There are many pertinent elements involved in the construction of a morning routine. Within the mystical realms of beauty and self-care, the options seem endless: pilates, red light therapy, Brazilian nuts and morning matcha, cold plunges, dark steamy saunas, natural sunlight, digital detoxes. The new year contains an energy that seems to be seducing from within so many of us a desire for simplicity. Simple things, simple actions, simple routines are feeling so evocative as we begin to heed to a deep inner call that says: It’s time to return to the basics. And as the calendar turns over to a new, blank page–expansive and shimmering in its possibilities—we sense an opportunity to pause and ask ourselves: Who do I want to be this year? What do I want my life to look like?
In the pursuit of creating the life of our dreams, we often begin by pondering our mornings. Mornings are the first step, the magical infancy of the day. For us at NBGA, mornings are a sacred, almost secret time that gift us solitary hours of ease in which we can set the tone with practices, pleasures, and new daily rituals that we want to see more of in the coming year. The creation of a simple, straightforward morning routine, for many, extends to the question of makeup. We know a lot about the art of a makeup routine—from Vogue’s “Beauty Secrets” to 10 step Korean skincare, there are endless variations on what it looks like to prep our faces for the day.
When we think of morning beauty, in a physical sense, we imagine fresh, luminous skin, a natural dew, a healthy flush, perhaps a matching or at least cohesive pajama set (a strappy Cou Cou tank and flowing satin bottoms?), wild and bouncy hair and the clear, angel-like complexion of a 90s film star who wakes up in a mountain of clean linen looking kissed by Aphrodite, with the audience wondering in a stupor of awe or disbelief: “Who wakes up looking like that?” While there is never any need to be Instagram-ready in the morning, beauty-enthusiast or not, if you are someone who loves to pull your look together by the time you sit down for your morning espresso, we’ve got a new beauty brand on our radar that might just change the game for you.
Espressoh is the Italian-born makeup brand with simplicity as one of its core functions. Made 100% in Italy, the opulent land of coffee and everlasting rituals, Espressoh is a clean up-and-coming beauty brand known for keeping convenience at its core. Founded in 2018 by Chiara Cascella, the brand offers high performance beauty products designed to compliment our skin, not cover it. Taking a step back from the established beauty order of the 2010’s layering, powdering, baking, and contouring, Espressoh is committed to three main values: simple, essential makeup, a bold natural look, and an Italian taste. A renaissance of minimalist makeup has never felt more like the most natural next step for our morning to-do list.
How to take your morning Espressoh:
A quick, clean look, and a caffeine kick:
The ABC Concealer #shade1 ($34) is a brightening liquid concealer with a thin, elastic texture that can seamlessly blend in and adapt to your natural skin tone. Its mission is to disguise your dark circles and wake you up in a way that rejuvenates—enriched with caffeine and glycerin (a humectant, potent in its moisturizing properties), the formula is light and offers a medium coverage.
One blush flushes all:
Espressoh’s Glassy Blush ($34) is a total beauty treat. With a pH reagent formula, the pigment within the blush—which appears as a translucent gel—reacts to the pH of your skin and transforms into a dewy, flushed tint. One dab on the cheek metamorphosizes into a gorgeous, almost-natural pink color that adapts to your unique complexion. The formula is charged with a single dose of caffeine, adding extra hydration and suppleness to your fresh morning face.
Morning glory:
Now, for a little glow. The OhMyGlow Foundation ($44) is available in six numerical shades ranging from #0.5 at the lightest and #2.5 at the richest. For reference, our model Celine is wearing the shade #1.5. Rich with vitamin C for improved skin radiance and, of course, caffeine which adds a kick to the skin’s elasticity and energizes the appearance of the face, this foundation stuns with a light, barely-there texture, offering chic, buildable coverage.
Something sweet:
Introduced as the “lipstick that outlasts your latte,” the longwear Aroma Lipstick ($28) packs a punch with an authentic Italian coffee bean flavor that gives you a caffeine kick when you apply it. Formulated to be creamy, rich, and long-lasting, the lipstick contains coffee and Arabica seed oil (an emollient perfect for nourishing and hydrating the lips) and offers a intense, pure color that can fool the whole world into thinking that you’ve never had a mid-day crash.
Un doppio for the signorina:
Available in two shades–Black and Moka–Espressoh’s Intenso Mascara ($32) —also available in a miniature size ($21)—is ultra-volumizing, no-flake, and easy to remove. The long lasting formula lengthens and thickens lashes at the root while also curling the lashes to offer a full lash fringe. Carnauba wax, rice wax and beeswax work together to create a soft, creamy texture that gives your lashes the gentlest wake-up call.
We’ve got your morning face:
For hydrated, plump, supple morning skin: the Dewy Latte ($41) glow booster can be used as a moisturizer or as a primer to refresh parched skin. The product has a water-based, weightless texture that is extremely delicate on the skin. Nutrient-fortified with caffeine (rich in antioxidant properties) and staple humectants like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate (magical for attracting and retaining moisture), the Dewy Latte fuses the perks of skincare with a luminous makeup finish.
I’ll take mine black, grazie:
Espressoh’s Hi_liner ($27) redesigns your morning chaos into a symphony of order. The liquid felt tip liner is the first of its kind to boast the technology of a free ink liner, with an extra flexible tip that can create strong, thick lines or natural, fine ones. Your morning, your preference. With a smooth and even color release, the product (in Black) is waterproof, sweat resistant, and easy to remove.
On my way!
Hey Broh ($32) is a clear eyebrow fixing gel that will perk up your look no matter how late you went to bed last night. It sets, defines, and fixes brow hairs into place without stiffening or flaking. With a water based gel formula that contains golden flax seed extract (protecting and enriching your brow hair’s natural color pigment), the Hey Broh helps you style your brows to preference effortlessly—you’ll still have more than enough time to make your morning commute.
Celine Tyson by Sarah Feingold
Hair: Adiam Habtezion
Make-Up: Sarah Feingold
Light by Sebastian from Stupid Studios
Produced for NBGA in Berlin
