6 Times Donald Trump Went Makeup Free And Looked So Different

Makeup is widely believed to be the reason behind Donald Trump's distinctive orange look. However, it remains unclear exactly what products are involved. Reports have varied from a light coating of some type of powder to larger quantities of Bronx Colors makeup. It seems fitting, however, that based on the available information, Bronx Colors postulated Trump was using the orange version of the company's Boosting Hydrating Concealer. While Bronx Colors touts the concealer as "beautiful, natural-looking coverage," some individuals have asserted that Trump applies products too liberally, which could result in an orange visage. In addition, a concealer like this is intended to be used in conjunction with other products rather than as a one-step solution.

Whatever products he uses, the amount of orange in Trump's look has varied over time, as evidenced by a humorous collage put together on Instagram by rock legend Rod Stewart. While Stewart's post was intended to mock Trump's remarks about Kamala Harris' racial identity, the four photos also illustrate how makeup changes his appearance. The initial photo of Trump with minimal or no makeup looks dramatically different from the maximum product look on the right.

Although makeup often remains Trump's go-to choice, there are numerous instances when he's been seen with a bare face. While public opinion has been mixed regarding his no-makeup look, one thing's clear –- Trump looks dramatically different. Let's take a look.

In July 2022, Donald Trump hit the golf course wearing a white polo, a red MAGA hat, and zero makeup. It was an intensely hot day, and he was at one of his clubs in New Jersey to play in the LIV Golf tournament. The event received a lot of media attention, and as photos circulated on X, formerly Twitter, users were astonished by Trump's appearance. "Trump without his makeup looks like a totally different person," one person observed. Another echoed this sentiment that Trump was hard to recognize while makeup-free. 

Some users commented harshly about Trump's health and appearance. While Trump's face is partially shadowed by his cap, he appears to have a somewhat uneven skin tone. Previously, Trump reportedly has been treated for rosacea, a skin condition that causes areas of redness. However, one commenter took a more positive approach and praised Trump for his lack of makeup, writing, "Seeing Trump without makeup is a revelation. It is the most human he has ever seemed."

Interestingly, not all instances of this photo accurately depict Trump without makeup. One version of the widely-distributed photo was digitally enhanced and sharpened to falsely accentuate Trump's wrinkles. Another version was noticeably blurred and manipulated to change the shape of Trump's face and neck. Snopes debunked both of these fabricated photos.

In October 2020, Donald Trump posted a short video on X to reassure the public that he was doing ok after being diagnosed with COVID-19. Ironically, one user who re-posted the video remarked, "How much better does Trump look without the orange peel foundation. That's the healthiest I've ever seen him look." While a lack of orangey pallor may have made him look better, Trump was decidedly not healthy when the video was shot. The then-president was on his way for treatment at Walter Reed Hospital. Trump had been advised to go there after his COVID-19 diagnosis since his blood oxygen level was low and he was experiencing breathing difficulties.

One X user had an interesting theory about Trump's makeup usage: "I feel Trump cakes on all that bronzer in an effort to mask his emotions." Three days later, Trump was back at the White House, and he provided a follow-up message about his recovery. He was also back to his usual makeup routine, as he asserted that he felt even better than he had before his diagnosis.

While masks were a common safety precaution during the pandemic, in one instance, Trump's staff reportedly advised him not to wear one after it messed up his makeup. "When he looked at the straps of his mask, he saw they were covered in bronzer," Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House aide, recalled in her memoir "Enough."

Donald Trump apparently went with a no-makeup look in a November 2023 video rebuking Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds for supporting Ron DeSantis during the presidential primaries. Besides looking less orange in the video, Trump's face shows some of the unevenness in tone that was on display in the photo of his 2022 golf outing. It's possible that Trump's rumored use of tanning beds, along with sun exposure, could have contributed to his complexion. While Trump was said to believe tanning enhanced his appearance, the Skin Cancer Foundation calls tanning (from any UV source, indoors or outside) "a visible signal of damage that accelerates the appearance of wrinkles, dark spots, and weathered skin."

As for Trump's no-makeup look in the video, users' opinions were mixed. Some thought his choice was positive, with one individual giving a back-handed compliment on X, stating, "He looks better without the orange make-up; now if he could only do something about all the vitriol & nonsense that comes out of his mouth." However, another contingent simply thought the lack of product accentuated his age. "This dude looks old and tired," remarked one, while another person mistakenly rounded up Trump's age to 80 when he was 77 at the time.

In two different photos posted on X, Donald Trump appears to be makeup-free during a meal. A photo of Trump from September 2022 shows the former president in profile sitting at a table. Sunlight is streaming in from the window behind him, and, combined with a reflective white polo shirt, his skin looks considerably lighter. Once again, some users were quick to criticize his appearance. "Was he too hungry and had to go eat breakfast first or make-up artist didn't come because of unpaid bill?" someone hypothesized. Jokes aside, even during his presidency, Trump wasn't known for using a makeup artist, although there was a full-time makeup artist on staff during his time in the White House.

An older pic from February 2019 shows Trump waiting for an omelet at Mar a Lago. The then-president is casually dressed in light tan pants and a matching sweater, accessorizing his look with a red cap. While some users noted the absence of orange, one snidely commented, "Where'd the 'natural' tan go?" and another, "Who knew genes just washed off so easily." This last remark was in reference to an unnamed White House source who told The New York Times Trump inherited his tanning ability. In addition, since Trump is in the background of this particular shot, many users were more distracted by their critiques of Mar a Lago's décor rather than Trump's lack of makeup.

For an August 2024 press conference, Donald Trump rocked a decidedly non-orange appearance. One user on X compared a photo from the event to a picture of Trump with a particularly accentuated tanned look, observing, "It's a big difference and makes me wonder if he's getting tired of his own bulls***."

Lack of makeup aside, Trump's remarks were what gained the greatest attention during the event. Besides rotating through a divergent range of talking points, some of his claims were debunked outright as false, while others remained questionable, such as a story of narrowly avoiding a fatal helicopter crash. Trump also got annoyed with a participant's question about his lack of traveling, claiming that he was staying in Florida to work on video messages for his campaign. "I think the real reason he's not out there is he hasn't found his message yet," Trump's former staffer Anthony Scaramucci surmised to MSNBC. "Rather than go out there and keep flubbing, he's searching for the right narrative and the right messaging." It's possible than this new approach includes an orange-free makeup look.

According to Doug Mills, a photographer for The New York Times, Trump is very intentional about his appearance. "Every politician — everybody who is very image-conscious, like he is — is aware of every camera whenever they're around," Mills explained. When Trump was in court and about to have his photo taken, Mills noted, "his posture would change immediately."