The Rule Benders of Beauty: Kevin Aucoin, Pat McGrath, Painted By Esther

In the constantly changing world of beauty, there are artists—and then there are rule breakers. Visionaries who don’t just follow trends but completely reshape them. Names like Kevyn Aucoin and Pat McGrath are engraved in the history of makeup artistry for this very reason. Now, a new name is being spoken with the same reverence: Ngozi Edeme, better known as Painted By Esther.

Esther is more than a makeup artist—she’s a storyteller of the skin, a fine artist turned beauty visionary who brings her painter’s sensibility to every face she touches. Her signature? Bright, soft, dreamlike blush that captures the magic and vulnerability of femininity in a way few others can. Her approach is painterly, delicate, and intentional—each stroke of colour a nod to emotion and atmosphere.

With a background in fine art, Esther effortlessly translates the rules of the canvas to the contours of the face. Her artistry exists at the crossroads of discipline and whimsy, transforming makeup into something profoundly expressive. It’s no surprise that some of the most iconic faces in fashion and entertainment have become her muses—Naomi Campbell, Tyla, Viola Davis, SZA, Nara Smith, Cassie, Herself—the list continues to grow, as does her legend.

Her work is a quiet, reverent homage to the late Kevyn Aucoin, whose influence remains in her sculptural techniques and sensitivity to light and shade. But Esther is no mere imitator—she’s forging her path, one blush-dusted cheekbone at a time.

In a beauty world often dominated by precision and perfection, Painted By Esther reminds us that true artistry resides in softness, emotion, and the artful breaking of rules.