latte makeup, but make it head 2 toe” in reference to her latte-like outfit.
