What Melania Trump Looks Like Nearly Makeup-Free

Say what you like about Melania Trump, but the woman is obviously very beauty-conscious and committed to perfection. Her time in the public eye has launched a thousand makeup looks, with special attention on her snatched, foxy eye. For instance, Melania presented an iconic aesthetic on Inauguration Day in 2016. Her makeup artist Nicole Bryl broke down the look to Us Weekly, saying, "I wanted the emphasis to be on Melania's perfect skin by adding warmth and dewiness and topping it off with a delicate smokey eye for understated grandeur." While this may not have felt like a happy occasion on both sides of the political aisle, Melania's style elevated the mood — from her makeup to her sky-blue Ralph Lauren dress, she looked very nearly flawless.

In fact, Melania puts so much time and effort into her appearance that it's beyond rare to catch her dressed down or clean-faced. To be fair, spotting any of the Trump women without makeup is difficult, but Melania takes this to another level. With her glam always impeccably in place, finding shots of the former first lady completely sans cosmetics can feel like searching for a unicorn. But in her younger days, Melania Trump did sometimes venture out with a softer makeup look — providing more of a "natural beauty" vibe than her modern preference for pronounced contouring and the smokiest of smokey eyes. We'd argue that while the Trump family has seen its fair share of makeup mistakes, Melania's early forays into lighter makeup aren't among them. On the contrary, this model-cum-politico looks incredible in subtle cosmetics that emphasize her inherent allure.

Back in 1999, Melania Trump was still going by her maiden name of Melania Knauss — she didn't marry Donald Trump until 2005. However, she was already romantically involved with the business mogul, and the two were often spotted at events like the Red Cross Ball in Monaco. For this occasion, Melania elected to go for a clean, feminine look that complemented her dainty pink gown. Her rosy lip and natural sweep of blush were very flattering, and most notably, her eye makeup had been applied with a light hand.

The Melania Trump we know today goes all-in with razor-sharp contouring. But at a Mar-a-Lago Mother's Day event back in May 2000  — barely a month after her 30th birthday — she showed off a gentler, more youthful look. Melania's makeup highlighted her natural beauty with a glistening coral lip and a simple hint of sun-kissed rouge. While her smokey eye is perhaps a little too noticeable here — especially for a sunny, tropical locale — Melania's soft features help balance it out for an overall look that still reads fresh.

A bare face has never been Melania Trump's brand, and by 2001, she was already leaning into darker-eye looks with heavy liner and defined lashes. But Melania kept it classy and restrained for the Woman of the Year Luncheon in New York, with just a thin swipe of eyeliner and mascara to define her baby blues. The rest of her makeup was gorgeous and effortless, from the ever-so-slightly outlined brows to the desaturated-pink lipstick. Even her bone structure spoke for itself — with cheekbones like those, who needs contour?

Matching her impeccably chic cosmetics, Melania Trump typically dresses to kill in haute couture. But in April 2002, she chose whimsy over glamor at a carnival-themed benefit for the Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Melania — who seems to like kids, since her FLOTUS-era "Be Best" initiative also focused on them — swept up her hair with a party fascinator and displayed her girlish makeup look. Understated pink lip? Check. Porcelain skin? Check. Ever-present eyeliner? Okay, check, but she dialed back the accompanying eyeshadow for a sweet vibe that kept the effect lightweight.

In September 2002, Melania Trump once again stepped out with a bare-minimum take on her now-signature makeup look. Even though Melania and her now-husband were attending the Rosa Cha Runway Show during New York Fashion Week, a style-centric event driven by of-the-moment trends, Melania wisely opted for timeless simplicity, pairing her white blouse with a glossy nude lip and just a touch of dark eyeliner along her waterline. The result is about as close to mastering the no-makeup look as Melania ever gets, and it's an aesthetic that really suits her.