5 Political Pundits Who May Have Inspired Tik Tok's Shady Republican Makeup Trend

"Republican makeup" is the new term trending on social media that points out some less-than-flattering attributes frequently found on the faces of right-leaning women. When liberal comedian Suzanne Lambert took to TikTok to parody her conservative commenters makeup, she never anticipated the post would go viral. As of February 2025, her video has racked up six million views, over 800 thousand likes, and 68 thousand shares. The concept of "Republican makeup" has also inspired other creators to post videos on social media, joining the trend that is angering many conservative women.

"I noticed that all of the Republican girlies in my comments do their makeup the exact same gorgeous way," Lambert begins sarcastically, giving her followers a wild ride during the faux makeup tutorial video. She goes on to caution against using moisturizer, explaining the goal is for the base makeup to appear as dry and unblended as possible. She then advises foundation and concealer that don't match your skin tone. "I'm going in with my whitest concealer," she explains. "Make sure you really get it under the crease so that it settles into the fine lines. That's important." After harping on uneven brows, improperly placed blush, and a poorly executed smoky eye, it's clear that the comedian's intention is to mock rather than flatter. She tops off the look with purposefully clumpy, smeared mascara and dry, colorless lipstick.

The video left many wondering who the MAGA TikTok commenters were emulating, and it turns out there are quite a few Republican pundits who are making these makeup mistakes on the regular. Some of the biggest names in conservative politics are guilty of "Republican makeup."

If you're looking for a prime example of "Republican makeup," look no further than Lara Trump. Her biggest makeup fails showcase a lot of the makeup mistakes that Suzanne Lambert criticized in her now-viral TikTok video. From a poorly executed smoky eye to white shadow, we've seen her run the gamut of offenses, but the number one makeup mistake we wish she'd stop making is the use of skin-tone matte lipstick, otherwise known as concealer lips. Ranking close second is her overly spray-tanned orange hue. Overdoing self-tanner is a makeup mistake for which President Donald Trump is famous, but there's no reason his daughter-in-law should continue to fall victim to the same issue.

The Trumps are far from the only conservative figures to overuse self-tanner and bronzer. According to makeup artist Michelle Phillips, Republican figures tend to opt for bolder makeup looks than their liberal counterparts. Fellow makeup artist Leah Greene voiced her agreement, saying, "I wouldn't do a bronzer on a non-conservative, I would do more neutral colors, lipstick and blush," (via HuffPost). While not all conservatives follow this stereotype, Lara is certainly one who loves a bold, bronzed look. 

Kimberly Guilfoyle's makeup style completely changed from 2004 to 2024, and her shift from one political party to another seems to coincide perfectly with her makeup evolution. Before her marriage to Democratic politician Gavin Newsom ended in 2006, Guilfoyle favored a more natural look. And while she always took the time to wear a fair amount of makeup, it was a far cry from her current signature look, which is one of the most intense examples of "Republican makeup" that we can find. In a slow transition from more heavily lined eyes to full smokey glam, Guilfoyle could now be a poster girl for the unflattering trend that's plaguing MAGA women. These days, it's difficult to imagine what Guilfoyle looks like without makeup.

"Women on Fox News definitely don't shy away from makeup, as opposed to the people that are on CNN and MSNBC," said Leah Greene, a freelance makeup artist who has worked on both Republicans and Democrats (via HuffPost). Guilfoyle's former post at Fox News certainly presents evidence for this theory, but according to Greene, Republican women seem to be largely unaware of these categorizations, whereas Democrats specifically voice their desire to avoid the pitfalls associated with conservative makeup. As Donald Trump Jr.'s former fiancé, we can't say we're surprised that Guilfoyle was unable to escape the influence of the other Trump women, many of whom seem to wear a similar look.

There's no doubt that Alina Habba's appearance has drastically changed since President Donald Trump hired her as counselor to the president. An understated courtroom look is a thing of the past for the well-known lawyer, and she's been seen wearing the same troublesome makeup trends as many other women in Trump's orbit. With overdone eyeshadow and stenciled-on eyebrows, we can't help but notice that she's beginning to resemble someone in particular, namely Fox News alum Kimberly Guilfoyle.

President Trump supposedly doesn't like Kimberly Guilfoyle, so we have to question Habba's judgment in emulating her. Guilfoyle's very public breakup with Donald Trump Jr. should have unseated her as any kind of an aspirational figure, but Habba's inauguration day makeup seemed to take cues from Guilfoyle anyway. On President Trump's big day, Habba's smoky eye makeup was so intense it looked like it might start a fire. Paired with poorly placed blush and a mauve lip, the overall look fell flat for such a highly photographed occasion. As further proof that the lawyer has fallen prey to all of the worst MAGA beauty trends, she proudly sported an aggressive spray tan reminiscent of Trump's signature look.

While the viral TikTok video that coined the "Republican makeup" trend pre-dates Karoline Leavitt's appointment as the White House press secretary, there's no doubt that she has embraced the stereotypical look of conservative women. It's hard to imagine what Leavitt looks like without makeup, given how she cakes it on before every public appearance, making her a prime example when it comes to MAGA makeup. Given she's the youngest candidate to ever become press secretary, you might expect her style to lend itself to a more youthful look, but she frequently falls victim to the biggest "Republican makeup" mistakes — namely, a very dry, matte technique that fails to add dimension, and eye makeup that accentuates a heavy lid. While she doesn't typically favor the smoky eye of her conservative counterparts, she doesn't skimp on the clumpy mascara.

Her heavy makeup look may be contributing to the rumors of Leavitt having plastic surgery. Her lack of forehead movement has led to speculation of Botox usage, and a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, went even further in its accusations. "Did Karoline Leavitt get the Ivanka plastic surgery just to please Trump?" one user asked, alongside a photo of a smiling and youthful-looking Leavitt. Whether it's the bold makeup choices or the rumors about cosmetic procedures, Leavitt's appearance has caught the attention of many. 

Rumors of cosmetic procedures tend to go hand-in-hand with the "Republican makeup" trend, and Kristi Noem's drastic MAGA makeover has everyone wondering if she got plastic surgery. Noem has been circling around President Donald Trump for some time now, from being one of his rumored candidates for vice president to coming out as his pick for secretary or homeland security, and if it's a good idea to dress (or wear makeup) for the job you want, she's been nailing it.

Suzanne Lambert, the comedian who began the trend of mocking conservative makeup, explained that a heavy eye was central to the look, with overpowering eyeliner and clumpy mascara being essential. "That's the hallmark, so it gives that raccoon-eye effect," she said (via Glamour). Noem's signature look certainly fits the bill, and there are no signs that she'll be toning down her technique anytime soon. 

But, not everyone thinks "Republican makeup" is a lost cause — makeup artist Kriss Blevens insisted the look can work and went on to say that Noem is someone who is doing it right. Blevens claimed it only goes awry when "the person doesn't know how to blend, or somebody picked out the wrong color for them, or they're using their summer color" (via HuffPost). These mistakes are what create the typical "Republican makeup" frequently mocked on social media and worn by many MAGA women.