Louise McSharry: Easy ways to embrace the espresso make-up trend

Brown has never been a colour which particularly got me going, but this year it’s trending left, right and centre. Can we blame the omnipresence of Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso? Maybe.

Just as Charli XCX got people excited about Brat Green, which is not dissimilar to Balenciaga Green before it, cultural moments certainly have an impact when it comes to colour trends.

Still, I reckon brown has been inching its way in since before Sabrina’s big hit. Brown lips and, more specifically, brown liner, have been popular for some time. Of course, for those with darker skin, brown has always been a staple, but over the last few years, less-melanated people have also been getting on board.

Earthy, brown lips are reminiscent of the intense glamour of the supermodels of the 1990s, so you can see the appeal.

If you want to join the ‘espresso lip’ trend, an easy way to do it is to pair a brown liner with brown or nude gloss. In my opinion, Sosu Cosmetics’s lip liners (£7 via sosucosmetics.com) are right up there with high-end brands in terms of performance. They glide easily onto the lips and are comfortable to wear. The range includes several brown options. Café is lovely on fair, cool-toned skin, while Toast works beautifully on warmer tones.

Hailee Bieber is a huge trend setter when it comes to beauty, and has frequently been spotted embracing the espresso look. It should come as no surprise so that her brand Rhode’s Peptide Lip Tint (£18 via rhodeskin.com) comes in a shade called… Espresso. This formula is sheer and glossy, and pairs beautifully with liner.

Bieber’s nails are also hotly monitored by those who appreciate her style choices, and she is just one of many trend setters who’ve been getting a ‘chocolate manicure’. (We can’t refer to things by colour in the beauty world anymore, apparently, it has to be food.) Her brown du jour is a warm, chestnut shade, not dissimilar to Chanel’s Le Vernis Nail Colour in Faun (£29 via boots.com) or OPI’s Material Gworl (£15.72 via millies.ie).

I think a dark brown is a gorgeous alternative to the deep reds, which many favour for winter. Shades like Essie’s Odd Squad (£8.99 via boots.ie), a rich brown with red undertones, or if you prefer an at-home gel manicure, Le Mini Macaron’s Espresso (£13 via asos.com) are beautiful at this time of year.

Of course, brown on the eye is something we’re all a little more accustomed to, but if you’ve never tried a brown liner or mascara, maybe it’s time to do so.

Brown mascara can be rich and dark but still looks a little softer than black, especially if you have naturally fair lashes. Maybelline’s Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara (£12.99 via boots.ie) is a great option if you want to try brown without spending a fortune.

When it comes to liner, there are two specific products I am in a committed relationship with. For liquid, it’s Clinique’s High Impact Easy Liquid Liner in Espresso (£22.96 via brownthomas.com), a felt-tip liner which goes on easily despite the fact that my lids aren’t as smooth as they used to be.

When it comes to a pencil, I love 5. Victoria Beckham’s Satin Kajal Liner in Cocoa (€34 via brownthomas.com). This liner is ideal for adding definition at the lash line as it applies and blends easily. In fact, this single product can produce a beautifully soft brown smokey eye.

Buying Irish

As you probably know, I love a handy product which serves more than one purpose, and Cork brand Luna by Lisa’s latest launch is just that. LuminEyes Dual Kohl Pencil is a dual-ended kohl pencil with a black liner on one end and a brightening nude on the other. The Luna by Lisa formula works well, applying easily and lasting well. This product does exactly what you want it to. Sure, this kind of product already exists, but this one comes at a very competitive price point of £12 (via shaws.ie).

Something old…

I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that the Revlon One-Step Volumiser Brush (£63 via mccauley.ie) changed lives when it arrived on the scene in Ireland some years ago. For many of us with a lot of thick or wavy hair, it gave us the opportunity to mimic a salon-quality blow-dry at home for the first time ever. Let’s be honest, the round brush/blow drier method is simply too much for some people (myself included). Unfortunately though, some hairdressers have claimed that regular use of blow-dryer brushes can result in breakage through tension and serious damage through heat. Some people’s hair can take it — if your hair is thick, strong and healthy and you use heat protectant, it might be fine. Unfortunately, though, if your hair is already fragile via bleach or overall weakness, the easy styling of this kind of tool might not be right for you.

… Something new

Due to the growing popularity of the Revlon One-Step, many other hair tool brands have developed their own products. The GHD Duet Blow-Dry Brush (£327 via brownthomas.com) is a round brush which, like the One-Step is designed to be used on wet hair. Unlike many other blow-dryer brushes, it has a consistent temperature of 120C, which promises not to damage the hair. Additionally, its bristles were designed to be snag free, meaning you’re unlikely to get the kind of breakage that is hard to avoid with some other types of heat brushes. This also means it’s difficult to get the tension which leads to the bouncy results of Revlon’s tool, and actually drying your hair with it takes a long, long time. I simply wouldn’t have the patience, so I’ve been using it on hair that’s almost dry, and I have to say I’m a fan. I find it especially good for a quick touch-up on second- or third-day hair — it achieves lasting volume and smoothness quickly and effectively. Is it worth over £300? I guess it depends on how rich you are.