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 concealeronly 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 blushright at the apples of the cheeks and blend it seamlessly into the first shade. Lock it in with a pink-toned setting powderdusted 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. 🎨✨
As June has arrived and beach days abound, TikTok’s new favorite trend conveys effortless romance perfect for the season. This season’s makeup is still natural (don’t want it melting off!) à la “clean girl makeup” but with a new twist: a rosy glow across your cheeks and nose.
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This glow says you’ve spent all day in the sun. This glow says your only care in the world is how the waves are today or laying out in your backyard with a paperback greased from sunscreen. This glow says to put on the frothiest, lightest dress you own – ideally over a swimsuit – and end up at a barbecue under string lights. It’s the whole summer aesthetic.
The best part? To achieve this look, you don’t have to risk sun damage. (Be sure to cover up with our go-to sunscreens before heading outdoors). Apply a healthy amount of blush to your face, extending past your cheeks to your nose and forehead, and voila!
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With liquid, powder, and cream blushes ranging from matte to glossy — and with color-matching better than ever — these makeup options will give you your *perfect* sun-kissed pink no matter the skin tone.
The Hook: Freck Beauty has a chokehold over its Gen Z audience, who first discovered the brand thanks to its faux-freckle pencil. Freck’s branding and packaging look good on any countertop, with products that are playful and effective.
The Look: Whether you shudder at the name or embrace its tongue-in-cheek irreverence, Cheekslime is a highly pigmented, universally complimentary wash of color you can use on both your lips and cheeks.
The Lowdown: Cheekslime utilizes liquid plant collagen in its formula, which allows it to “melt” into your skin with an elegant, subdued effect. It’s a great multi-use item, flattering across features.
The Hook: EspressOh’s named for its caffeinated makeup products and strong Italian roots. Just like espresso, the brand’s products are quick, powerful, and essential.
The Look: Matching blushes can be tough. The GLASSY blush removes the guesswork, so you don’t have to overthink what shade you’re putting on your skin. When you dab this on, it’ll be translucent. As you blend it, the reactant formula will mesh with your skin’s pH, informing its pigment. Although it looks different on each person, espressoH is constantly selling out because it’s guaranteed to align with your natural blush.
The Lowdown: Better yet, the dose contains caffeine, ensuring your skin looks energized and hydrated throughout the day (which gets to the heart of the summer glow we’re chasing with this look).
The Hook: Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty line puts its money where its mouth is; through its Rare Impact Fund, it donates one percent of sales to mental health organizations, with a commitment of raising $100 million for the cause over the next ten years. This vegan, cruelty-free brand aims to be a welcoming space in an industry with often unattainable standards.
The Look: This intensely pigmented liquid blush is available in matte and dewy finishes, layering well over other makeup products. Rare Beauty offers a quick primp tip: if you apply it under your foundation, you’ll get an ultra-natural underlying glow.
The Lowdown: Since its launch in early 2021, Rare Beauty has consistently gone viral on TikTok with both entry-level makeup users and expert artists. It truly meets people where they are. Between the intense pigment, velvety texture, and feel-good goals, both this blush and this brand are worth supporting. (On that note, shop now: shades sell out fast.)
The Hook: Saie emphasizes beauty as skincare first. Its no-fuss formula keeps it aligned with the minimalist makeup lover. Blush or a sunburn? The world will never know.
The Look: Some of us are admittedly not a fan of the dewy look, but Saie’s changed our mind. The glow from this water-based gel looks refreshed rather than sweaty, with a texture and subtle flush of color that makes you look like you’ve spent the afternoon playing in the ocean or perhaps on a hike. Mermaid vibes, anyone?
The Lowdown: Saie’s simple, chic branding is appealing and accessible. The blush itself is runny, like ink, but easy to use and build upon. While it adds a bit of shine to the skin, it never veers into greasy, which is the main concern with glossy finishes. Overall, it’s an impressive addition to any blush repertoire.
The Hook: This Latina-founded brand embraces multiuse and sustainability with the first vegan zero-waste crayon. These Balmies can be applied to cheeks, lips, and eyes. Some of us rarely switch up our makeup, so we appreciate the utility – and love that it’s plastic-free. The crayons themselves are tiny, but that’s because they’re not beefed up with extra packaging; you’re still getting an appropriate amount of product for the price.
The Look: The blush effect from this product is soft and lovely. Crème blushes tend to have an organic-looking finish. As someone who often messes up highly pigmented blush, we appreciate that if we overdo it, the product will look like we fell asleep in a beach chair.
The Lowdown: The crème Balmie blush is an excellent starter. If the sunburnt blush trend ends up not being for you, it’s an easy switch to use it instead as a lip color. It’s also long wearing and buildable, so you don’t have to think twice about getting it right.
Last year around 2020 BeautyLeeBar reviewed the original Rare Beauty collection, and today I am sharing my thoughts on the Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Collection!
I’ll be reviewing the Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Melting Cream Blush, the product I am most excited about, and the Stay Vulnerable Glossy Lip Balm.
If you haven’t heard of Rare Beauty before, it was launched in September 2020 by Selena Gomez. It is her first beauty line and proceeds go towards mental health initiatives. Built on an ethos of self-love and confidence, Rare Beauty effortlessly exudes Selena’s down-to-earth, unpretentious relatability. The company also aims to de-stigmatize mental illness, a cause close to Gomez’s heart. A portion of proceeds from each sale goes to the Rare Impact Fund, which supports organizations dedicated to promoting mental health, particularly in marginalized communities. The brand’s philanthropic strategy is informed with the help of the Rare Beauty Mental Health Council, comprised of psychiatrists and activists.
What intrigued me the most about the Stay Vulnerable collection was the new blush formula. Rare Beauty is known for its natural, easy-to-apply products, so I couldn’t wait to see how the blushes compare to each other.
Keep reading for my review of the Stay Vulnerable Melting Cream Blush and the Stay Vulnerable Glossy Lip Balm!
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The Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable collection includes:
Blush is one of the best ways to bring light and color into the face, and the Rare Beauty blushes do that in the best way possible. Some blushes are hard to apply or they make you look like a clown, but that is not the case with these products.
The Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Melting Blush is a cream blush, an in-between of liquid and powder. Cream blushes are amazing because they give you more control than liquid blushes do yet they are more pigmented than powder blushes.
I bought the shade Nearly Berry – deep berry, which is a beautiful color that compliments the deeper skin tone. This liquid-like cream blush melts into a second skin for the most natural-looking wash of soft-focus color. It’s long-lasting which I love, and you can layer it for more pigmentation.
The best way to apply it is by using your fingers to dab onto your cheeks then blending with a brush. You can also apply it directly with a brush. Either way works which I like because sometimes it’s just easier to use your fingers. Each blush also looks great on the lips and can be worn under the collection’s gloss.
I find the Stay Vulnerable Melting Blush easier to apply compared to the original Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush. If you apply too much of the liquid blush you risk looking like a clown. The melting blush is something you need to build up for lots of pigment so it’s way more beginner-friendly.
I tend to grab the Stay Vulnerable Melting Cream Blush more than the Soft Pinch Liquid Blush for its convenience. Overall, I would highly recommend this blush if you’re looking for something soft and neutral! Rare Beauty by Selena GomezStay Vulnerable Melting Cream Blush is the first-of-its-kind water-resistant blush that combines pigments with a non-greasy blend of weightless oils and spherical powders for a natural flush you can’t mess up. The ultralightweight, liquid-like cream melts on contact and blends to a smooth, satin finish that won’t cake, crease, or clog pores.
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Stay Vulnerable Glossy Lip Balm
I also picked up the Stay Vulnerable Glossy Balm because a girl can never have too many lip products! I was intrigued by it as it’s a lip gloss, but also a lip balm which is a fantastic idea, but not common.
I got the shade Nearly Berry – soft berry which is a beautiful soft reddish. It applies smoothly and isn’t sticky like most glosses. The gloss itself is neutral and light coverage. It adds just enough color to the lips where you can wear it on top of another product or alone! This has been my go-to lip product so far this summer.
If you’re looking for a gloss that is powerful and pigmented, this probably isn’t for you. But, it is great if you’re looking for an everyday lip gloss.
The best part about the Stay Vulnerable Glossy Lip Balm is how soft it makes your lips feel. It noticeably nourishes and hydrates your lips. Like a lip mask in a gloss, this ultra-cushiony, comfortable formula hugs lips with nourishing hydration while visibly plumping them with buildable color and shine. Made with a botanical blend of lotus, gardenia, and white waterlily, it also helps soothe, calm, and nourish lips.
I would highly recommend Stay Vulnerable beauty products to anyone who’s looking for a new go-to!
Question: Have you tried any Rare Beauty products? What are your favorites?
There are a lot of useful TikTok beauty trends out there — from powder foundation tricks to self-tanning tips. Some, however, raise our collective (and well-groomed) eyebrows, like a certain blush hack that involves applying blush all over the face and layering foundation on top for a dewy, radiant, and flushed finish. To get to the bottom of whether this blush trick works, we tapped makeup artist Kasey Spickard for his thoughts.
“Here’s the thing, it does work,” says Spickard “Should you do it? No.” Although it’s an eye-catching and entertaining video, he doesn’t recommend incorporating it into your everyday makeup routine. “This trend is using the concept of adding deep contours and bright highlights under the makeup for definition, however, you’re going to end up going through a lot more productive than if you did a standard base and buffed in cream blush later,” he explains.
Spickard also notes that some formulas are simply not meant to be applied all over the face. “I see folks packing liquid lipsticks all over their face and layering foundation on top, which is a total recipe for a breakout,” he says. “These products are not designed to be used that way, and can risk causing skin irritation and breakouts.”
The Right Way to Apply Cream Blush for a Flushed Finish
Spickard much prefers to keep it simple when applying cream blush — and guess what? The same, flushed, and radiant finish is possible his way, too. “My favorite method is to start by warming up the cream blush on the back of my hand and using my middle and ring fingers to buff it out onto the cheeks, cheekbones, temples, and nose bridge,” he says. We love the NYX Professional Makeup Bare With Me Luminous Cheek Serum for this. Complete the look by setting the cream formula with a powder blush using a fluffy brush (his favorite is the IT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Flat Top Buffing Foundation Brush).
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