The Blueprint Behind the Blush Obsession
There’s no such thing as “too much blush” in today’s makeup world. If your social media feed has been flooded with beauties with perfectly diffused, bright pink cheeks, you’ve witnessed the signature blush look of Painted by Esther.
Esther, born Ngozi Esther Edeme, is a UK-based celebrity makeup artist known for her bright, layered blush technique. This style was first introduced in the 1980s and ’90s by the late Kevyn Aucoin, a makeup legend Edeme often references in her work.
The Muse
The world fell in love with this bold blush look through Esther’s work with “Love Island USA” breakout star Olandria Carthen. Her technique reframed how those with deeper skin tones can use blush to make their features pop and highlight their warmth.
In the digital “MACzine” cover, Esther used three different blush shades. “You always wanna work with a few different colours of blush, never just one, ‘cause that’s boring,” declared Esther. This more-is-more approach provides dimension and allows the colour to really shine through.
The main tip to achieving this gradient blush look is to use at least three blushes: one that’s your main color, one that’s darker and one that’s a transition color to blend the main color and the other side of your face. Just follow these three steps!
- Step 1: The Dark Color: Start with a deeper, highly pigmented blush color placed high up on the outer edges of the cheekbones to create depth and structure.
- Step 2: The Main Color: Apply your vibrant focal color (like a berry or bright magenta) across the center. Blend from the outside of the face inward.
- Step 3: The Transition Color: As you get closer to the center and the under-eye area, the tone should soften. Mix a lighter blush shade or a touch of concealer to create a seamless gradient that gets lighter toward the middle of the face.
Tutorials from the Timeline
Check out these beauty creators across TikTok have been testing out the technique, putting their own spins on the seamless gradient.
Now, grab your favorite blush shades and join in on this makeup obsession, popularized by the one and only Painted by Esther.