Photo Of Mitch McConnell's Wife Proves Her Makeup Shouldn't Be Captured Up Close

A true Washington, D.C. power couple, Mitch McConnell and wife Elaine Chao have quite the storied careers between the two of them. Chao's began all the way back in 1989, with her role as the deputy secretary of transportation under President George H. W. Bush, and ultimately saw her stepping away from politics in 2021, after the January 6 Capitol riots. However, even after Chao's time working as the secretary of transportation, in President Donald Trump's first administration, concluded she remained among those succumbing to Tik Tok's shady Republican makeup trend. Seen in the below image from 2022, Chao boasts a wide array of tragic makeup mistakes.

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First, there's the strange way in which she has overly drawn on her lipstick, especially on her bottom lip. Then there's the mysterious case of her eye makeup. Not only is Chao's eyeliner mismatched and uneven, but her purple eyeshadow doesn't go with any other part of her look or outfit. Similar to how Lauren Boebert struggles with "eyebrow blindness," so too does Chao. Here, her brows are an unnatural shape, both too perfect and too awkward. Not only that, but her blush isn't properly blended and covers too much of her cheekbones and face. In fact, the overall look feels less outdated and more like Chao was jumping on the "Mar-a-Lago" face trend with her makeup.

"Mar-a-Lago face" has become an epidemic among conservative women. Symptoms include lip fillers, shape-shifting cheekbones, and plenty of Botox. Conspicuous makeup application, like too much foundation — especially one that doesn't match the wearer's natural skin tone — as well as overly cakey eye makeup are also key to pulling off this look. A perfect example of all these foils is Kimberly Guilfoyle and her many makeup fails. However, it seems that before it became a total sensation, and judging by her massive makeup fail in 2022, former Cabinet member Elaine Chao hopped on the trend early. 

In 2025, Chao rocked some of the same mistakes while attending the National ACE Awards Gala. In an Instagram post, she once again showcased overly drawn on lips, mismatched bronzer, and questionable eyebrows. All of these are hallmarks of the classic MAGA makeup mistakes boasted by the likes of Karoline Leavitt, who has an awful bronzer habit that makes her look scary rather than sculpted. Though Chao might want her history in politics to be a shining beacon for the younger generation, it seems that what many young up-and-comers are copying instead is her aesthetic. Considering the wealth she shares with husband Mitch McConnell, maybe it's time for Chao to update her glam routine.