Karoline Leavitt has accrued a fair number of makeup fails, usually by relying on too much product. Due to this mistake, the White House press secretary is frequently mentioned as an example of the "Republican makeup" trend. While this sarcastic moniker appeared in November 2024, the aesthetic was actually a more mainstream beauty approach around 2016. Way back then, Leavitt was in her no makeup era. However, it didn't take long for her to ditched the fresh-faced look and go to the extreme of too much makeup.
The notable contrast was even more evident in a November 2022 Instagram video. At the time, Leavitt was running for Congress in New Hampshire, her home state, and she enlisted a pro makeup artist, Sarah Alicea, while awaiting the election results.
Alicea's video starts off with a "before" Leavitt smiling with her hair casually pulled back. Her skin's glowing and her naturally darker lashes highlight her eyes. Seconds later, the video cuts to Leavitt's "after" look, and the transition is jarring. Worn down, Leavitt's hair looks like a much lighter blonde shade. With her fake eyelashes and much more prominent lips, viewers might almost think they're looking at a completely different person.
Leavitt's been subject to lip filler allegations. However, this video clearly illustrates how makeup can create the illusion that Leavitt's pout has been enlarged. Unfortunately for Leavitt, she ended up getting all dolled up only to have to concede the election, losing by just over 25,000 votes.
Read more: The Fashion & Makeup Mistakes We're Begging Kimberly Guilfoyle To Ditch In 2025
Leavitt Used Sarah Alicea For Her Wedding Day Glam Too
In addition to using professional makeup artists, Karoline Leavitt sometimes goes the DIY route. However, it's possible Leavitt has realized that doing her own makeup really isn't a flex, since she opted to delete an Instagram video showing how she applied layer after layer of her favorite products. When it was time for her January 2025 wedding to her decades-older husband, Nicholas Roccio, Leavitt sought out Sarah Alicea's expertise.
Once again, Alicea posted a before and after Instagram video of Leavitt. This time, Alicea used a lot more bronzer on her client's face compared to three years earlier. While the makeup artist did a great job blending the bronzer/foundation into Leavitt's neck and chest, it's pretty obvious around her hairline that her natural skin tone is notably lighter. Leavitt's also sporting more than ample blush. On the plus side, Alicea took a lighter approach with the press secretary's lips. Although the shade is similar to the 2022 video, her lips aren't as overaccentuated.
Even so, social media users had plenty of snarky words regarding Leavitt's wedding-day lips. They continuing the debate over whether Leavitt had gotten lip filler, and argued the merits of the overlining technique. However, regardless of her makeup artist's approach, the bigger issue might be Leavitt's try-hard pout. As Leavitt moved from a closed-mouth smile to showing her teeth in Alicea's earlier video, it was evident how different her top lip looks when she displays a beaming grin.
Read the original article on The List.
