What 'Mar-A-Lago Face' Really Means (& The Worst Offenders)

Picture some of the biggest names among today's female conservatives. Whether you're envisioning a Fox News anchor or one of the current administration's perfectly coiffed staffers, there's a certain shared aesthetic, including super-bronzed skin, painted-on brows, exaggerated eyelashes, and chronic blush blindness.

For many high-profile MAGA women, there's also similar surgically enhanced facial features. This widespread phenomenon, characterized by full lips, aggressively snatched cheekbones, and smooth, static foreheads, has become so ubiquitous that it's even earned its own trend moniker: "Mar-a-Lago face," named after Donald Trump's Florida resort. But why is this plastic, "The Real Housewives"-esque approach suddenly the it-style for right-leaning politicos and TV personalities?

Let's be clear: Conservatives aren't the only ones getting plastic surgery, and some of our favorite celebrities look totally different without fillers. But "Mar-a-Lago face" is on a whole different level. To find out more about this trend, Glam spoke exclusively with board-certified plastic surgeon Michael Niccole, the founder and medical director of CosmetiCare Plastic Surgery Center & MedSpa in Newport Beach, California. Dr. Niccole explained how "Mar-a-Lago face" fits in among current plastic-surgery norms, plus reviewed the work done on a few of the look's most notable offenders.

However you feel about plastic surgery, "Mar-a-Lago face" is in a league of its own. Consider this: On the whole, incidences of plastic surgery have held steady over the last decade, but the most-popular procedures are slowly shifting. Comparing a 2013 report from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons to its same roundup of plastic surgery statistics in 2023, the overall number of cosmetic surgeries has barely decreased from 1.6 million to just over 1.5 million, a light dip of roughly 6%. But pronounced, invasive procedures have experienced much steeper declines — for instance, facelifts fell from 133,000 in 2013 to 78,000 in 2023, representing a drop of 41%.

Why this discrepancy? Plastic surgeon Michael Niccole points out that current trends are moving away from dramatic restructuring and toward subtler procedures like fat transfer and surgical contouring. "Mini-facelifts are becoming more popular for subtle, natural-looking results, rather than dramatic transformations," Dr. Niccole shares exclusively with Glam, breaking down a few of today's popular options. "Fat transfer is increasingly used instead of traditional fillers, as stem-cell-enriched fat injections help stimulate collagen and last longer. Chin contouring with fat transfer has replaced the use of chin implants. Fat transfer to the lower eyelids is a growing trend to combat hollowness under-eyes."

This is where "Mar-a-Lago face" sharply deviates from general trends, as the exaggerated style isn't about anything subtle or understated. The reason that it even stands out as a fad is because the look is so eminently spottable: Like the Great Wall, those overstuffed lips and razor-blade cheekbones are practically visible from space. If we had to guess, we'd say that this departure from contemporary beauty standards is probably what sets "Mar-a-Lago face" apart and earns it such outspoken criticism.

Cosmetic procedures are very personal decisions, and ultimately, it's up to each individual to do what makes them feel their best — whether that's keeping things natural or investing in a little surgical help. Dr. Michael Niccole, for one, is a proponent of cosmetic procedures as a form of upkeep and self-care. "People in their 40s and 50s are at the perfect age to consider mini-facelifts, Botox, and fillers to prevent more drastic changes later in life," the plastic surgeon exclusively tells Glam.

However, the surgical results linked to "Mar-a-Lago face" have invited criticism for their intensely artificial appearance. "MAGA Barbie pre/post surgery pictures are hilarious," wrote one user on Reddit. "[I don't know] if it's the shape, the color, the total absence of facial movement, the frozen 'smile' with lipstick, the dead eyes ... or what, but it's hilarious to me." To be fair, the hyper-glam, uncanny-valley aesthetic of "Mar-a-Lago face" may owe some of its shock value to the over-the-top work of MAGA MUAs. "Makeup can enhance the results and can make a big difference," says Dr. Niccole, and outlets like Fox News are certainly known for their heavy-handed cosmetics.

Love it or hate it, this aesthetic seems to be spreading among the right-wing elite, even hitting some male conservatives like the overly Botoxed visage of former U.S. representative Matt Gaetz. But we may not see the "Mar-a-Lago face" permeate all strata of society — as Dr. Niccole reveals, this look takes a lot of money, time, and upkeep.

Wondering whether super-sculpted plastic surgery is going to spread like wildfire? For better or for worse, the nipped-and-tucked "Mar-a-Lago" look may not be realistic for people in all areas or tax brackets. As plastic surgeon Michael Niccole points out, the cost to achieve and maintain Mar-a-Lago face depends on where you are.

"The price for Botox, fillers, and threading varies by location, ranging from $10,000 to $25,000 in high-end markets like Beverly Hills or New York. A nose job (rhinoplasty) can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000, depending on the surgeon lol..and location." If you thought those improvements were already pricey, brace yourself: "A facelift can range from $35,000 to $75,000," Dr. Niccole exclusively adds to Glam.

In an age when many young professionals can't even afford to buy a home, splashing out 10s of thousands on plastic surgery may not turn into the next viral trend. But it's certainly become a pervasive reality among many leading ladies of the conservative movement, from Lara Trump to Kimberly Guilfoyle.

If you're looking for examples of "Mar-a-Lago face," there's no shortage of models on the Republican side of the aisle. Two notable examples are Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and Lara Trump, Donald Trump's daughter-in-law and former campaign advisor. "There is no question that both women have had some facial cosmetic enhancements," says plastic surgeon Michael Niccole. "For Kristi, it appears that she may have had microneedling, laser treatments, and possibly chemical peels, which help stimulate collagen production and create a more youthful look." That seems like a pretty conservative estimate (no pun intended), but then again, it could just be that Noem's makeup artist has a lot to answer for.

Meanwhile, Lara Trump has also undergone a complete transformation, and it seems like this may have included a few surgical procedures. "For Lara Trump ... her lips look much fuller, indicating possible fillers," Dr. Niccole exclusively tells Glam. "There's a chance she's had a rhinoplasty, as her nose appears slightly lifted and refined in some images. Botox and fillers are assumed to be part of her routine. It also looks like she's had fat transfer to the lower eyelids to help reduce the hollowness." That's a fair amount of work. But while all these suspected procedures have definitely given Lara a certifiable case of "Mar-a-Lago face," some other Republican icons have taken the look even further.

When it comes to "Mar-a-Lago face," a few women will definitely make you do a double-take, including Kimberly Guilfoyle, former Fox anchor and Donald Trump Jr.'s ex-fiancée. Like some of her peers, Kimberly Guilfoyle's face has transformed over the years, and experts have theorized that Guilfoyle, who previously worked as a model, has likely frozen her features with Botox, overdone it with fillers, and had either a lower or full facelift. Notably, they've also suggested that Guilfoyle lay off the procedures going forward.

Though still in her early 30s, far-right activist Laura Loomer has already bought into the Trump-resort-inspired surgical phenomenon. Unfortunately, a too-polished finish isn't always a positive thing, and in response to Laura Loomer's eerie, plastic-like appearance, netizens have created warped caricatures of her face that draw harsh comparisons online. "She reminds me of when Dwight cuts the CPR dummy's face off and wears it," one Reddit user said, likening one caricature of Loomer to an episode of "The Office." Another compared Loomer's Photoshopped look to Billy the puppet, mascot of the "Saw" series of horror films. Here, two things are true: These comparisons are undeniably shallow, and the "Mar-a-Lago face" look isn't for the faint of heart.

Now, if you're curious about what lies beneath the extreme primping of MAGA's shining lights, check out what the Trump women look like without makeup.