Pics Of Taylor Swift's Cakey Makeup That Have Us Begging Her To Get A New MUA

Taylor Swift may best be known for creating angsty pop songs that center around love, heartbreak, and longing, but her beauty looks also have been much talked-about for years. The "Love Story" singer first burst onto the music scene as a fresh-faced country crooner, but then soon became known for her signature red lips. The new look was all thanks to celebrity makeup artist Gucci Westman, who coaxed Swift to try the bright shade for an Allure cover back in 2009 (via Marie Claire).

Since then, Swift has worked with so many big-name makeup artists, and has likely picked up a few tips in the process. However, there's been several instances I've noticed her applications could have used a lighter hand. With over 15 years of experience under my belt, it's easy to see where the Grammy winner went wrong, and from mismatched foundation to spidery lashes, here are Taylor Swift's biggest makeup mistakes.

Taylor Swift's foundation match is usually impeccable, which you can tell when there's no noticeable difference in color between her face and neck. However, while out and about in New York City in December 2025, the pop star made a foundation mistake you've probably been guilty of. Swift's face was a couple of shades lighter than her body, which was further highlighted by the flash photography from paparazzi. The color difference could have been from SPF or silica in the makeup, so it's best to avoid certain ingredients when celebs know they're going to get photographed.

Taylor Swift swapped her go-to red lips for a nude hue at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards, but even the barely-there shade couldn't hide how painfully dry her mouth looked. No matter what product you use, whether it's gloss or a stain, if your lips are parched, they're going to end up looking cakey. To prevent dry, flaky lips, it's best to exfoliate them with a gentle scrub, and then moisturize with a good lip balm before applying makeup. Sadly, it looks like Swift skipped these essential steps that day.

I loved Taylor Swift's avant-garde bejeweled cat eye makeup, created by the legendary Pat McGrath. The tiny gems were an exaggerated version of the "Opalite" singer's usual winged liner, and perfectly complemented her sparkly diamond earrings and dazzling dress. While this look was perfection from afar, a close-up shot of Swift showed her foundation laying on top of dry skin that caused some creasing around the eyes and mouth. I'm sure McGrath did everything to make her client look radiant, but sometimes even the best makeup artist can't hide a bad skin day.

With Taylor Swift's naturally fair hair, it's understandable that she'd need loads of mascara to bring out her eyes. However, she totally went overboard in 2015 while attending a Grammy Awards event. The singer-songwriter chose an overall natural look, with a peachy pink lipstick and eyeshadow, but then decided to go all-in with her lashes. In this case, it would have been better for Swift to use falsies instead of the multiple coats of mascara it looked like she used, which only resulted in a clumpy mess.

Taylor Swift may have hastily applied her makeup while out to dinner in September 2023, which could explain why her eyeshadow looked streaky. The bright peach color was perfect for bringing out her blue eyes, but it could have used a bit of attention around the crease. Swift has deep-set, hooded eyes, which can make applications difficult. This is where a small, oval-shaped brush can be handy. I simply swipe it back and forth along the crease until the eyeshadow blends seamlessly and creates just the right amount of contour, with no noticeable streaks like Swift's.

Finishing powder is every gal's best friend — that is, until they choose the wrong one for an event filled with photographers. Taylor Swift learned this lesson at the 2019 Billboard Women in Music event when she was caught with a trail of white powder underneath one eye while posing on the red carpet. Her makeup artist likely used a loose setting powder that's invisible to the naked eye, but when faced with flash photograpy, it becomes apparent for all the world to see. A simple test before walking out the door would have prevented this cakey makeup mistake, but hindsight is 20/20.