If you’ve spent any time on beauty TikTok, Instagram, or your favourite magazine’s beauty pages over the past few years, chances are you’ve seen the influence of Painted by Esther. As the celebrated makeup artist prepares to bring her expertise to South Africa for the NYX Cosmetics Masterclass, beauty lovers have every reason to be excited. After all, this is the woman who helped transform blush from a subtle accent into one of the most defining beauty statements of the decade.
Known for her radiant complexions, unapologetically bold colour placement, and signature gradient blush technique, Esther has become one of the most influential artists working today. Through her work with some of the world’s biggest celebrities and her commitment to showcasing the beauty of dark skin, she has created an aesthetic that continues to shape trends across the global beauty industry.
What makes her impact particularly remarkable is that it extends far beyond makeup. Esther has helped challenge long-standing beauty conventions, encouraging people to embrace colour, take up space, and see beauty as a form of self-expression rather than a set of rules. In the process, she has built a movement that reaches far beyond the makeup chair.
The Woman Behind the Brush
Long before the world knew her as Painted by Esther, Nigerian-born Ngozi Esther Edeme was cultivating a fascination with beauty that would eventually shape her into one of the industry’s most sought-after makeup artists. Her background in fine art played a significant role in shaping her creative eye. Trained as a portrait artist, she developed a deep understanding of light, shadow, colour, and facial structure, skills that would later become central to her makeup philosophy.
Rather than approaching makeup as a set of rules, Esther treats each face as a canvas. Her work reflects an artist’s understanding of proportion and colour theory, allowing her to create looks that feel both imaginative and deeply personalised.
Redefining Blush for Dark Skin
Long before “blush blindness” became part of the beauty lexicon and rosy cheeks dominated social media feeds, Esther was championing vibrant blush on dark skin. At a time when many beauty standards suggested deeper skin tones should stick to subtle bronzes and muted shades, she embraced bright pinks, corals, berries, and purples with confidence.
Through tutorials, editorial work, and social media content, she demonstrated what many in the beauty industry had overlooked for years: bold colour does not compete with dark skin, it enhances it. Her work helped challenge long-held misconceptions and encouraged women with deeper complexions to experiment with colour in ways they had rarely seen represented.
The result was more than a trend. It was a shift in how beauty was being visualised and discussed online.
The Signature Gradient Technique
At the heart of Esther’s influence is her distinctive blush application method. Rather than relying on a single shade, she layers multiple tones to create a seamless gradient across the face.
The technique often combines cream and powder formulas, building colour gradually to create depth and dimension. A brighter hue may sit at the centre of the cheek, while complementary shades blend outward to create a soft transition. The result is a flushed, sculpted effect that feels both editorial and wearable.
What makes the approach so compelling is its ability to add structure while maintaining softness. The blush becomes part contour, part colour story, and part artistic expression.
Making Beauty Feel Personal
Despite becoming synonymous with a particular aesthetic, Esther’s work never feels repetitive. Her philosophy is rooted in the belief that every face requires a different approach.
Whether she is creating a dramatic editorial moment or a softer red-carpet look, her artistry adapts to the personality sitting in her chair. Certain signatures remain consistent, luminous skin, strategically placed colour, fluttery lashes, and glossy lips, but the final result is always tailored to the individual.
That ability to balance a recognisable aesthetic with personalisation has become one of the defining qualities of her work and a major reason why so many high-profile clients continue to trust her creative vision.
A Client List That Speaks for Itself
As her reputation has grown, so has her impressive roster of clients. Esther’s artistry has graced some of the biggest names across music, fashion, film, and entertainment.
Her client list includes SZA, Kelly Rowland, Naomi Campbell, Gabrielle Union, Viola Davis, Chloe Bailey, Tyla, RAYE, Doechii, Adut Akech, Anok Yai, Cassie, and Olandria Carthen, among many others. Her work has appeared at major cultural moments, from fashion weeks and magazine covers to the Met Gala and the Super Bowl.
Yet regardless of the celebrity attached to the look, Esther’s artistry remains instantly recognisable. Her ability to make each client look like the most elevated version of themselves has become her calling card.
More Than a Makeup Artist
Perhaps what makes Painted by Esther’s success so significant is that her influence extends beyond beauty trends. Through her work, she has helped create greater visibility for dark-skinned Black women within an industry that has historically overlooked them.
Her looks celebrate colour, confidence, and individuality. They encourage people to take up space, experiment with beauty, and reject the notion that makeup should be used to minimise rather than enhance.
In many ways, Esther’s greatest achievement is not the viral blush looks that continue to dominate social media. It is the confidence she has inspired in countless women who now see themselves reflected in beauty imagery in a way they never did before.
As the beauty industry continues to evolve, Painted by Esther’s influence can already be seen across campaigns, runways, social media feeds, and product launches. Her aesthetic has become one of the defining beauty signatures of the decade, inspiring artists and enthusiasts alike to embrace colour with greater confidence.
What began as a personal passion for makeup has grown into a movement that has reshaped conversations around beauty, artistry, and representation. And if the industry’s growing recognition of her work is anything to go by, Painted by Esther is only getting started.