The Times Ryan Seacrest Pulled Off Bronzer

Makeup has been around for thousands of generations, even dating back to ancient Egypt. And get this — men wore it then, too. It wasn't until the 1800s that makeup became mostly exclusive for women to enjoy (via Byrdie). Fortunately, the cultural pendulum has swung back, and men are starting to admit to delving into their make-up bags. There's contouring to sculpt our faces, mascara to elongate our lashes, and eyeliner to make our eyes look bigger; it's no surprise makeup is widely used by almost everyone in the public eye.

More and more male celebs have shared their make-up routines with the world, one of which being the iconic radio personality and renowned "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest. When it comes to bronzer, Seacrest doesn't hide the fact that he's a huge fan — and he sure knows how to pull it off. (Well, most of the time).

In 2002, Ryan Seacrest began hosting a show that we all know (and love), "American Idol." Although his bronzed face has graced our TV screens for nearly two decades now, as he stood on stage and delivers some of the most shocking elimination results, we have to talk about Season 1 Seacrest's faux glow.

At the "American Idol" Season 1 finale, young Seacrest is sporting a very tanned look as he grins from ear to ear, his bright eyes shining toward the camera. With the ever-so-Y2K-esque spiked frosted hair, Seacrest looks like your typical Hollywood host — complete with a sun-kissed bronzer application.

In fact, Seacrest used his Twitter to teasingly make fun of himself and his over-use of cosmetic skin coloring, as he shared a photo from the finale with the caption: "We've all made mistakes ... What's been your worst habit? Mine was the abuse of tanning beds #AmericanIdol #BadHabits."

There is no lack of bronzer on most perfectly dolled-up celebs as they strut down Hollywood's red carpet during special events. In fact, it seems like most celebrities always look like they just got back from some tropical vacation somewhere far away and sunny. Perhaps it's because the paparazzi's overexposed photos make them look washed out and pale, or bronzer is just a staple every makeup-wearer should have in their collection. Nevertheless, most celebs don't shy away from bronzer on the red carpet, Seacrest undoubtedly being one of them.

This is especially true during the 40th anniversary American Music Awards at the Nokia Theater in 2012. Look at that bronzer-packed glow! An event that occurred a decade after Season 1 of "American Idol," we can see Seacrest never stopped his desire to sport a faux tan. Only two years later, Seacrest was listed as number one on The Cut's 35 Orangest Men Ever to Grace a Red Carpet. Ouch! 

Ryan Seacrest has not been shy regarding his use of bronzer and other makeup products. During the height of the pandemic in 2020, Ryan Seacrest told People that he applied makeup many times a day because of his hosting roles in various television broadcasts, one of them being "Live With Kelly and Ryan," which he and Kelly Ripa continued to shoot remotely. "I have a toiletry bag with two canisters — one called 'contour' and another called 'all over,'" he said in an interview.

During a live show with Ripa in 2020, she jokingly called out Seacrest's makeup application, saying, "I believe that you are wearing bronzer, and I think it looks rather fetching on you." He then pulled out his multi-colored highlighter and bronzing powder and showed her— and their virtual audience — his frequently used compact. "Here's what it looks like," he said to his co-host. "This is what's in my drawer to avoid a glisten-y presentation."