Fox News' Ainsley Earhardt Looks Unrecognizable In Throwback Photos From Her Youth

Ainsley Earhardt's discernible face, blonde hair, smart attire, and pearly white smile are broadcast to millions every morning on "Fox & Friends." But would you recognize the journalist from her earliest photos? We don't think so. Earhardt's transformation from a small-town South Carolinian to a nationally acclaimed New York City anchor didn't happen overnight. Her original ambitions were on the other side of the career spectrum.

After graduating from Spring Valley High School, Earhardt started college with plans to become a dentist. Those aspirations must have been running through her head when she showed off her white teeth in a class portrait, which "Fox & Friends" shared on Facebook in June 2016. Although the black-and-white yearbook picture featured Earhardt's trademark smile and blonde hair, she still looks very different. In the photo, Earhardt has fuller cheeks, a pearl necklace, and vigorously plucked eyebrows — mind you, she graduated in 1995. It's hard to recognize her as Fox's morning news host.

Earhardt knew she had a face for TV at an early age. Before following the journalism path, the anchor envisioned herself performing as an actor in a big city, particularly Los Angeles or New York. "I wanted to be famous, which is why I initially thought of taking up acting," she told Charleston.com. Earhardt said she was sent a sign from above to pursue journalism. "I know God put that desire in my heart, and He wanted me to do something in the television industry," she said on the "Jesus Calling Podcast." That motivation led her to work as a journalist in New York City, ultimately taking her from a small town to broadcasting on a national level.

There's no denying that Ainsley Earhardt has changed a lot since her high school yearbook photo, but decades later, she still looks beautiful. With a job that demands she be under giant studio lights, Earhardt is seldom seen going makeup-free. A friend of the TV host told Elle that she picked up her beauty ideals from her mother, whom Earhardt tragically lost in 2022. Earhardt's mother "always had her makeup just right and dressed beautifully," her Earhardt's friend said, adding, "Ainsley followed in her footsteps."

Apart from makeup, Earhardt has a few tricks up her sleeve to maintain healthy-looking skin. She told Haute Living that naps are an important part of her routine, as well as a healthy diet and lots of water to drink. Aside from her environmental habits, Earhardt said she uses several products to protect her skin from the daily wear and tear. "I love cocoa butter creams," she said, citing the Queen Helene Cocoa Butter Face & Body Cream as her preferred product to keep her skin hydrated and youthful. Through a combination of self-care, thoughtful products, and the lasting influence of her mother, Earhardt continues to radiate both inside and out despite the passing years.