A Guide To The Latte Make-Up Trend
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@victoriabeckhambeauty
What It Is
“A signature latte make-up look would consist of warm caramel or bronze-toned products, all blended into the skin with a creamy, silk-like finish. It’s super adaptable in terms of how natural or dramatic you want it to look – you can really amp it up to a heavily smoked-out eye or play it down for a very light and bright day look. So long as all the colours feel tonal, you can’t really go wrong. I love it for A/W because it fits with all those natural autumn colour palettes.” – Jessica Kell, make-up artist
“Latte make-up is so easy to get right – it suits all skin tones and eye colours. In the daytime, go for a milky latte look using a matte wash of cool brown eyeshadow on your lid with a deeper tone in the socket line. Smudge a light brown matte creamy eyeliner into your upper lash line only – and avoid mascara by getting some lash extensions instead. I get mine done at @BoudiorLashes. Finish with plenty of cream bronzer and a subtle, glossy lip.” – Sophie Tilley, make-up artist
Where It Started & Who Loves It
“The idea of blending creamy caramel tones together has been around for a long time. We can look back on some of Kevyn Aucoin’s 90s make-up looks to see where these colours and techniques first started being used. Fast forward to today, and TikTok might have given the trend legs, but Australia-based make-up artist Tanielle Jai is the one who should really get the credit.” – Jessica
“Celebrities like Hailey Bieber always nail these types of trends. Like her donut glazed skin, milkshake nails and strawberry skin, the latte trend suits her hyper-natural aesthetic so well. Kendall Jenner has also made it quite high fashion, while Emrata and Shay Mitchell have taken it in a sexier direction. Don’t forget, however, that JLo and Beyoncé have rocked this look for years – social media has just made it more of a recent craze.” – Sophie
@makeupbymario
The Application Tips
Master the eyes first
“Latte make-up is all about complementing subtly smokey eyes with flawless bronzed skin. A wash of brown eyeshadow will do it – just bring it up higher on the lid than you normally would, then frame the eyes by bringing it all around the lower lash line.” – Sophie
Use liquids & creams
“The key to getting this look right is blending – and the easiest way to do this is to use cream or liquid products. Focus on softening the edges and where the different shades meet, and really blend things together for the most natural finish.” – Jessica
Know your shades
“When you’re choosing a colour palette for this look, go for browns that have a warmer tone to them. This will lift the whole look and stop it from looking flat, muddy or too ashy. Plus, using the same warm russet bronzy browns or deeper espresso tones for your eyes, bronzer and lipstick will make the look feel more cohesive. The deeper your skin tone, the more you should look to espresso tones, complemented by warm golds and russet bronzes. Lighter skin tones can play with cappuccino-toned bronzers to warm up the complexion and soft tawny shadows to build definition around the eyes.” – Jessica
@jessicakmakeup
Go heavy on the bronzer
“When you apply your bronzer, use a big bronzing brush to sweep it all through the hairline, across the nose, along the cheekbones and gently out towards the edges of the jaw line. You want to create the illusion of warmth and a sun-kissed effect to complement the eye colour.” – Jessica
Choose the right highlighter
“Don’t forget that highlighter can influence the final look. Think about what will complement the browns you’ve used – typically warmer tones in gold and prosecco are a safe bet. Avoid anything too cool, pink or pearly.” – Jessica
Don’t forget to add blusher
“While this look is all about the browns, you might find that things start to look a little bit flat – or you might lose definition. If this does happen, don’t be afraid to use a little bit of a coral blush to lift the apples of the cheeks or the centre of the lips. Coral builds itself beautifully into the coffee tones of the look, so it will complement everything else you are using.” – Jessica
Take it from day to night
“A lot of people think of the latte make-up trend as a soft and subtle daytime look, which it absolutely can be. But I think it works best when you take it to night – pushing the deep tones a bit further and applying lashings of mascara can take it to a beautiful defined-but-blown-out smokey eye. Really amp up and blend out the eyeliner around the whole eye, and pair it with a golden smudge on the inner corner of the eye. Add a toffee-toned glossy lip for extra glamour.” – Jessica
Finally, don’t be afraid to experiment
“Choose your shade according to your mood. Try spicing up your latte make-up with some pumpkin tones or keep it sultry with golden and copper accents at this time of year. Just remember blending is key, so each tone melts into the next. Intensify everything with eyeliner if you wish but stick to a rich chocolate to nail the trend.” – Sophie
@merit
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