If 2025 had a defining makeup mood, it was blushed to the heavens, glazed in glitter, and unapologetically fun — thanks in no small part to Ngozi Esther Edeme, the London-based artist known by her cult online following as @paintedbyesther.

Over the past year, Edeme has helped usher in some of beauty’s biggest shifts: blush blindness, frosted highlight, and the full-throttle return of colorful glam. As the creative force behind Tyla’s “We Wanna Party” tour across Asia, she brought neon accents and her “party scene” aesthetic to a global stage. Going viral wasn’t exactly the goal — though it was “welcome,” she says. “Imitation is a form of flattery, but credits should always follow.”

Netizens got the memo. Edeme’s metallic dreamworld ricocheted across X, inspiring fan edits, countless recreations, and hot takes declaring the end of “clean girl” makeup. The appeal ran deeper than trend churn: Bold, high-saturation, playful glam on Black women still feels rarer than it should.

But those in the know wouldn’t call it a breakout year for Edeme so much as a tipping point. Since 2022, she’s been beating the faces of A-listers including SZA, Gabrielle Union, Kelly Rowland, and Naomi Campbell, each stamped with her signature under-eye babydoll blush and megawatt glow. “Highlight is my second favorite part of a makeup look,” Edeme says. “It supports the blush placement, but you have to be intentional about where you put it: My tip is everywhere light hits.”

As for 2026, she’s breaking her own rules. “This year is about freedom,” Edeme says. With “clean girl makeup” both clinging on and being loudly rejected — and maximalist makeup “getting its shine despite always being here” — anything goes. “There’s space for everything. That’s the trend.”

Ahead, the 28-year-old artist takes a break from viral fame to share the spring 2026 makeup looks she’s saving now, from apricot blush to metallic lips and pastel blue eyeshadow.

1Apricot Cheeks

Apricot blush is taking the place of cool-toned pinks this spring, delivering warmth with a soft-focus glow. “It gives 2019 doll vibes,” says Edeme. “The deeper your skin tone, the more intense that orange color needs to be to achieve a true apricot color. The lighter your skin tone, the peachier the blush will be.”

2Metallic Lips

Spotted on the Prabal Gurung show during New York Fashion Week, metallic lips are having a moment — and they’re easier to achieve than you might think. “All you need is a pigmented eyeshadow,” says Edeme. “The Pat McGrath Mothership V and IV palettes are great.”

Her pro tip: Start with a lip liner and lipstick close to your natural shade — anything pink or coral — before dusting on the eyeshadow with a small brush. “I like to do this on the cupid’s bow and the high points of the lip where the light hits. You can also try it without lipstick and only use a liner — just make sure your lips are moisturized first, because the powder eyeshadow can make them feel dry.”

3“Tired Girl” Makeup

Edeme is a big fan of undone makeup — what she calls “sleepy girl glam.”

“The easiest way to achieve it is by working with what you have. If you have tired girl eye bags, accentuate them by taking your concealer below the bag and brightening everything around it. Then go in with heavier with bronze tones using a product like Danessa Myricks’ Groundwork Palette in Defining Neutrals. It has a true brown that deepens the bags and makes you look intentionally sleepy. You’ll also want a good mascara, maybe even a half lash at the ends, because again, it’s not about looking overdone — it’s tired chic.”

4Pastel Eyeshadow

Soft, watercolor-esque eyes are having a moment this spring, with ethereal lilacs, baby blues, and pastel pinks making an appearance on runways and Instagram feeds alike. “Never leaving. Key whimsical,” says Edeme.

5Babydoll Blush

Blush, of course, isn’t going anywhere. Edeme recommends being heavy-handed so it really shows up on the skin, especially since it’s often the first product to fade throughout the day.

“It helps to use a cream blush first — something to stick to — then a powder blush to set it. The key is to really pack it on with powder blush. Use darker shades toward the outside of the face, then transition inward with a lighter shade. But stay within the same shade family: If you use orange on the outer part of your face, use an apricot or peach on the inside. If you use a magenta pink, pair it with a baby pink for a smooth color gradient.”

62016 Makeup

While Edeme doesn’t believe 2016 makeup is coming back in its original form, she confirms the era’s “creative freedom” is. “As much as people yearn for 2016, no one is doing makeup like we did back then: heavy brows, defined contours, bright highlights, no blush, dark matte lips… Come on, guys, we need to be a little honest. Let’s not rewrite history.”

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