Rare Times Melania Trump Was Spotted Almost Entirely Makeup-Free
Melania Trump has undergone quite the transformation since she first met Donald Trump back in 1998. Yet, it's how her beauty routine has evolved that seems to have changed the most. Melania's makeup transformation through the years is impossible to ignore, and folks that don't remember how she looked back in the early aughts may be surprised to see how she used to style herself. While we may be more familiar with a full glam version of the former model, back in the day, she was all about the no-makeup makeup look.
These days, Melania loves bronzed skin, noticeable contour, and a near-constant smokey eye with some fake lashes. That doesn't mean, however, that she's never showed her bare — or nearly bare — face in public. To the contrary, Melania was committed to the clean girl aesthetic before it ever got its name. And, seeing her sans her signature makeup shows us an entirely different Melania than the one we see today.
When she leaned into pared-down '90s glam
In 1998, Melania Trump accompanied her new boyfriend Donald Trump to the New York Film Festival. While nearly three decades have passed, her quintessential late '90s makeup look has cycled back around to being on-trend today. She sported extra glow-y, seemingly foundation-free skin with super thin eyebrows, pared-down eye makeup, and a glossy nude lip. Mixed with dark, tousled locks that highlight the hair transformation she has undergone since then, this was a more effortless, natural-looking Melania compared to her now-standard look.
Her early aughts tan-free blond era
In 2000, Melania Trump accompanied Donald Trump to an Easter celebration at Mar-a-Lago looking blonder than ever. Between her lighter locks and her nearly invisible makeup, Melania looks very different from how we're used to seeing her. Based on this photo, it seems that both Melania and her husband have fallen much, much deeper in love with tanning over the years. Pairing her more natural complexion with a fresh-faced makeup look of shiny pink lip gloss and barely any eye makeup, plus those easy breezy blond locks, made Melania look like an effortless beauty.
When she went for the off-duty model look at NYFW
These days, it's difficult to imagine Melania Trump attending a fashion show without being in full glam. In 2001, though, this was much more her style. Melania attended the Marc Jacobs Spring 2002 show at New York Fashion Week rocking what looks to be the lightest bit of blush and seemingly bare lips to match. She, once again, paired her barely-there makeup with sculpted brows and just a touch of eye makeup. Framed by straight, yet slightly messy brunette hair, this styling makes Melania's former model status totally obvious.
When her style was all about keeping it simple
The following year's New York Fashion Week, Melania and Donald Trump attended the Rosa Cha show, where Melania leaned even further into the effortless, slightly undone vibes. Once again, Melania went with low key makeup, visibly rocking only a bit of eyeliner and some glossy lips. She styled her uncomplicated makeup with loose bangs and straight hair that appeared deliberately disheveled. Paired with a white button-down shirt, Melania still looked laidback from head-to-toe — a far cry from her more formal style today.
Her nothing-but-eyeliner look for a dressy occasion
Back in 2000, Melania Trump posed with Donald Trump at a Mar-a-Lago event in a super simple look. Photos from the event showed folks in attire that was on the dressier side, and Melania balanced this dress code with easygoing vibes. She wore a simple black dress with her then-signature vaguely messy straight locks. Despite being dressed up for the event, Melania seemed to have no makeup on but some dark eyeliner and a touch of lip gloss, making for a dramatic, yet still natural look.
When she paired her lightened hair with a sun-kissed, fresh-faced look
Donald and Melania Trump tied the knot in 2005, and there was a clear shift in how she styled herself after she became Mrs. Trump. At a press conference at the Trump Marina Hotel Casino in 2004, it was already clear that Melania's look was beginning to evolve, as the beginnings of her now-signature honey blond hair could be seen. Yet Melania wasn't yet rocking her extra-tanned skin or heavy eye makeup. Instead, she kept her makeup simple with a bit of blush, mascara, and light lip gloss.