Amaya “Papaya” Espinal ushered in the new month with a frosty photoshoot to kick off the cold season. Her caption was simple, “Cold air, rich energy,” hinting that winter won’t be numbing her radiant energy. Espinal shared the winter wonderland shoot on Tuesday, December 2, a collaborative post with her photographer, creative director, makeup artist, and coat designer. The post drew in over 170,000 likes and more than 1500 comments with surprising reactions.

The shoot took place on a winter wonderland-themed setup, likely staged indoors to mimic a snowy alpine forest at Christmastime. Behind Amaya Espinal, tall evergreen trees covered in artificial snow created a frosty backdrop.

A thick layer of fake snow blanketed the ground, while Espinal posed with a pair of skis, as if she’d been gliding over the snow.

She wore a white high-neck bodysuit, topped with a massive fur coat, a matching head warmer, and fur thigh-high boots. Her glam was soft and smoky, complementing her bold pose. Chunky hoops peeked out from beneath her icy platinum waves.

Despite the chilly visuals, fans felt the temperature rising. Amaya Espinal turned the winter set into a heatwave.

One popular comment read, “I know it’s winter, but it’s feeling muggy in here.” Another user wrote, “Feeling cold but looking hot.” Someone else chimed in, “It’s never been so hot in the snow.”

A few other users felt chills, though. A fan wrote, “Ooo, it just got chilly,” while another added, “My whole phone froze when I saw this.” Someone even compared her to Elsa, the snow queen from “Frozen.”

Popsugar, now rebranded as PS, launched its inaugural “Feel-Good Person of the Year” award in November 2025, and the very first honoree is none other than Amaya Espinal.

Espinal was chosen for turning reality TV drama into feel-good moments, championing softness and imperfection, and inspiring viewers to prioritize emotional support and self-kindness.

On the magazine’s cover, the “Love Island” star wore a teal satin gown with a thigh-high slit and feather details around the sleeves. Her hair was braided to the side, and small hoops adorned her ears.

Fans were elated about the feature. “Amaya, you’re so loved,” one declared.

Before it got all chilly, Amaya “Papaya” Espinal was soaking up the sun in the Dominican Republic, her parents’ home country. On October 22, she posted a sizzling photo dump that fans devoured.

She opened with a gold bikini shot from a rooftop pool, showing off her curves. The third slide featured a glossy lilac bikini with pink trims, where she posed against a tree, teasing underboob.

Later in the dump, she switched into a brown dress with a plunging neckline and daring midsection cutout. “Thank you for gracing us today,” a fan wrote.

Amaya Espinal celebrated her 26th birthday on November 9 with a night out and made sure fans got a front-row seat via an 18-slide photo carousel posted the next day.

Her birthday fit was a pink-and-red body-hugging bandeau mini dress with side trains. She wore a dainty necklace to keep the look simple. In one standout slide, she was seen dancing seductively in an enclosed space with multiple friends.

Her fans showed up strong, contributing over half a million likes and thousands of comments.