Politicians Who Look So Different Without Makeup

Celebrities have learned that going makeup-free is an easy way to appear unpretentious and relatable, so it makes sense that some politicians have also embraced this trend. As high-profile public figures, the goal of most lawmakers seems to be to look polished but not red-carpet-ready. There have been some politicians who have broken that mold, and they're usually the ones who look the most different without makeup on.

Over the years, many politicians have learned just how powerful of a tool makeup can be. While you might assume this applies mostly to women, some of America's most powerful men have fretted over their foundation. In "The Memoirs of Richard Nixon," the titular late president admits that it was a mistake to refuse the services of a professional makeup artist for the first-ever televised presidential debate in 1960. He even believed that the decision played a role in his loss to John F. Kennedy, writing, "I did not look well." And in a 1980 column for The Vidette, journalist Roger Simon recalls being contacted by Ronald Reagan's communications director after writing about how terrible the then-presidential candidate's makeup looked. He was told that Reagan didn't use cosmetics, but a television executive said this was a lie.

Fast forward to today, and there's been speculation over whether vice presidential candidate JD Vance wears eyeliner and how Donald Trump achieves his orange complexion. But for female politicians, what gets people talking is seeing them bare faced.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders has struggled to find her fashion footing, but when the Arkansas governor worked as Donald Trump's White House press secretary, her makeup game was strong. According to Politico, this was due to the adept hand of professional makeup artist Katie Price, whom the Trump administration hired after Anthony Scaramucci, Trump's short-lived communications director, praised her work in 2017. "She's definitely made my life easier," Sanders said. Sanders also spoke to The New York Times about the importance of looking good on television. "In the age of HD cameras, I'll take all the help I can get," she quipped.

Taxpayers footed the bill for Sanders' signature smokey eye, which comedian Michelle Wolf joked about at the 2018 White House Correspondents' Dinner. "She burns facts, and then she uses that ash to create a perfect smokey eye," Wolf said. "Like, maybe she's born with it, maybe it's lies. It's probably lies." When some people accused the comic of mocking Sanders' appearance, Wolf argued via tweet, "I complimented her eye makeup and her ingenuity of materials."

When Sanders left the Trump administration in 2019, she had to bid adieu to Price and her expertly applied dark eyeshadow. A year later, she ditched the makeup altogether to celebrate her 10th wedding anniversary with her family. She also replaced the combative scowl White House reporters were used to seeing with a big smile on Instagram as she enjoyed a boat ride on Arkansas' Lake Ouachita.

U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is known for being one of the loudest voices on the more progressive side of the Democratic party, and she often rocks a bold red lip that matches her vivacious personality. She's also a pro at connecting with young people. In a 2019 post on her Instagram Story (via Allure), she revealed that she does her own makeup for non-TV events, something she learned how to do from watching tutorials online. Many makeup fans can relate to her story, as they grew up admiring beauty influencers and mimicking their techniques.

When Ocasio-Cortez appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair in 2020, she didn't do her own makeup. However, she applied it herself in a makeup tutorial for Vogue, which she filmed that same year. She began with a bare face and explained that her eye bags were the result of a lack of sleep. A color corrector and concealer were her solution for this common beauty woe.

Ocasio-Cortez argued that women shouldn't be made to feel shallow for being passionate about beauty. "I actually think these are some of the most substantive decisions that we make, and we make them every morning," she said of her makeup routine. However, she revealed that she doesn't wear makeup to work every day. As for why she's such a big fan of her go-to red lipstick, Stila Stay All Day Liquid in Beso, she shared, "I will wear a red lip when I want confidence."

When women embrace the MAGA lifestyle, they amp up their glam considerably. But by following the lead of the Trump family, they risk suffering embarrassing makeup fails. An example is the outrageously orange cast Rep. Lauren Boebert's face had in a 2024 interview. "She's borrowing Trump's orange bronzer," tweeted one critic of her makeup job. Boebert's beauty look was more toned down before she got involved in politics. In a 2015 Instagram photo, her skin is several shades lighter; her brows haven't been filled in with a black eyebrow pencil, and she's not sporting one of the vivid lip colors she would later favor.

Boebert looks even more unlike she does today in a 2017 mugshot. Per the Colorado Times Recorder, she was arrested for failing to appear in court in relation to unsafe driving charges. She appeared to have minimal to no makeup on when she was booked, and one user on X, formerly known as Twitter, joked that her plucked brows should also be a criminal offense. "Without her 2 pounds of makeup she looks much different," another person wrote. There were also suggestions that Boebert had some cosmetic work done on her face after the mugshot was taken.

In a 2024 video on her Rumble page, Boebert does admit to getting periodic Botox treatments. She said she knew it was time for a touch-up when some students who were touring Capitol Hill mistook her for one of her sworn enemies from across the aisle, Nancy Pelosi. "I don't think I've been so insulted in my life," she said.

In a 2020 interview with The Telegraph, professional makeup artist Ruby Hammer praised Kamala Harris for keeping her makeup more on the natural side and not falling prey to beauty trends. Hammer commended the vice president for skipping eyeshadow, wearing light foundation, and opting for a glossy lip. "She always just looks elegant and groomed," said the beauty expert. In an interview with Hello Giggles, Harris' makeup artist, Sam Fine, explained why he doesn't go overboard with her glam. "As a political figure, you can't let makeup take the main stage when you have a crucial message to deliver," he said.

Harris also doesn't have a fussy skincare routine. She told Cosmopolitan that it's just two steps: Cetaphil cleanser or cleansing wipes and moisturizer. Further proving that she is no skincare junkie, she revealed that she doesn't understand why serums have become such a huge beauty trend. She expressed confusion over whether they were lotions and said she didn't like the idea of waiting for them to absorb into the skin before applying moisturizer. "It just seems like a lot of work," she stated.

In a 2018 Facebook photo, Harris' face is glowing and dewy, an effect some serums offer that she can apparently naturally achieve. After evaluating pictures of Harris, plastic surgeon Dr. Gary Linkov told the Daily Mail, "For her age, she looks so youthful — and it doesn't seem like there was much work done."

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin gifted us with one of the most famous quotes about makeup from a politician when she was late Senator John McCain's running mate in 2008. "What's the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull?" she quizzed the crowd at the Republican National Convention. "Lipstick." Per the New York Post, the crowd seemed to adore the former beauty queen's cracker-barrel act.

Mama Grizzly mentioned makeup and mutts again in 2014, this time in response to paparazzi photos that were taken after one of her hot yoga sessions. Palin shared the pics on Facebook and wrote, "Yup, here's what I looked like sans makeup, drowning in sweat when the camera rolled; looking much like a sheepdog, I'd say."

Palin shared another au naturel photo on Instagram in 2019. It was a throwback pic taken not long after she'd given birth to her son Trig, and she was sporting that new-mom glow. Amy Strozzi, a makeup artist who worked with Palin during her 2008 campaign, praised her radiant complexion in a 2009 interview with Talking Shopping (and she did it without making a canine comparison). "The governor's skin is the most beautiful skin I have ever worked with ... The condition of her skin was flawless," she gushed.

During the 2016 presidential debates, Hillary Clinton's well-applied makeup included a vibrant shade of lipstick. Her appearance had evolved greatly from when she was best known for being Arkansas' first lady. According to The New York Times, she didn't begin wearing makeup until Bill Clinton ran for reelection as governor of Arkansas in 1983.

During her own career in politics, Hillary endured decades of criticism of her appearance. While she was serving as secretary of state in 2012, she dared to attend an overseas conference wearing just lipstick. Her appearance caused such a commotion that CNN asked her about it. "If others want to worry about it, I let them do the worrying for a change," she said. When she sported another stripped-down look for a speech after she lost her 2016 presidential bid, the Daily Mail published a piece that was highly critical of her "unkempt" appearance.

In a 2015 Facebook Q&A with Hillary, a user named Libby Brittain expressed her frustration with the "hair and makeup tax" women pay to look a certain way at work. Brittain shared Hillary's response on X and expressed approval of her words. "Amen, sister — you're preaching to the choir," Hillary wrote. "It's a daily challenge. I do the best I can — and as you may have noticed, some days are better than others!" The makeup tax isn't just the cost of beauty products but the time it takes to apply them. In the Hulu documentary "Hillary" (via People), the titular star estimates that she spent 600 hours getting her makeup applied and her hair styled during her presidential campaign. That's 25 days!

Former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley seems to prefer a lower-maintenance beauty look, setting her apart from other high-profile Republican women such as Lauren Boebert, Nancy Mace, Lara Trump, and Kristi Noem. Some female members of the MAGA club sport heavy eye makeup, caked-on foundation, and fluttery, super-sized falsies, but not Haley. When Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was filmed having his face powdered during one of the Republican presidential primary debates, an X user joked that he uses more cosmetics than Haley. "Nikki Haley is just another Trump with less makeup," read another tweet.

Haley hasn't just spent a lot of time running for political office — she also uses long-distance running to blow off steam. She skips the makeup when she pounds the pavement, as can be seen in a selfie that she snapped during the 2021 Golden Gate Half Marathon. However, it probably wasn't the best idea to admit on X that she had practiced bad running etiquette by following the race's route even though she hadn't entered it. "You're not supposed to run in a sponsored marathon without paying the entrance fee," one person tweeted.

In 2022, Haley shared a video on Facebook that was filmed after a 7-mile run. "While I may not look great on the outside, I feel great on the inside," she said.

Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema became a style standout in Congress with her quirky, colorful outfits and lipstick to match — she's experimented with various shades of pink and red that always pop. But while her vibe is fun and playful, she's made enemies on both sides of the aisle. Before she changed her party affiliation to independent, she sometimes upset Democratic voters by splitting from her former party on key issues such as raising the minimum wage. In response to a photo of Sinema wearing coral lipstick, one critic came up with a few names for lip colors inspired by the politician. "Kyr$ten $inema is modeling our Greedy Garnet. Next up is Craven Crimson, followed by Money-Grubbing Magenta," they tweeted.

Sinema announced her retirement in 2024, which would give her more time to pursue one of her hobbies. She's an avid triathlete and runner who became the first sitting Congress member to finish a grueling Ironman Triathlon in 2013. Sinema doesn't bother with makeup when she competes in triathlons, as evidenced by an Instagram photo from the Ironman New Zealand. She was almost unrecognizable without her makeup and glasses.

Before she embarked on her Senate career in 2018, Sinema talked to Triathlete about what lessons she learned from being an endurance athlete that she could apply to politics. "You've got these hills and valleys of emotion and difficulty throughout the day, but it's your job to have the mental strength and fortitude to get through it," she said.

In 2024, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene made a snide comment about Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett's appearance that made a House Oversight Committee meeting devolve into a bitter squabble among some of its members. Per CBS News, Greene said to Crockett, "I think your fake eyelashes are messing up what you're reading." This outraged Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who jumped to her fellow Democrat's defense. "How dare you attack the physical appearance of another person?" she said to Greene. Crockett later took a dig at Greene by saying that she has a "bad-built butch body." Greene didn't apologize for starting the spat but doubled down on X by writing, "AOC isn't intelligent. Jasmine Crockett has fake eyelashes."

Crockett told Allure that the very thing Greene was attacking her for was something she wears because she wants to avoid being criticized for her appearance. "As a Black woman, I felt my looks would always be challenged, and it's a matter of always showing up and being perfect," she said. She revealed that her personal preference is a more minimalist look, but society makes this a risky endeavor. "Your looks are such a big deal when it comes to politics," she said.

Crockett did sport a fresh face in a 2020 Instagram video, and none of her followers complained about it. However, she told Allure that people often share their opinions about the way she looks — she's even received unsolicited makeup advice from a pastor.

Marjorie Taylor Greene's everyday beauty look consists of dark eyeliner, eyeshadow in natural tones, and a neutral lip. While she usually doesn't bury her pores underneath piles of makeup like some politicians, it seems that she's not completely comfortable going makeup-free. "I'm so mad I did a live video this morning in my garage with no makeup on," she tweeted in September 2023. Speaking from her garage gym, she revealed that what she was angry about was financial aid to Ukraine being included in a defense bill. Her video also included a lot of ranting about illegal immigration and a call to impeach Joe Biden.

One response to Greene's video read, "Didn't notice you weren't wearing makeup. That means it doesn't do much for you, whether that's a good thing or bad thing is up to you." Another person asked, "What's wrong with no makeup? That's the way god intended you to be so be it." A third fan chimed in to say that they preferred Greene's bare face to her made-up one.

However, Greene's boyfriend, Brian Glenn, is not a fan of the natural look, which he associates with women who aren't right-wing like his girlfriend. "Liberal women tend to be some of the ugliest women I've ever seen," he said on RSBN (via RawStory). "I mean, zero makeup ... Half of them look like men."

One of the only male politicians who garners attention for not wearing makeup is Donald Trump. For better or worse, his skin's distinctive orange tone has become part of his brand, and it's also sparked a ton of speculation about its origin. He's actually let professional makeup artist Kriss Blevens touch his face, and she told Fast Company that the color was already there before she went to work. "At times, his face looked bronzer than the rest of him," she said. Her suggestion was that his unusual glow came from self-tanning lotion.

However, two of Trump's former housekeepers told The Washington Post that Trump does use makeup. They revealed that it stains his shirts, and there's such a mark visible in a photo snapped after a 2020 rally (via The Atlantic). Perhaps Trump learned that makeup and physical exertion are a bad combination, as some of the photos where his face looks more natural have been snapped while he was golfing. When he played a round at his Turnberry course in Scotland in 2023, he didn't look orange but did have some bronze splotches on his cheeks.

From the sounds of it, the former president is paranoid about looking pale. Recalling a conversation she had with him about his makeup, Blevens told Fast Company, "He will look and go, 'Do I need more color?' And I say, 'No, you don't, trust me.'"