Throwback Photo Of Erika Kirk Shows Rare Glimpse Of Her Makeup-Free Face
Erika Kirk really likes makeup. The wife of the late conservative podcaster Charlie Kirk is the former Miss Arizona 2012. She also starred in the Emerson Drive video for "She's My Kind of Crazy," and made a brief appearance on Bravo's "Summer House," so it's clear why heavy makeup was a necessary part of her past. As she appeared on stages to honor her husband, who was fatally shot in September 2025 during an appearance at Utah Valley University, Kirk appeared to prefer the heavy "Republican makeup" favored by fellow MAGA women. The look consists of too much foundation that doesn't match one's skin tone (orange tint optional) and heavy eye shadow (usually applied using the "cut crease" technique, which involves using a dark shade on top and a lighter, sometimes shimmery shade on the lid to create contrast).
But in 2014, after her reign as Miss Arizona and before her family tragedy made her a household name in the Republican party, Kirk shared a rare makeup-free selfie on Instagram. The photo is a close-up of her face with her hair covering one eye, and it proves she's naturally beautiful and should stop wearing the heavy, cakey makeup look that runs rampant among Republican women. Having been appointed the CEO of Turning Point USA in September 2025, Kirk could potentially be verbally sparring in favor of conservative ideals on college campuses in the future, and the quality of her glam shouldn't be up for debate. But she likely won't be taking this advice.
Mar-a-Lago Face is a political weapon
In a September 15, 2025 tribute to Erika Kirk on Instagram in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk's death, makeup artist Danielle Doyle revealed that she'd been doing the former pageant queen's makeup since she was crowned Miss Arizona, when Kirk came to her for a makeup lesson and photoshoot. Doyle said she also did Kirk's makeup in June 2025, for Turning Point USA's Young Women's Leadership Summit. That look was full glam, but not clownish.
While Kirk sometimes seems to apply makeup like Doyle taught her, at events memorializing her husband, she has undeniably sported what's sometimes known as "Mar-a-Lago Face." A report by Marie Claire described the cakey, thick-lip, bold eye look as not just a beauty trend, but a political weapon that conservative women around the world began using to assert power. Hyper-feminine norms were also used to promote the idea that women need to be protected by men.
Melissa Rein Lively, a conservative who founded America First PR, told Marie Claire why this particular look was popular among MAGA women like Kirk. "The Trump woman is elegant, powerful, hyper-feminine and always looks impeccable," she explained. "Femininity is our weapon, and by being beautiful and elegant, you can get a lot more out of life than you can by looking like crap." So, don't expect Kirk or her political allies to embrace their natural beauty any time soon. They're looking in the mirror, and whether they like what they see or not, they know their faces are part of a larger political agenda.