Karoline Leavitt's Biggest Makeup Mistake Was Hard To Ignore

It's happened again. Another conservative woman has fallen victim to the tyranny of "Republican makeup." To the uninitiated, this viral TikTok term describes a distinct, almost uniform approach to beauty favored by right-wing women. First dubbed by internet comic Suzanne Lambert, she posted a satirical video observing that "all of the Republican girlies in my comments do their makeup the exact same gorgeous way." What followed was an overpowered, under-blended routine that relied on harsh lines and heavy hands. 

Donald Trump's second administration found a new face in Karoline Leavitt. Unfortunately, it's a face that bears the unmistakable features of this questionable style. At 27, she catapulted into history as the youngest White House press secretary ever — but you wouldn't know it to look at her. Proving her commitment to full coverage extends well beyond the briefing room, the cakey and tactless makeup mistakes have aged her prematurely. 

One of her earliest and most prolific beauty blunders came when she announced the White House would be expanding access to non-traditional journalists — podcasters and influencers who played a crucial role in securing Trump's reelection. Her foundation ran several shades too warm, creating a visible disconnect between her face, neck, and hands. Paired with an over-brightened, creasing under-eye, the result was more pantomime than politician, an effect only worsened by the overly powdered finish exacerbating and clinging to her dry patches.

Karoline Leavitt's heavy-duty approach to makeup did not stop at her base. Her contour, applied too low on the cheekbones, had the opposite effect of its intended purpose, dragging her features downward rather than lifting and sculpting them. Instead of enhancing her natural bone structure, the placement made her face appear weighed down, lacking the dimension that well-blended contour typically provides. Rather than seamlessly melting into the skin, it sat harshly on top — a huge facial faux pas. 

Leavitt's eye makeup follows the same dense and deliberate philosophy as the rest of her look. Her eyeliner, applied without a trace of blending, has only intensified — akin to the glam gaffes of other female conservative figures like the Trump women and Kimberly Guilfoyle. The 2016-era block brows left no room for softness or dimension, instead looking like they were carved into place with a Sharpie and a stencil. As for the lashes, they were smothered in excessive layers of clumpy mascara.

After receiving many requests to analyze Leavitt's makeup routine, TikTok's Suzanne Lambert took a closer look at this particular style, laughing: "The mascara, the eyebrows — it's like she just told the makeup artist to do the bold glamour filter in real life. But the strip lashes from Sally's Beauty Supply in the middle of the day were a choice." The makeup artist in question, Brittany Danielle, was less than amused, eventually blocking Lambert altogether.