“In The Chair With” spotlights the incredible hairstylists in our community who are giving us major inspiration. Each week, they discuss their personal hair and career journeys, what they’ve learned from their clients, and their top hair care tips.
Beauty trends emerge daily on social media. But, when your signature makeup look becomes the biggest trend on every platform, it’s something special. Ngozi ‘Esther’ Edeme, also known as Painted by Esther, has turned her love of colorful and vibrant makeup into more than just a style—it’s a movement that celebrates bold self-expression and creativity. From beauty creators to celebrities, the Painted by Esther face has become one of the biggest looks of the year. It’s bold, bright, vivid, and yes, very extra, but that’s what makes Edeme’s style unique.​
“I prefer my makeup to look otherworldly,” she says. The expressive eyes, hyper-pigmented blush, and ultra-feminine style are all part of her signature face. Currently, her work has been worn by fashion icons Naomi Campbell and Anok Yai, as well as music darlings like Kelly Rowland, Cassie, and SZA. While each face is different in its own right, Edeme manages to bring her style and vision to life through color.​
Creating fantasies and worlds of whimsy is at the core of any artistry. In Edeme’s work, it’s not hard to see that her creative eye began with a love of art. In college, she studied the subject but found her attention lay in makeup. Her dorm room became a hub for her creativity. After scouring the campus for new faces, she’d set up a glam session and let her imagination guide her skill. ​
Posting her looks online wasn’t just a way to share them with the world—it was the catalyst that gave her the confidence to pursue makeup full-time. As her name grew, she knew she wanted to keep Black women at the center of her work. “There’s a really glamorous vibe for Black girls in London. It’s part of the culture to always have your makeup and hair done to the nines,” she says. Bringing that energy to her makeup style, whether she’s glamming up models for the runway or her Instagram, remains her focus.
Her Current Favorite Products:
“I always have the Dannessa Myricks Groundwork Palette For Eyes, Brows, Face & Lips in my kit because it doubles as a face palette. It’s pretty unique because it has cream and powder wells in a variety of shades, perfect for contouring. For blush, I’m currently loving Glossier’s Cloud Paint Plush Blush and its range of colors. As for skincare, I recently discovered Augustinus Bader’s Rich Eye Cream, and it’s become a new favorite of mine. I also love Charlotte Tillbery’s Magic Water Cream to moisturize and prep the skin.”
Her Favorite Makeup Look:
“My first viral moment happened when I did a strong blush look on a dark skinned woman. There was a lot of doubt about whether it could be a pretty look, but I stayed true to it and always tried to champion that stance. That was me creating content and experimenting with makeup. In that element, there’s a lot of freedom and time to play, explore, and try new things. I love being expressive through makeup, using color, being whimsical, and creative. The blush treatment became the signature look, but I wasn’t planning for it to happen that way.
To me, blush is a bridge, so it’s always going to be in my routine. After a while, I think people started realizing that ‘oh, she has a shade for every skin tone’ and things kind of took off from there. My social media pages feature all complexions, including fair, medium, deep, and dark, each wearing different blush tones. But I think it really got big when I did Olandria’s makeup for Watch What Happens Live. I think it translated differently because it was live and not on Instagram, where things can be edited.”
Her Top Makeup Tip:
“Moisturize! I can’t say it enough. Finding a good moisturizer for your skin type is key because it adds a cream barrier underneath your makeup. My second tip would be to use your decolletage, not your neck, for shade matching. The chest area has variations in skin tone, allowing you to find the most accurate shade matches for foundation, contour, and highlighting products. This is especially true for women of color.”
A Makeup Myth She’d Like To Debunk:
“I truly feel ike there’s no wrong way to do makeup. I love glamour and looking ultra feminine, super girly, or ethereal. That’s always my goal when I do makeup, so when people say ‘it’s too much or you can’t really wear this outside,’ my response is always: Why? If someone wants a bright under-eye or blinding blush, I say go for it. In the past, makeup was free and filled with expressive looks. The ‘70s, ‘80s, and 2000s weren’t about rules—it was about embracing all types of makeup, and as an artist, I take inspiration from all of it.”
A Makeup Look She Wants To Bring Back:
“I’m really into corals right now and have been thinking about Jennifer Lopez’s look from Maid in Manhattan. There’s a scene where she steps out of the limousine and has this beautiful bronzy, glowy look with coral lips and cheeks. That was Scott Barnes’ signature look, and it’s always stayed with me. I’d love to bring back that kind of vibe—a nude lip that’s more flesh-toned with hints of pink and coral.”
Her Makeup Removal Routine:
“Oil cleansers are the least abrasive way to remove makeup, so I’d say start there. They dissolve the product and cleanse your skin in one step. Micellar water is a good alternative, as long as you follow up with a cleanser. A lot of people don’t realize that it removes the makeup but stays on the skin, so you still need to cleanse after using it.”
How She Uplifts Her Clients:
“We listen to a lot of music during the glam sessions, and I try to make sure they have food if they’re hungry. I think it’s the Nigerian in me—in our culture, we show love through food to feed and to gift. Glam sessions are a safe space, like therapy. It’s a time to talk, relax, and get pretty, so I always want to allow them space to do that.”
What She’s Learned From Her Clients:
“I’ve learned to be very patient and to really enjoy every moment. People can sense when you want to be in the room, and I always want to be there. Showing up and being present are two different things. When you’re present, you’re international, and clients can feel that. No matter how tired I am or how many countries I traveled to that week, as soon as I get on location, I want to make people feel warm and happy. I’ve also learned that you have to really love what you do. If you don’t, you won’t improve.”