Kristi Noem's Biggest Makeup Mistakes

As a former governor of South Dakota and current Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem is in the media everywhere. That means she never steps out without a full face of makeup, and it's clear she loves a heavy dose of it. While there's nothing wrong with piling on products if you have great application skills, there have been many times when Noem botched her makeup, and it was captured on camera for all the world to see. Some viewers may not have noticed, but as a long-time makeup artist with 15 years of experience, my eyes were immediately drawn to the errant execution.

It doesn't help that the politico is a fan of "Mar-a-Lago face" even being one of its worst offenders, and our plastic surgeon noted all the ways Kristi Noem's face has transformed over the years. The 53-year-old seems to be reversing in age, but the heavy makeup isn't doing her any favors. In fact, it only makes her flubs more obvious. From mismatched foundation to an overzealous eyeliner technique, Noem has made some of the cringiest makeup mistakes during her time in politics.

Kristi Noem often has to make television appearances, so it's understandable that she wants to be camera-ready. However, that doesn't mean she needs to overdo it with the makeup, as everything is in high definition these days. It seems she didn't get the memo during a June 2025 appearance on "Face the Nation," when she showed up to her interview with an overload of pink blush. Not only was the color way too strong for her fair skin, but the product was also applied in large patches on her cheeks, with one side looking like a streaky mess.

When it comes to blush placement, there isn't one set rule — it all depends on what optical illusion you want to accomplish. For fuller cheeks, you'll want to apply the color slightly above the apples of your cheeks. If you want a contoured look, use an upward brush stroke along your cheekbones. And, of course, blending is key, as you don't want to see where the blush clearly begins and ends. Had Noem used a softer shade and blended better, her makeup mistake wouldn't have been so glaringly obvious.

Many of the women in politics these days love "Republican makeup," which includes heavy foundation that's much too orange for their skin tone. Unfortunately, Kristi Noem was a victim of this trend, which was clear during a press conference in June 2025. We get that a nice tan makes one look better on camera, but Noem's face was a warm shade, while her neck's undertone looked a lot cooler in comparison. What's more, she'd applied what looked like an orange blush or bronzer to the hollow of her cheekbones, which only highlighted her wrong-colored foundation.

Picking the right foundation shade is tricky, and many make the mistake of matching it to their faces. However, that only works if your face and body are the same color. You'll want it to be the same shade as your neck and chest to avoid looking like a floating head. If Noem wanted a deeper shade, she could have brought her base down to her neck for a more cohesive transition. Perhaps in the future, she should schedule a spray tan ahead of public appearances.

Kristi Noem already has big eyes, so there's no need for her to lay on the liquid eyeliner so thickly. While talking to the press in El Salvador in late March 2025, the Secretary of Homeland Security glanced down briefly, only to expose the wide stretch of black liner. She may have been attempting to cover up the strip of her false lashes, which she's never seen without, but all that liner just isn't necessary to bring out Noem's eyes.

According to Gen Z, heavy eyeliner is outdated, and that includes winged looks. These days, younger folks prefer to subtly enhance their peepers with barely there eyeshadow and just a hint of mascara. Of course, like with skinny jeans, which have been equally touted as passé, you don't have to give up your cat eye. Trends are meant to be bucked, after all. We would have just preferred if Noem gave up the nighttime eyeliner for a more classic look à la Audrey Hepburn.

We all know that Kristi Noem favors heavily drawn eyebrows, which were apparent during a White House appearance in June 2025. This time, however, she took her makeup mistake one step further and filled them in with two completely different shapes. Noem drew one of her brows in a round arc, while the other had a sharp peak in the middle, making them look like she applied her makeup in the dark. While both shapes suit the right-wing politician's oval face, it was quite unusual for her to sport both at the same time.

Eyebrow mapping can have a lot of benefits, especially if you're unsure where your brows should begin and end. It can also help you decide on where and how high your arch should be. Some prefer a straight style, while others love a strong peak. Whatever you prefer, be sure to make your brows as even as possible to avoid Noem's flub. And if you're unsure, you can always use handy-dandy eyebrow stencils to get yours perfectly filled in every time.