Makeup trends ebb and flow with astonishing speed, easily escaping notice in a blink. (Recall the vivid cerulean eyeliner fad from the recent summer? Now a distant memory.) Even the Barbie-inspired aesthetics, once ubiquitous on red carpets and glossy pages prior to Greta Gerwig’s film debut, have begun fading into obscurity (though, let it be known: our fondness for a rich pink lip is eternal). The latest reigning trend? The latte makeup look, a symphony of browns and soft bronzes cascading across the visage.
While Hailey Bieber and Gigi Hadid have made it a staple this summer, luminaries like Beyoncé, Zendaya, and Jasmine Tookes have embraced this color palette for years. Unlike the transient “strawberry girl” makeup trend that followed the latte wave, latte makeup is a fixture rather than a fleeting fancy—a cornerstone of beauty arsenals. The latte hues boast not only a distinct sophistication but also a universally flattering allure. Furthermore, this palette effortlessly transitions from dawn to dusk and gracefully spans all four seasons.
Mastery of the latte makeup look hinges upon skillful employment of shimmer and a deft touch of blending. For those tempted to embark on a latte journey, insights from two celebrity makeup artists unveil the essential products and techniques to achieve the pinnacle of latte makeup glamour.
Carolina Gonzalez
“The latte makeup look is globally flattering,” says Carolina Gonzalez, the New York-based makeup artist who often works with Gigi Hadid, Blake Lively, and Lily Aldridge. “When choosing shades and colors to work with, it all depends on how smokey of a look you’re going for. I like to go with a deeper eye look and keep the lip very nude, to make it all about the eyes. I stay away from pinks and corals for latte makeup, and opt for brown, beige, and caramel shades.”
“In term of products, I’m obsessed with Armani Beauty’s Luminous Silk Glow Liquid Bronzer Drops. For a bronzed, creamy base for your latte look, this liquid bronzer is great to mix with foundation or to use alone to sculpt the face. It’s such a goof-proof product—the drops melt right into the skin and play nice with all other makeup. The bronzer keeps the skin looking like skin without being too shimmery, giving you this glowy but satin finish. It also adds just the right amount of warmth and is buildable. Plus, the consistency is everything—the formula blends itself, so you don’t have to go crazy with blending.”
“For a little added glow to the latte makeup look, I’ve been loving the Armani Beauty Fluid Sheer Glow Enhancer in shade 11. This bronzy, peach shade is perfect for achieving glowy skin within the latte palette. To get that signature ‘latte makeup’ eye, I love the Armani Beauty Eye Tint Liquid Eyeshadow. Latte makeup calls for espresso, coffee-like colors, so I like to use 26S all over the lid to keep it all neutral and yummy, and shades 10S and 11S for an added shimmer in the inner corner. To smoke out the look even more, go with shade 36M for a darker and more matte look. The Eye Tints are newly formulated, and they are so creamy, pigmented, and blendable—perfect to get that delicious, caramel latte look everyone’s dying over.”
“Full brows are also key to the latte look. For brows, my favorite is Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz. This pencil is really fine, so I can play with the brows more, and even draw on more hair. For eyeliner, my go-to for the latte makeup look is the Hourglass Voyeur Waterproof Gel Eyeliner. It’s a gel liner, so you can play with it more than normal, but it won’t move at all. To get a smokier latte look, you can use this on the waterline too.”
“Again, technique is key when creating the latte look. When I use the glow drops, I’ve been using a blush brush to buff it out to create a very natural finish. The product blends seamlessly and buffs out easily and leaves a very natural glow—this is super important for the latte makeup trend. The key for creating the eye look is to use a blendable shadow: this is why I always go for the Armani Beauty Eye Tint Liquid Eyeshadow. You want to blend the colors, so you don’t see where the eyeshadow starts and ends. I recommend using a full crease brush when applying unless you’re going toward the lash line. This helps to melt all the colors together to create a creamy, soft finish.”
Mary Philips
Makeup artist Mary Philips is one of the most skilled professionals in her field today. She’s created fleets of masterfully timeless looks for Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner, and Bella Hadid—all three of whom are major proponents of the latte makeup look—and shared several of her go-to products to achieve the latte look.
“To create the effortless bronzed eye, I have two favorites: I love using Armani Eye Tint #30 in Cool Taupe and #36 Leather,” Philips said. “These two liquid eyeshadows blend so easily and stay on all day. I blend Cool Taupe all over the eye first and then focus the darker Leather shade on the outer corners of the eyes and closer to the lash line.”
“Since this look is monochromatic, a brown mascara is a must, and Lancôme Monsieur Big is my all-time favorite. For lips, I like to start with the Makeup Forever’s Liner in Anywhere Caffeine #600. This is the perfect shade for the latte makeup trend—and the name fits the bill! Lastly, the Kylie Cosmetics Butter Balms have been a summer staple for me because they’re so lightweight and glowy. The ‘She’s Lovely’ shade is the perfect taupe-brown, latte hue.”
Kylie Cosmetics Butter Balm in “She’s Lovely”
