We’re almost a month into fall, and while we’d expect Black women to start transitioning into lighter, more cool shades, the exact opposite is happening. The hashtag “toasty makeup” has garnered over 12.5k posts on TikTok with women looking to capture the warmth of summer in our seasonal makeup instead.
“Toasted makeup is the new take on a sun-kissed glow, a warm winter vibe with cozy, golden undertones,” MAC global senior artist Deney Adam tells ESSENCE. “Think latte makeup, but flipped: instead of cool browns, we embrace rich, warm browns.”
Using makeup to keep warm, toasty makeup is more than just a fall trend, but a way to make warm tones work regardless of your natural undertone.
Below, Adam breaks down how to achieve the look, what to avoid, and more.
What is toasty makeup?
Toasty makeup, also called “toasted teddy” makeup, is a warm brown look worn during fall. According to Adam, the skin is contoured in golden bronze shades, eyes are soft, velvety and rustic with gold shimmer, and lips are lined in a deep brown with cherry-brown lipgloss.
How do you achieve the toasty makeup look?
Skin
- Start with a hydrating moisturizer to prep and plump the skin.
- Apply a liquid face and body highlighter—like the MAC Lightstruck Highlighter, Fenty Beauty Body Lava Luminizer, or Brunel Golden Hour Glow Body Oil—for a radiant, lit-from-within glow.
- Follow with a light-coverage foundation—MAC Studio Fix Foundation, Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Tint, or for a touch more coverage, Haus Labs Triclone™ Skin Tech Medium Coverage Foundation—to even out the complexion while keeping the skin natural and breathable.
- For contour, frame your face with a golden-undertone bronzer, think of where the sun naturally hits on a warm summer day: cheeks, nose, chin, and forehead. Be generous with products like Fenty Beauty’s Sun Stalk’r Instant Warmth Bronzer or MAC Mineralize Skinfinish to achieve this sun-kissed warmth.
- Add a peach-based cream or liquid blush—like rhode’s Pocket Blush in the shade “Toasted Teddy” or MAC Glow Play Cushiony Blush in the shades “Pinch of Marrakesh” or “Groovy”—to the high points of the face, apples of the cheeks, bridge of the nose, and just above the brows to create that soft, sunburnt flush.
- Conceal sparingly just a drop under the eyes or anywhere with redness or discoloration to keep the skin fresh and real. Pat McGrath Labs’s Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Concealer or Haus Labs’s Triclone™ Skin Tech Hydrating De-Puffing Concealer are great options.
- Then, the final skin step, set lightly with powder only in the T-zone to maintain a dewy, hydrated finish.
Eyes
- The finish can be soft or smoky, depending on your vibe. There are no rules here — feel free to play and be creative.
- For a soft, effortless look, apply a sheer layer of warm brown eyeshadow—like Pat McGrath Labs’s Mothership V: Bronze Seduction Palette or Danessa Myricks Groundwork: Defining Neutrals Palette—all over the lid and gently blend out the edges with a shading or blending brush for a seamless fade.
- Using your fingertip, tap eyeshadow—like MAC’s Dazzle Eyeshadow in the shade “Object d’Art” or the shade “Bronze Blaze” from the Bronze Seduction Palette—as a topper to add dimension and a touch of shimmer.
- Lastly, define the eyes with a brown or black liner — top, bottom, or both — to complete the look.
What should you avoid when it comes to toasty makeup?
“Avoid cool color palettes, steer clear of bright, icy tones or anything too pink or blue,” says Adam. “This look is all about bronze, gold, and golden-brown hues that create a soft, radiant, toasted glow,” so it’s best to stick to sunlit shades that complement the skin’s natural warmth.