If you’re on beauty TikTok or Insta lately, you know the name Painted by Esther. 🎨✨ Esther Edeme is the celebrity makeup artist behind the glowing cheeks of Chloe Bailey, Saweetie, Nara Smith, and so many more. Her signature? That bold, fluorescent blush look that somehow feels soft, radiant, and unapologetic all at once. Fans even call her the “final boss of blush blindness” 💖—and she’s turned what used to be a risky color choice into a confidence move, especially for darker skin tones. Ready to try it for yourself? Let’s break down exactly how to recreate Esther’s viral blush technique step by step.
Prep
Before we dive into blush, let’s set the stage. ✨ Start with a little self-care moment — pop on a pair of hydrating eye patches (the Peter Thomas Roth Instant Firmx ones are a fave) to wake up and plump your under-eye area. This step matters because Esther’s blush sits a bit higher on the cheeks, and you don’t want any creasing. While those patches are working their magic (about 10–15 minutes), go ahead and shape your brows and finish your eye look. Once you peel them off, lock in hydration with a primer like Milk Makeup’s Hydro Grip, then smooth on a light layer of foundation. Brighten with concealer only where you need it — we’re going for fresh and seamless, not cakey. 💖
Blush
Here’s where the magic happens 💖 — Esther’s signature blush moment. Start with a bold liquid blush (think Rare Beauty Soft Pinch in Lucky 🌸) and place it high on the cheekbones, closer to the hairline than you’d normally go. Tap, tap, tap to blend upward — this keeps the color lifted and sculpted instead of sinking the face.
Next, for that multi-dimensional glow, layer a slightly cooler-toned blush right at the apples of the cheeks and blend it seamlessly into the first shade. Lock it in with a pink-toned setting powder dusted lightly over the same areas for that soft-focus, dreamy flush.
Pro tip: Set your under-eyes with a puff + loose powder so the blush really pops without any creasing. To finish, sweep on a mix of hot pink + cool-toned powder blushes right over top. This layering trick is so Painted by Esther — vibrant, dimensional, and unapologetically blush-forward. 🎨✨
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