This Caffeine-Infused Makeup Gives My Skin the Sort of Sun-Kissed Glow I Thought I Needed an Actual Beach to Achieve

Lately, I’ve found myself harking back to childhood memories of summer visits to my relatives in Croatia, where I’d go fully into  laganini (“easy living”) mode, lounging by the beach all day only to be roused by my next meal or some homemade wine. Of all the dreamy things I miss about those vacations, it’s the jaw-dropping post-beach glow they gave me that has me wanting to buy a one-way ticket back.

Since that’s not happening this year, I’ve been doing the most here in New York City to fake it with bronzer and highlighter. After many attempts with different products, I finally found my secret to glowing skin in the form of Espressoh’s coffee-infused makeup.

EspressOh Dewy Latte Moisturizer — $30.00

First up is the brand’s Dewy Latte Moisturizer ($30), a humectant-rich formula (hello, glycerin and hyaluronic acid) that hydrates the deepest layer of the skin and adds an immediate bounce to my complexion. It also contains caffeine, which gives my skin a boost and provides antioxidant protection against environmental stressors like pollution and UV damage.

It feels lightweight on the skin and soaks in immediately while offering that face oil-like slip I love underneath makeup, especially on my dry cheeks. Full disclosure, the first time I tried this product was during the tail-end of recovering from a severe case of a damaged microbiome. Other than some good, old-fashioned, Greek yogurt (which, FYI, makes for a great DIY mask), Dewy Latte was the only product to make my dry, flaky cheeks feel soft again.

EspressOh Dewy Latte Moisturizer — $30.00

Next is the OhMyGlow Skin Tint ($33), which has a slew of good-for-skin ingredients that add a dewy sheen while also offering daily protection. This skin tint has Espressoh’s hero ingredient, caffeine, to fight against free radical damage, along with vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that brightens the skin and helps fade hyperpigmentation. It also contains algin derived from Brown algae, which helps to to promote the skin barrier. Although the formula’s hefty ingredients list packs a pretty major punch, it’s lightweight, breathable, and flexible—it’s one of the only complexion products I can even think of wearing during the high summer heat.

The combination of the two products give me the sort of fresh-off-the-beach skin I thought was only possible at an actual beach. he Dewy Latte added plumpness to my dry skin a la glycerin and sodium hyaluronate and even helped soften the post-damage texture I had been dealing with. I also admire the OhMyGlow Skin Tint’s light-to-medium buildable coverage that makes my skin look like skin, not cakey, matte, or overly satiny. It simply makes it look like I’m in the Mediterranean, with a reflective, radiant, and effortless complexion—check out the before and after photos below.

In terms of usage, I’d say that this is of the easiest routes I’ve ever taken to a plump, lustrous glow. First, I wash my face and pat it dry with a clean hand towel. After that, I apply three pumps of the Dewy Latte to my face, neck, and decolletage. Then, if I’m doing my makeup for the evening, I’ll go straight to applying the OhMyGlow Skin Tint with a stippling brush (I use this one by Chanel). But, if I’m wearing this during the day, I apply an SPF before going in with the skin tint.

The results? A dew that makes me look like I just ran a 5K or stepped out of one of those fancy at-home sauna bags; A glow that says, “Yes, I was just with my lover;” And a radiance that reminds me of lazing around the Dalmatian coast, feeling the salt water evaporate from my post-dip skin.

Curious about how to use makeup to look more awake on Zoom? Check out the video below.

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