If you’ve been on TikTok or Instagram anytime in the past year, chances are good you’ve stumbled across the term “latte makeup.” This viral trend is beloved for its versatility and decidedly chic feel. As the name implies, the latte makeup trend utilizes earthy, coffee-inspired hues—think rich browns, creamy ivories, and sumptuous caramels—to create an elegant look reminiscent of your favorite morning beverage. And unlike some viral makeup trends, latte makeup is super easy to execute—and you likely have everything you need to nail the look right at home.
Here, we’ll give you the rundown on the viral latte makeup trend and share three simple latte makeup tutorials to bookmark for your next night out. Find it all—and discover our favorite products to create the earthy look—ahead.
What Is Latte Makeup?
Latte makeup is a viral beauty trend inspired by the rich, warm tones of a freshly-made latte. It typically features bronzy cheeks, neutral smokey eyes, and a classic nude lip, though variations on the classic look exist (and we’ll share a few of our favorites below). While many latte makeup looks include all (or most) of the products you’d use for a full face, the result is decidedly subtle. It’s soft, alluring, and bronzy, with the skin, more often than not, being the focal point of the look.
What Makeup Do You Need for Latte Makeup?
Before we get into our latte makeup step-by-step tutorial, you’ll want to gather your products. First, and most important, is bronzer—a natural-looking bronzy glow is a key element of this neutral-toned look. We recommend using a powder bronzer, like the Buttermelt Bronzer, for a soft-focus finish.
You’ll also want a few neutral eyeshadows and eyeliners to nail your latte eye makeup look. Look for shades that you wouldn’t find out of place in a coffee shop, like warm hazelnut browns and creamy beiges. For this look, softness is key, so we recommend steering clear of anything super bright or dark.
Finally, you’ll likely want to snag a nude lipstick or lip gloss to round out your look. And if you normally wear foundation and concealer, grab those, as well as a setting spray to help lock in your handiwork when all is said and done.
Look 1: Classic Latte Makeup
The classic latte makeup trend is a warm, neutral makeup style that enhances your natural beauty. It’s typically more matte than dewy or glowy, and features bronzed cheeks, soft smokey eyes, and a nude lip. Here's how to do latte makeup in a few simple steps.
Step 1: Prep your skin
Start by cleansing and moisturizing your skin to create a hydrated, even canvas for your makeup application. Then, apply a blurring primer to help smooth your skin and give your makeup something to adhere to. We’re fans of the Marshmellow Smoothing Makeup Primer, which is suitable for all skin types.
Step 2: Apply foundation and concealer
Next, apply your foundation and concealer as usual, being sure to blend both well for a seamless end result. If you need recommendations, we suggest opting for the Bare With Me Blur Tint Foundation, which has a soft matte finish, and a buildable concealer, such as the Pro Fix Sticks.
Step 3: Add bronzer
After completing your base makeup, use the Buttermelt Bronzer Brush to sweep the Buttermelt Bronzer onto your cheekbones and give your skin a beachy, sun-kissed glow. Blend the pigment toward your temple in circular motions to ensure there are no harsh lines. Then, repeat the process, sweeping bronzer along the top of your forehead, right where your hairline meets your skin. Dust any remaining product onto your nose to complete the naturally-bronzed effect.
Step 4: Apply neutral-toned eyeshadow and eyeliner
Next comes your latte eye makeup. Because it’s smokey, precision isn’t necessary—you want to keep things super soft and airy looking. We recommend two to three of the matte shades in our Ultimate Shadow Palette Warm Neutrals to create a soft, smokey eye. (If you need a refresher on how, we suggest checking out our article Our Favorite Smokey Eyeshadow Looks).
Then, use a brown liquid eyeliner, like the Epic Ink Waterproof Liquid Liner in Milk Chocolate, to line your upper lash line. If you want to create a wing, you can, but we suggest keeping it relatively thin to avoid overpowering your look.
Step 5: Opt for a matte brown lip
To round out your look, keep things simple with a matte brown lipstick. We love the Smooth Whip Matte Lip Cream in Teddy Fluff for those with fair and medium skin tones. For latte makeup on dark skin, opt for a richer coffee shade, like the Smooth Whip Matte Lip Cream in Thread Count.
Step 6: Set your look
Once you’re satisfied with your latte makeup look, lock it in place with a setting spray. The Marshmellow Setting Spray is ideal for a soft-focus matte finish.
Look 2: Summertime Iced Latte Makeup
Iced latte makeup is similar to the classic latte makeup trend, but with a dewier finish and an emphasis on shimmery, rather than matte, makeup. Keep scrolling to learn how to create the fresh-faced look.
Step 1: Apply your base makeup
Start by prepping your skin the way you would for the classic latte makeup look. For a slightly dewier finish, you can swap out the matte primer for a hydrating option, like the Face Freezie Cooling Primer + Moisturizer, and reach for a light-to-medium coverage, radiant-finish foundation and concealer.
Step 2: Add bronzer and highlighter
Once you’ve finished applying your base makeup, you can apply your bronzer as outlined above. Then—and this is where the “iced” part comes into play—you’ll want to grab a warm-toned highlighter (we recommend the Jumbo Multi-Use Highlighter Stick in Coconut Cake). Use the tip to draw the creamy formula onto areas the sun would naturally hit your face—like the tops of your cheekbones, along your brow bones, and on your Cupid’s bow—then blend it out with your finger for a soft, lit-from-within effect.
Step 3: Apply shimmery eye makeup
For your iced latte makeup look, you’ll want to use shimmery eye makeup rather than a matte hues. However, the shades you pick should still be in the earthy nudes family. For a simple look, skip the eyeshadow entirely and instead line your upper and lower lash lines with the Vivid Rich Mechanical Liner in Under the Moonstone.
If you want something with a bit more oomph, then consider swiping the Jumbo Eye Pencil in Iced Mocha over your lids and topping it with the Ultimate Glow Shots Liquid Eyeshadow in Highkey Lychee for added shine.
Step 4: Finish with a glossy lip
Lastly, swipe on a hydrating, high-shine lip balm or gloss in a soft, earthy hue. Try the Fat Oil Lip Drip in Splash of Cream—the warm, honey-toned brown beautifully flatters an array of skin tones.
Look 3: Pumpkin Spice Latte Makeup
As you may be able to guess from the name, pumpkin spice latte makeup puts an autumnal twist on the otherwise neutral-leaning latte makeup trend. Here’s how to nail the warm, cozy look.
Step 1: Apply your base makeup
Prep your skin as you normally would, then apply your favorite primer, foundation, and concealer. Feel free to go more matte or dewy—for this variation on the latte makeup look, the focus is more on the colors rather than the finish of your makeup.
Step 2: Add bronzer and blush
Next, sweep bronzer onto your cheekbones, temples, and along your hairline to create a subtle, sun-kissed vibe. Then, grab the Buttermelt Blush in Feeling Butta and lightly dust it onto your cheekbones. You don’t want it to be overly bold—just a touch of pink to make it look like you’ve been out in the cold raking leaves (or sipping on your favorite fall drink).
Step 3: Apply eyeshadow and liner
With pumpkin spice latte makeup, you can go a bit bolder with the hues you choose for your eye makeup. Consider swapping out your matte brown liner for a shimmery copper one, like the Vivid Rich Mechanical Pencil in Spicy Pearl, or create a smokey eye with a few seasonal shades (think: rich chocolates, burnt oranges, and soft golds). Feel free to experiment—and don’t forget to have fun.
Step 4: Finish with a warm-toned lipstick
Tie your fall-inspired hue together with a deep, earthy, warm-toned lipstick. We love Butter Gloss Non-Sticky Lip Gloss in Shimmer Down for those with fairer skin, while the Fat Oil Slick Click in In a Mood pops against darker complexions.
Bonus: Quick & Easy Latte Makeup Looks
You don’t need a full face of products to embrace latte makeup. Here’s how to create a similar effect focusing on just one feature.
Latte eye makeup
The latte eye makeup trend can be made as intricate—or simple—as you please. If you want to go glam, create a bold smokey eye using a mix of light, medium, and deep brown eyeshadows. Then, add a dramatic wing along your upper lash line with the Epic Ink Liquid Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Dark Chocolate and tightline your lower waterline with a waterproof eyeliner, like the Epic Wear Waterproof Eyeliner Stick in Burnt Sienna. For those who favor simple eye makeup looks, try coloring your lids with the Jumbo Eye Pencil in Iced Latte, then add a few coats of brown mascara to give your eyes a bit of definition.
Latte makeup lips
Like eyeshadow, latte makeup lips can be as bold or as subtle as you choose. For a statement lip look, slightly overline your pout with the Line Loud Vegan Longwear Lip Liner in Too Blessed, then swipe on a high-shine lipstick in a rich brown hue (we recommend the Shine Loud High Shine Lip Color in Global Citizen). If you’d rather keep things simple, consider a neutral matte lip. The Lip Lingerie XXL Matte Liquid Lipstick in Hot Carmelo is the perfect medium-brown for embracing the soft warmth typical of latte makeup.
Next Up: How To Pick The Best Lipstick Color for Your Skin Tone and Undertone
If you’ve tried one of our latte makeup tutorials, we’d love to see the results. Post a pic on social and tag us @nyxcosmetics to share the love.
PRODUCTS USED
Buttermelt Bronzer
High pigment, true-to-skin buttery powder bronzer. Fade & transfer resistant with up to 12HR wear.
Buttermelt Bronzer Brush
Bronzer brush for seamless blending & buffing
Lip Lingerie XXL Matte Liquid Lipstick
16H Full-Bodied Matte Liquid Lipstick
Line Loud Vegan Longwear Lip Liner
Infused With Jojoba Oil + Vitamin E
Jumbo Eye Pencil
Multi-use eye crayon
Fat Oil Lip Drip
Hydrating tinted lip oil gloss
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VIVID RICH MECHANICAL PENCIL
Gem-toned pigmented mechanical eye pencil in 12 vivid matte, shimmer, and metallic shades
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JUMBO MULTI-USE HIGHLIGHTER STICK
Ultra-smooth, pearl finish stick highlighter
