What Is Mar-A-Lago Face? The Plastic Surgery Trend, Explained

The people in President Donald Trump's inner circle seem to be looking similar lately, and let's just say, the internet has a word for it. If "republican makeup" refers to excessive bronzer and muddy contour, then "Mar-a-Lago face" is it's natural, more expensive successor, describing a look of heavy makeup, detectable plastic surgery, and a deep, fake tan. If you need further proof, look to photos of Kimberly Guilfoyle as well as Lara Trump and Kristi Noem. No matter if it's a day time event, they're sporting fake eyelashes, with dark smokey eyes and full lips.

Now, there's nothing wrong with these features. Despite a high volume of research highlighting risks related to plastic surgery, many people still opt for cosmetic procedures. And even outside of the MAGA circle, many celebrities are owning up to their cosmetic tweaks (not that it makes it more accessible for the average fan, but that's another story), so plastic surgery is certainly not just a Trump thing. 

What is a Trump thing, and has become "Mar-a-Lago face," is that aforementioned combination of many procedures and tweaks. It's neither natural-looking nor subtle, to the point where looking at before and after photos of those with this look is a jarring experience. Many believe that it has political undercurrents, not solely aesthetic ones. "The Trump bubble is... a movement based on denying reality," journalist Joan Callarissa told EL PAÍS. "If they have a face they don't like, they change it without caring if it looks natural or not, because reality does not matter to Trumpism." The "Mar-a-Lago face" makes no attempt to appear convincing.

The "Mar-a-Lago" face is made up of a combination of excessive filler and botox, unnaturally smooth skin, perfect teeth, and a full face of makeup. Add lip filler, laminated eyebrows, and a uniform of tight dresses and heels to that list. The desire is clearly to appear youthful — and therefore stay relevant — within Donald Trump's circle, by looking more like a Fox News anchor than a middle-age relative of Trump's. While people have noticed the "Mar-a-Lago face" predominantly in the women of MAGA, like Lara Trump, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Lauren Sánchez, and Kristi Noem, the men fall susceptible to it, too. Matt Gaetz and his freakishly arched eyebrows are a case in point. Trump himself is a fan of fake tans and bronzer, so it's not surprising that his disciples take it even farther.

The "Mar-a-Lago face" is also a totem of wealth, something that's clearly important to Trump's inner circle. Although it's impossible to verify exactly what cosmetic procedures these women have had — or what they paid for it — it's fair to assume the treatments they've accessed would be prohibitively expensive for the average person. In addition, the daily upkeep of makeup products, blowouts, tans, and hair extensions would be pricy, so it's another form of elitism and inaccessibility. The "Mar-a-Lago face" differs from other forms of plastic surgery precisely because of this; it's a look that wants to be seen. While many get procedures done with the hope that they'll be undetectable, the MAGA aesthetic is aggressively and unapologetically visible.