In recent times, Melania Trump has almost never been seen without makeup. She maintains her public image very seriously, and like most MAGA women, she also mostly follows a heavily made-up look. However, regardless of the kind of look she’s going for, Melania has always stood out at public events.
For instance, on 2016 Inauguration Day, her style and makeup made waves. Makeup artist Nicole Bryl once summed up Melania’s signature, “perfect skin, warmth, dewiness, and a delicate smoky eye.” While Melania has been both loved and criticized in the world of politics, her fashion sense has rarely failed to turn heads.
This is MELANIA TRUMP ❤️
Use ONE or TWO words to describe her? pic.twitter.com/16YqeCiLgm
— Stand Up For Truth 🇺🇸 (@StandUpForFact) October 12, 2024
Seeing Melania Trump without her iconic makeup is almost impossible now. She, like most in the Trump family, values appearing in a dolled-up way. However, in her earlier days, the First Lady was not this keen on heavy makeup.
Before marrying Donald Trump in 2005, Melania Knauss often sported far lighter makeup that highlighted her natural features. At events like the 1999 Red Cross Ball in Monaco, Melania opted for soft, understated choices. Her look consisted of rosy lips, gentle blush, and barely-there eye makeup that paired perfectly with her delicate pink gown .
AP: Melania Trump was an undocumented working model in ’96 https://t.co/mcF8gE8ZG2 pic.twitter.com/Nw1zg0n4Ur
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) November 5, 2016
In May 2000, at Mar-a-Lago’s Mother’s Day event, Melania chose a glistening coral lip and simple blush for a youthful glow, according to Glam.com. While she still wore a noticeable smoky eye, it didn’t seem overdone and complemented her look perfectly .
The New York Times interviews Melania Knauss, 29-year-old Slovenian girlfriend of real estate mogul and 2000 Presidential candidate Donald Trump, to ask whether she thinks she would make a good First Lady.
“I would be very traditional, like Betty Ford or Jackie Kennedy,” Knauss… pic.twitter.com/eSFLxTxBye
— 2000 Live (@25YearsAgoLive) December 1, 2024
As the years passed, Melania started redefining her signature style. By 2001, darker eye makeup and defined lashes became more common. At New York’s Woman of the Year Luncheon that year, her makeup was balanced, consisting of thin eyeliner, mascara for her blue eyes, lightly defined brows, and a soft pink lip. Her bone structure appeared to be naturally striking, which made heavy contouring unnecessary .
In 2002, at a carnival-themed benefit for the Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Melania sported a de-glammed look. Paired with a party fascinator, she wore understated pink lipstick, porcelain skin, and just enough eyeliner to keep her signature vibe.
Melania at the premiere of Legally Blonde 2 – 2003 🖤 pic.twitter.com/8dscUM1msg
— Keeping Up With The Trumps (@KUWTTRUMPS) June 23, 2025
At the Rosa Cha Runway Show during New York Fashion Week in September 2002, she again chose to keep her look on the simpler side. Wearing glossy lips and a subtle dark liner, Melania kept things elegant. She paired her white blouse with minimal makeup, echoing the “no-makeup” look that celebrates natural beauty and understated elegance .
When compared to her looks from her younger days, the shift in Melania’s sense of fashion and style becomes quite evident. Over the years, she has relied more on makeup and has also allegedly undergone plastic surgery. Melania herself has never spoken about going under the knife, but beauty experts have speculated that she may have had subtle enhancements, given how her looks have changed over the years.
Whether wearing makeup or choosing to go makeup-free, Melania’s ability to hold her style remains undoubted, and the First Lady rarely messes up when it comes to carrying a certain look. Moreover, with the kind of confidence that she carries herself, it is evident that Melania is a trendsetter and not a follower.
