Erika Kirk's Return To The Spotlight Comes With A Toned Down New Look (No Husky Eyes Here)
Since the death of Charlie Kirk, Erika Kirk has spent a lot of time picking up where her husband left off. Part of Erika's new duties have included headlining events for Turning Point USA, such as AmericaFest. With all these media ops, Erika's appearance has received a lot of scrutiny, especially her heavy pageant-style makeup. In 2026, however, Erika seems to be going in a new direction. During the first stop on Turning Point's Make Heaven Crowded tour Erika appeared behind the podium with a markedly lighter look.
Erika Kirk is in L.A. on the first stop of her 30 city revival tour instead of with her children. What a snooze fest.pic.twitter.com/u9YKw0kpZK
— TheRealThelmaJohnson (@TheRealThelmaJ1) January 23, 2026
Although Erika kept the lengthy false eyelashes, she was more judicious when applying her eyeliner, particularly on the lower lids. She also went with a light dusting of silvery eye shadow, which also helped soften the look. This more toned-down style is a welcome change compared to some of Erika's past makeup fails. Lately, she's been getting lambasted on social media for her "husky eyes," a continuous line of dark, unblended eyeliner that looks reminiscent of Siberian Husky dogs. When she's speaking, some of the emphatic expressions she's made with her eyes have attracted negative commentary, and the thick eye makeup has only compounded the issue.
In more recent years, Erika's makeup routine been downgraded to be more MAGA-coded. Hopefully, Erika will change course and continue this less-is-more approach. However, given her recent endorsement of JD Vance for president, Erika's demonstrated that she's jumping into the political involvement part of her husband's legacy as well, which could mean Mar-a-Lago face is in her future.
Erika also toned down her fashion
In addition to going easier on the eyeliner, Erika Kirk went more casual with her fashion for the Make Heaven Crowded debut. Erika donned a satiny, long-sleeved black jumpsuit, pairing it with white sneakers. She looked like she was dressed for comfort, which makes sense, since her own fashion label, Proclaim, has more of a cozy tees and sweats aesthetic.
But Erika could have upped her game and chosen more stylish athletic footwear. Instead, her blindingly white shoes had similarities to Usha Vance's senior citizen sneaker moment. Even so, this look is a definite step up from some of her more recent onstage attire. A month ago at AmericaFest, Erika was a fashion disaster, particularly with the sequined excess of her sparkling gold pantsuit. She also took relaxed pants too far when she wore a super-wide legged pair that dragged on the ground and covered her shoes.
The pantsuit Erika wore for her latest appearance was also a big improvement from the spicier lace pantsuit she previously wore on Megyn Kelly's podcast. That open design attracted a lot of derision, with some comparing the material to a tablecloth. However, love them or hate them, Erika's outfits often meant more than people realized. Now, with her more toned-down fashion, it's possible that Erika is looking to save the attention for her message, rather than distracting the audience with a glitzy 'fit.