When Hailey Bieber is willing to trade her signature smooth donut skin for a different morning treat, you know it’s a beauty trend with staying power. The latte look, an effortless summer bronzer, is as addictive as your daily coffee and has quickly taken over TikTok with its modern-day goddess appeal.
“The latte look is just that: a look that only focuses on brown and nude shades,” says makeup artist Katie Mellinger, who highlights the trend’s accessibility as a key factor in its popularity. “It’s very achievable and easy to do — without any difficulty,” she said. “Plus, it can work with any skin tone. Of course, you have to adjust the shades you use, deepening as your skin gets darker, but it can be done on absolutely anyone.”
This social media-inspired aesthetic was originally created by content creator Rachel Rigler, who used makeup artist Tanielle Jai’s
look as inspiration to create the off-the-cuff, now viral trend definition. “I really like the name ‘Latte Look’—it captures the essence of the style perfectly,” says Jai.
“It has a light, youthful dewy finish that appeals to most people and is perfect for summer,” says makeup artist Carolina Dalí. “It’s a continuation of the monochromatic makeup trend we’ve been loving for several seasons, but it’s made a lot more fun.” Daly recommends leaning toward a sexy look, opting for shimmery eyeshadow, an extra-glossy bronzer, and a sheer, glossy brown shade for lips, finishing with a touch of cream in between.
“What really makes a latte look special is the base color,” says Jai. “The secret lies in bronzer and brown shades with caramel, yellow, and olive undertones, away from the warm orange and red undertones often found in typical bronzer and brown shades.” (This also applies to lip color.) Mellinger recommends starting with a luminous primer like Milk Makeup’s Hydro Grip Primer, followed by Kevyn Aucoin Stripped Nude Skin Tint, followed by Tower’s Bronzino Illuminating Layer and sculpt with bronzers like Cream Bronzer and Tom Ford’s Shade and Illuminate.
“Use your favorite nude or brown eyeshadow on the eyes,” says Mellinger, who uses a simple brown pencil to draw the lash line. , apply as needed to avoid any hard lines. “You can go with cool tones like taupe, or you can go with warm tones, so long as it’s brown is your fighter.” If you want a smudged blush, go for Laura Mercier Blush Color Infusion in Fresco or MAC Powder Blush in Film Noir.
