With more than 2 million followers across social media, Ester Tania has certified herself as a beauty expert. It’s no surprise given she started her career in entertainment at just eight years old. Raised in Nicaragua, Tania got her start doing local commercials for salons and booked her first campaign as the face of Wella haircare by the time she was 14. She went on to pursue a career in acting and trained for three years at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York City before pivoting to TikTok when lockdown brought the world to halt in 2020. There, she has cultivated a following around her beauty, fashion and mental health content, leading to partnerships with ColourPop Cosmetics, Disney, Hulu, the NFL, Burt’s Bees, Suave and her very own eyeshadow collection with Au Naturale Cosmetics.
Just ahead of the biggest holiday festivities of the season, Tania shared her approach to ringing in the new year, her favorite makeup brands and what beauty trends she hopes to see flourish in 2023.
When winter rolls around, how does your skincare routine change and what products become essential?
Throughout the year, I always maintain a deeply hydrating routine, but during the winter I tend to increase the amount of occlusive ingredients and products. I love including more rosehip oil or jojoba oil as the last step in the routine, especially at night. I love the brand Living Libations. It has amazing blends of oils dedicated to different skin concerns. Being Latina though and living in warm climates most of the year don’t stop me from looking like a glazed pastry at the end of the night.
We want to head into 2023 ready to conquer skincare. Across the board, what are your favorite products?
SPF SPF SPF! The most important thing you can do for your skin is use SPF every single day no matter what the weather is like that day. It can be cloudy and you should still apply SPF because UVA rays still penetrate clouds and water. The most important thing about SPF is reapplication. No matter the brand, you still need to reapply throughout the day according to the SPF number. If it’s SPF 30, you need to apply that every 30 min. You can’t apply once a day and be done. A lot of people forget to reapply and unfortunately start seeing premature aging signs.
And what about makeup— what are your favorite brands and do you have any basic essentials?
I get this question every single time I go live and truthfully I don't know how to answer because I have countless favorite makeup products. Some of my newer favorites are Tres Luce by Becky G! Truly the best brow gel out on the market. I also love Caía, a Swedish brand that is new to me but has quickly become a favorite, especially their mascara, foundation and cream blush. I love Huda Beauty, Live Tinted, Audacity Cosmetics and Amazing Cosmetics. They all have hero products that work for many people of different skin colors and I think that is what sets apart a good makeup brand. Inclusivity is not a luxury, it's the minimum.
The holidays are here! Can you outline how to do a New Year's Eve party makeup look?
I love layering elements, which means face paint for a graphic liner or abstract art on the eyes and cheekbones; glitter flakes placed on the high points of the face and to accentuate eyeshadow, pigmented eyeshadow, face gems and, of course, hair and a fabulous outfit! Just head over to my Instagram to see what I mean. Layering is the best way to achieve an impactful look. You can also do this in a neutral, subtle way but I’m a true colorphile. I seek out bright and colorful looks.
@estertaniaj Christmas + Mean girl vibes #estertania #easyhairstyles #hairtutorial All I Want for Christmas Is You - Mariah Carey
Do you have any rituals or practices to set yourself up for the new year?
Truly, no. I try to maintain a work ethic throughout the year that extends to my health and fitness goals, skincare, hair care, body care, mental health, nutrition, time with family and even supplements. Mental health and positive thinking are truly our most powerful weapon.
What makeup trends are looking forward to in the new year?
More color!!! The world has become desaturated of color. Out in the world, we see brands, restaurants and signage rebranded to more neutral and modern colors. This is heavily influenced by social media and the neutral palettes that Internet personalities use in the perfectly curated feeds. This influences the way people want to dress and paint their faces. Traveling outside of the U.S. to places like Nicaragua and Mexico you see how much color is part of the culture and heritage. Color influences our moods; it’s why color therapy exists. I want to see makeup trends with color!
You have a two million-plus strong social media following. How do you maintain a relationship with your audience?
I go live as often as possible! It’s the perfect way to have intimate conversations where they can ask me questions and become involved in my filming process. Everything I film, edit and put out is with them in mind. They are my reason for being on social media. Their influence on me is bigger than the influence I will ever have on them and I love that thought.
See also: How To Throw A Successful Holiday Party According to Karrueche Tran
Photography by: Brendan Byrne Photography
