When you think of internet beauty trends, what comes to mind? For most of us, it’s short-lived crazes that often require a steady hand and razor-sharp precision to perfect. It’s true that trends like ‘empty eyeliner’ and ‘ombré concealer’ are unlikely to ever make the jump from a viral trend to a daily go-to, but not every BeautyTok trend is all froth and no substance. In fact, the latest makeup aesthetic to emerge from the platform is one everyone can do at home, regardless of your level of make-up mastery.

‘Latte makeup’ is all about appearing as bronzed and creamy as your regular caramel iced oat latte order. Blended, dewy, subtly sculpted skin, with not a harsh line in sight. We know what you’re thinking, this sounds suspiciously similar to previous ‘bronze goddess’ trends. It's because ‘latte makeup’ has been bubbling up in the online beauty scene for years. But contouring is what sets this iteration apart, giving a more defined, illuminated look than its bronze predecessors.

Favoured by J-Lo and picked up by always-dewy Hailey Bieber, the trend has already amassed over 200 million views on the app. So, it’s time to brush up on the sculpting skills we know you dabbled in 2015, after “How to contour like Kim Kardashian” became a Google sensation and contour kits were a fixture in all of our make-up bags, and let us spill the beans on how to achieve the ultimate latte look.


From left tor right: @alissajanay1, @millieleer, @danielllestrada

To begin with, opt for a hydrating primer to give you a head start on the desired ‘lit from within’ look (our personal fave is we love the Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer). Then, when picking out which products to use, always aim for a monochrome palette. Whether you're going for pink, caramel, orange, or yellow undertones, make sure that every product – base, eye and lip – all belong to the same chromatic family. You can even try doubling up on the same product by using your bronzer as an eyeshadow base or your lip liner as an eye pencil.

A modest skin tint will help you achieve that effortless resort energy, then move onto a cream contour or bronzing stick. This aesthetic and Chanel’s Les Beiges Bronzing Cream are a match made in heaven, allowing you to subtly sculpt your cheekbones and forehead before working it onto your eyelids as a base.

The perfect seductive smokey eye is as easy as smudging brown eyeliner into a subtle wing, which is perfectly complemented by softly lined brown lips (feel free to swap your usual liner out for bronzing cream and a lip brush) finished with a swipe of matching lipstick and some clear gloss. Finally, apply a few drops of liquid illuminator on the high points of your face to achieve that coveted honey-toned dew.

Shop our latte-look essentials here…