How to do Espresso Makeup Like the TikTok Girlies

An energizing makeup trend has been brewing on TikTok: Espresso Makeup. As we gear up for winter, people have been bringing warm coffee-esque hues to their lids, lips, and cheeks for a deliciously ’90s-inspired monochromatic look. “Espresso Makeup is a timeless look and very wearable when working with shades suited to your skin tone,” explains Sara Wren, Milk Makeup’s Director of Artistry.

A key part of Espresso Makeup is what’s being called Espresso Contouring, which is just a fun name for adding a warm, subtle definition that gorgeously wakes up your face with lifted, angled placements. Below, Sara shares exactly how to be the barista of your Espresso Makeup routine.

Step 1: Prep + Prime

For an espresso makeup look that lasts longer than your caffeine rush, moisturizing and priming your skin is essential for locking in warm brown pigments all day long. “For a more matte, perfected finish, I love Pore Eclipse Mattifying Primer,” Sara says. “Or for a dewy glow that’s never oily-looking, I grab Hydro Grip Primer.”

Bottle of Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer and Pore Eclipse Primer on a white background?

Step 2: Espresso Contour

Because our Sculpt Sticks are purposely cool-toned to mimic the way shadows naturally fall on our faces, people on TikTok have been opting to contour withMatte Bronzerto warm up their complexions while adding extra espresso definition.

Start off by adding three dots on the outer corners of your forehead, beside each temple, as well as another three on the hollows of your cheeks. If you’re into contouring your nose, swipe Matte Bronzer down the sides and underneath the tip. You can also add it to the outer corners of your lips to help them look fuller.

Then, you can either blend everything out with a fluffy brush, as Sara prefers, or with clean fingertips. “I always recommend blending in an upward motion. That's what's gonna give you that lift,” she adds.

Not sure what Matte Bronzer shade suits your complexion best? “I tell my clients to think of their shade when they get a bit tanned or pull out a photo from a past vacation photo to figure out what the most natural shade for them,” Sara recommends. Another good guideline to follow is: If you have a deeper skin tone, Blitzed and Spaced are your best options. Medium or olive-toned? Try Baked or Blazed. “If you're fair, which is really hard to find a bronzer that doesn't make you yellow or orange, Dazed is beautiful,” says Dianna Ruth, Milk Makeup’s Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer.

Woman with dots of contour and bronzer on her face using Milk Makeup Matte Bronzer and Sculpt Stick. She is against a white background.

Step 3: Blush

An unexpected element of Espresso Makeup is dabbing a warm-toned Lip + Cheek just below your lower lashes on the outer corners of your eyes to accentuate the lifted, perky aesthetic. Depending on your vibe, you can go with Enigma or Quirk for a rosy flush. Swerve is great for a more terracotta-toned cheek, and Quickie and Muse are our favorites for berry blush.

Woman with unblended blush on her cheeks against a white background

Step 4: Lids + Lips

To continue the warm brown tones with your eye makeup, Sara suggests grabbing Infinity Long Wear Eyeliner in Limitless. “It has this great built-in smudger, so I like to scribble at the outer corner of the lash line and use that smudger to soften the line or wing it out,” she says. Then, you can go over that pigment with Color Chalk in Double Dutch to create a diffused espresso eye, just as Sara did recently on Mara Hoffman for the CFDA Awards.

“What’s so great about Milk Makeup products is lots of them perform double duty,” Sara says. In this case, Sara swears by lining her lips with Infinity Long Wear Liner in Limitless for “the ultimate waterproof brown lip pencil.” Then, you can swipe on Matte Bronzer, in whatever shade you contoured with, as a creamy brown lipstick and top things off with Odyssey Lip Oil Gloss in Quest for a glossy caramel macchiato lip. And that’s it—your Espresso Makeup is ready! Down to give it a shot?

Woman with full face of espresso makeup on a white background

Meet the Expert

Sara Wren (she/her) is the Director of Artistry at Milk Makeup. In her role, she does all the makeup artistry and direction for our Milk Makeup global campaigns, educates the staff and field team on application methods, stars in the brand’s social media videos, and travels to different markets spreading Milk Makeup’s good vibes. When she’s not on set, Sara loves experimenting with DIY hair colors, eating tacos, watching basketball, and scouring for vintage cosmetics to add to her impressive collection.