The beauty world is buzzing over the Painted by Esther controversy, which highlights a painful pattern: Black women's career erasure. Celebrity makeup artist Ngozi Edeme, known as Painted by Esther, popularized the transition blush technique. But when makeup mogul Patrick Ta launched a similar product and filed a trademark for the term, many saw it as another case of a Black woman's work being taken without credit.
What Is the Painted by Esther Controversy?
Patrick Ta announced his new Transition Blurring Blush Duo and showed how to use it in a tutorial. Fans quickly noticed the technique looked exactly like the one Edeme made famous. She uses a layered method that blends blush from the cheekbone into the under-eye area, creating a soft ombré effect. This look works beautifully on deeper skin tones.
Edeme never claimed to invent the technique, but she is widely credited for bringing it back into style. The backlash grew when people learned Ta’s company had filed a trademark for the term “transition blush.” The application is still pending, but the move felt like a direct attempt to own what Edeme popularized.
Why Trademarks Don't Always Protect Creators
Trademark attorney Ticora Davis explains that trademark rights don’t always go to the person who first used a phrase. She compares it to Lil’ Wayne’s “bling bling” or the viral “on fleek” — Black creators often shape culture but don’t own the words or phrases tied to products.
Davis says, “This happens a lot to people in the African diaspora. We shape the cultural lexicon, but we’re not always the producers behind products or services.”
Black Women's Erasure: A Long History
This isn't just a beauty issue. It's part of a bigger pattern of Black women's career erasure. History is full of examples:
- NASA’s “human computers” — Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Dorothy Vaughan did crucial work but were hidden for decades.
- Black Lives Matter founders — Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi created a global movement, yet their contributions are often downplayed.
- Workplace idea theft — Executive consultant Ayanna Castro notes that Black women are more likely to have coworkers take credit for their ideas.
Edeme shared her frustration: “This is about my career. I didn’t give [the technique] a name. The reason this is so sinister is that’s the name used in articles about me. Google it, and you’ll see.” She also revealed that Ta’s team asked her to do paid content — and wanted her to give Ta credit for her own technique.
How This Affects Edeme's Career
Edeme says the controversy pushed her out of her comfort zone. “It’s made me more confident in my abilities. I’m not a front-facing person. I like to be behind the work. But this situation dragged me out and gave me confidence moving forward.”
She also points out that Black women rarely get grace for mistakes. “There’s no grace for anything. God forbid I’m not a perfect victim. I don’t know everything, but you learn as you go.”
Advice for Black Women Facing Career Erasure
Edeme has a powerful message for others going through similar situations:
- Speak up. “If you’re going through this behind the scenes, say something. Crash out.”
- Stand your ground. “Sometimes people need to be reminded… I’m not to be played with. Do it respectfully, but stand up for yourself.”
- Let go of fear. “You have to be willing to lose sometimes to win.”
Final Thoughts
The Painted by Esther controversy is a clear example of how Black women's career erasure happens across industries — from beauty to science to activism. It’s a reminder that credit and compensation should go to the people who do the work. Edeme’s story is a call to action: don’t let your contributions be erased. Speak up, stand strong, and demand what’s yours.
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