Experts Say The ‘MAGA Tan’ Orange Shade Is Actually Sending A Deliberate Political Message

The best makeup work is the makeup no one notices, said Nina Shyne, a makeup artist for film and TV who has also worked with political figures.   

“Using makeup, especially on men who are trying to get a message across and give an impression, can make a difference in how the audience remembers them, but it has to be skilled work,” she said. 

There is an art to creating a subtle tan that seems to be ignored by certain political figures on the right, said Tiffany Torres Williams, a photographer who often works with Syne.

“A skilled makeup artist will use contouring, which is the process of using bronzer and highlighter to create shadows and highlights on the face to give a chiseled youthful effect that looks gorgeous on camera,” she said.

What often happens instead is that clients try to spray tan their way to vitality, which actually has the opposite effect, she said.

“Spray tans can settle into a person’s wrinkles and skin folds, emphasizing their age rather than drawing attention away,” she explained. “It’s easy to go too heavy or too dark, and no one wants their skin to look like deep fried chicken.”

The platonic ideal is a subtle, healthy-looking glow, Blevens said. “You want it to confidently convey, ‘I’m working hard, but I have time for life balance, and I can truly handle it all,’” she said.

Did Biden looking pale at that disastrous debate cost him?