“Espresso Makeup” Is Latte Makeup’s Sultry Older Sister

Throughout the carefree summer months, a serious obsession with warm-toned “latte makeup” — which is basically a fancy way of describing monochromatic soft brown glam — first emerged and took over the trends.

Come the chill of fall, however, buzzy hair shades, nail polish colors, and makeup looks have gotten much deeper and darker. Ahead of winter 2024, “espresso makeup” has officially replaced the former coffee-derived beauty movement.

What Is “Espresso Makeup?”

Say hello to “espresso makeup,” which is best described as monochromatic dark brown makeup (akin to the color of a caffeine-filled, pure-black espresso shot).

With a deep brown color palette, espresso-inspired glam is essentially winter’s response to the lighter latte look. “For espresso makeup, you’ll use deep brown shades along with black eyeliner for a bolder look,” Steve Kassajikian, Urban Decay Global Makeup Artist, tells Bustle. “It’s using rich brown shades to create a deep smokey eye, sculpted bronze skin, and chocolate nude lips.”

While countless nude eyeshadow palettes have every shade of near-black chocolate needed to create the look, Kassajikian shared his current favorite products for rich espresso lips: “I recommend Vice Lip Bond Glossy Longwear Liquid Lipstick in Law of Attraction and Safe Word for the perfect espresso-toned ombré.”

For an on-trend glossy finish, the Rhode Peptide Lip Tint in Espresso ($16) and Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Heat Universal Lip Luminizer + Plumper in Hot Chocolit ($26) are both safe bets.

As for some A-listers who have tried espresso-inspired glamour for themselves? Megan Thee Stallion most recently arrived at the 2023 GQ Men Of The Year event with bold, deep chocolate makeup (and a similarly hued see-through gown). Hailey Bieber, too, rocked the trending look while romping through Paris in late September.

Espresso Makeup Vs. Latte Makeup

Often paired with a seductive siren wing, espresso makeup is associated with wintertime and nighttime glamour. Latte makeup, however, first gained traction in the summer of 2023, but is still an on-trend look — especially for the low-key daytime makeup moments.

Celeb-loved makeup artists agree that latte makeup is sure to stick around for the winter months as it’s versatile and easy to wear. Kassajikian adds this unique distinction for those who still mix espresso and latte looks up: “Latte makeup consists of caramel and bronze shades.”

Yet another major difference between the two is that latte makeup is more like a soft wash on color, while espresso makeup turns things up a notch with added dimension and depth. Above, you can see the contrast on Bieber.

It’s An Espresso Girl Winter

In case you questioned espresso makeup’s power, TikTok’s #EspressoMakeup hashtag has already amassed nearly 60 million views and counting. Though makeup aside, the espresso obsession runs deep.

Hair pros previously told Bustle that shades of espresso brunette are on-trend for winter 2024. What’s more, none other than Kim Kardashian most recently rocked long espresso-colored press-on nails, and buzzy coffee-scented perfumes have become a staple for the icy months especially.

The espresso girl aesthetic as a whole — which covers every single beauty and fashion category — currently has nearly three million views on its #EspressoGirl TikTok hashtag.