Patrick Ta is apologizing nearly a month after his Transition Blush launch sparked widespread backlash.
On Tuesday (June 16), Ta posted a statement to Instagram acknowledging that the launch of his Transition Blush collection had "contributed to a larger issue than I first understood," and apologizing to Painted by Esther and the broader community of creators who felt dismissed.
"I am genuinely sorry for the hurt and frustration caused," Ta wrote. "That was never my intention, but I have learned that impact matters more than intent." He continued: "I understand that the reaction was not just about the product itself. It was about something much bigger: recognition, visibility and the experiences many creators, especially Black creators, have had when their contributions to culture are overlooked or not recognised. Black creators have had an enormous influence on beauty culture, trends and artistry, and that influence often goes unattributed and unrewarded."
If you missed the backstory, here's what happened. In late May, Patrick Ta Beauty launched a three-piece Transition Blush collection, prompting Ngozi "Esther" Edeme, the celebrity makeup artist known as Painted by Esther, to post a response on social media. Her video, in which she claimed Ta's team had even attempted to book a session with her — presumably to learn the technique — has since amassed more than 4.1 million views.
Edeme has spent years perfecting and popularizing the transition blush technique on deeper skin tones, working with clients including Naomi Campbell, Kelly Rowland, and Doechii.
Ta had also been seen in earlier social media comments acknowledging that he was "leaning into" Painted by Esther's techniques — a receipt that made the controversy significantly harder to dismiss.
Ta initially responded by tagging Edeme on TikTok and acknowledging she had popularized the look, while maintaining he had not copied her and that the collection had been in development for over a year and a half.
The beauty community noticed. In the midst of the controversy, MAC Cosmetics spotlighted Painted by Esther in the third issue of its relaunched MACzine, calling on her to bring their blush collection to life alongside her longtime client Olandria Carthen.
This is not Ta's first time in this position. In 2024, influencer Avonna Sunshine went viral, calling out Patrick Ta products after exposing him for unpaid invoices owed to Black content creators. He apologized then, too.
Ta closed his latest apology to Esther with a commitment to do better. "Right now, my focus is to continue to learn and find meaningful ways to support the artists, creators, founders, and communities that make this industry flourish," he wrote. "Artistry has given me my voice and my career, and it is important to me to continue to pour into and champion the next generation of artists."
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