What Melania Trump Looks Like Going (Nearly) Makeup Free

It's difficult to picture Melania Trump without her quintessential smokey eye and fiercely sculpted visage. Her makeup routine reportedly takes "about one hour and 15 minutes of uninterrupted focus," according to her former makeup artist Nicole Bryl (via Us Weekly). Her tireless dedication to a full beat makes the idea of a nearly makeup-free Melania seem unthinkable. Blasphemous, even. But after a dig through the archives, there's proof that it has indeed happened on a few rare occasions.

Slovenian photographer Stane Jerko, who discovered Melania in the late 80s, recalled being drawn in by her hypnotic gaze, though it was free of the dramatic eyeliner we associate her with now. He told TODAY: "I saw a girl that immediately caught my eye. There stood a tall, slender and attractive long-haired girl with distinct eyes." Jerko's early photos of Melania show a fresh-faced girl with tender, round features – a far cry from the chiseled profile she would later adopt.

These days, as the First Lady, Melania rarely strays from all-out glam. To truly see what she looks like with a more minimalist glow, we have to go back to 1998, when Melania and Donald Trump were photographed at the grand opening of the W New York Hotel. Melania's makeup was simple and sleek. Her foundation was evenly applied with a smooth base. Her eye makeup was understated, with mild eyeliner and neutral eyeshadow to enhance her features without overwhelming them. The lipstick was a subtle nude.

To find more moments of Melania Trump with a muted makeup look. In 2002, she stepped out at the Rosa Cha Runway Show during New York Fashion Week, more than three years before tying the knot with Donald Trump. She was papped alongside Donald Trump's first wife, Ivana Trump and Ivana's husband-to-be, Rossano Rubicondi. Again, her makeup was notably low-key.

Though Melania's skin is paler, a dewy foundation illuminates a luminous and vital complexion. Her eyes are gently defined with light eyeliner and possible hints of a subdued eyeshadow. Her eyebrows are lightly groomed and shaped thinly, whilst she frames her lips with a soft nude-pink lip. Even her other accoutrements were laidback: a plain white shirt and loose, unstyled tresses. She was clearly opting for a more approachable appearance. Even Donald Trump is without his characteristic spray tan here. Perhaps the couple shook up their signature styles together over time.