If you have ever watched the news or scrolled through social media, you have probably noticed something unique about Donald Trump’s appearance. His skin has a distinct orange tint that has sparked countless memes, jokes, and genuine curiosity. People have wondered for years what causes this look. Is it makeup? Is it a spray tan gone wrong? The truth is more interesting than you might think, and beauty experts have weighed in with some surprising answers.
The white circles around his eyes tell a story
Have you ever noticed the lighter patches around Trump’s eyes compared to the rest of his face? This detail has caught the attention of many observers over the years. Former FBI director James Comey even wrote about it in his memoir. He described how Trump’s face appeared slightly orange with bright white half-moons under his eyes. This particular pattern has led many people to believe that tanning goggles are involved somewhere in the process. When someone uses a tanning bed, they typically wear small goggles to protect their eyes from the UV light.
These goggles leave behind a telltale sign that is hard to miss. The skin around the eyes stays much lighter than the rest of the face. According to multiple reports, this goggle pattern is one of the main reasons people suspect tanning beds play a role in Trump’s look. His former military school classmates have even claimed that he would use an ultraviolet tanning bulb to simulate going to the beach. Early photos of Trump show a much paler man than the bronzed figure we see today on television.
A former aide claims a tanning bed mishap caused problems
The rumors about tanning beds got even more interesting when former aide Omarosa Manigault wrote her book in 2018. She made a pretty bold claim that raised eyebrows everywhere. According to her book called Unhinged, Trump actually fired a staff member for a tanning-related issue. The alleged offense was failing to set up a tanning bed at the White House properly. This story added fuel to the fire of speculation about how Trump maintains his signature look.
Whether or not this specific story is completely accurate remains debatable. However, it does suggest that tanning equipment has been part of the presidential routine at some point. The idea that someone could lose their job over setting up a tanning bed incorrectly sounds almost unbelievable. Yet it fits with the overall narrative that maintaining this particular skin tone is apparently quite important. The lengths someone might go to for a tan is something many people can relate to on some level.
Beauty experts say the foundation shade is all wrong
Professional makeup artists have strong opinions about what is happening with Trump’s face. Celebrity makeup artist Bryan Cantor shared his expert analysis with reporters. He pointed out that the foundation shade Trump uses does not match his undertone at all. It does not even match his actual skin tone properly. This is a common mistake that regular people make too when picking out makeup products. Choosing the wrong undertone can make anyone look orange, yellow, or ashy depending on the mismatch.
According to beauty professionals, matching makeup to your chest creates the most natural look. The face, neck, and chest all receive different amounts of sunlight throughout the day. They naturally become three different colors over time. Using one shade across all three areas helps everything look unified. This advice applies to anyone who wears foundation or self-tanner, not just famous politicians with unusual color choices.
Self-tanner requires serious blending skills to look natural
One of the biggest giveaways of a bad self-tanner application is poor blending. Makeup artist Kriss Blevens has worked on every president since Jimmy Carter, including Trump. She theorized that his color comes largely from self-tanners rather than just tanning beds alone. Her guess was that he relies on self-tanners to maintain a certain look he has come to feel healthy in from living in Florida. This makes sense when you consider how much time he spends at Mar-a-Lago.
The business manager of spray tan brand IONIQ explained that face-neck mismatches are incredibly common application errors. Traditional self-tanners require manual blending that many people skip or rush through. The experts recommend using a big dense makeup brush designed for buffing. Applying product directly to the brush and tapping it across the face ensures even dispersal. Then going into the hairline and neck with an arched brush creates a seamless finish that looks more believable.
Your skin chemistry can turn any tanner orange
Here is something most people do not realize about self-tanners. The same product can look completely different on two different people. This happens because everyone has a unique skin pH level that reacts differently with tanning products. Trina Eibon from IONIQ explained this phenomenon clearly. She said many conventional tanners simply do not adapt to individual skin tones. This mismatch leads to unnatural-looking results that can drift toward orange or other unwanted shades.
The undertone drift toward orange can happen when a self-tanner does not vibe with your particular skin chemistry. Bright light and flash photography can magnify these errors even more. What might look acceptable in a bathroom mirror can appear dramatically different on camera. This is why celebrities and public figures often have professional makeup artists who understand how products will photograph under different lighting conditions.
His stress levels might actually affect the color intensity
American photo editor Emily Elsie made an interesting observation about Trump’s skin tone over the years. She believes something psychological is happening with his makeup application. When Trump took office in 2017, he was significantly less orange than he became later. As his term wore on, more bronzer appeared to be applied to his face. The more stressed he seemed to be, the more makeup appeared on his skin. This correlation is fascinating to think about.
When he was out of office, the makeup would mostly reappear only for camera appearances. It was largely toned down during private moments. Then something interesting happened after his debate with Biden in June 2024. When Trump was up in the polls and victory seemed certain, the bronzer was almost gone entirely. This pattern suggests the orange hue might be connected to confidence levels and public pressure rather than just vanity alone.
The White House officially claims it is just good genes
Despite all the evidence pointing toward tanning products and makeup, the official story is quite different. Trump’s team has rejected claims that he gets spray tans or uses sun beds. In 2019, an anonymous White House source insisted on a different explanation altogether. Speaking only on the condition of anonymity, this source told The New York Times that his shade was all down to good genes. This claim seems hard to believe given the visible evidence.
Early photographs of Trump from decades ago show a man with a much paler complexion. The dramatic change in his skin color over the years cannot be explained by genetics alone. Genes do not typically change someone’s entire skin tone during their adult life. Still, the official position remains that no artificial tanning products are involved. Most observers and experts remain skeptical of this explanation given all the other information available.
Hand makeup is notoriously difficult to pull off correctly
People have also noticed that sometimes Trump’s hands do not match his face color. This brings up the tricky subject of hand makeup and self-tanner on hands. According to makeup artist Bryan Cantor, wearing makeup on hands is unpopular for good reason. Hand makeup will transfer every time your hand touches clothes or other surfaces. We use our hands constantly throughout the day for countless tasks. Any product applied there will wear off pretty quickly.
Cantor does not recommend spot treating blemishes or age spots on hands with concealer. Using concealer to spot treat without addressing the surrounding skin will always look fake and noticeable. If someone insists on covering hand imperfections, the experts suggest transfer-proof body or leg foundation. Even this is not foolproof since hands are used so often. For self-tanner specifically, the key is using minimal product and feathering across knuckles and between fingers.
Researchers say vanity and insecurity drive the color choice
Why would anyone deliberately choose to be this particular shade of orange? Researcher Tania Woloshyn specializes in light therapy and has studied this question. She has spoken about how Trump’s skin color changed as he became more famous in the early 2000s. His reality show The Apprentice brought him into living rooms across America regularly. She believes the decision to tan comes from deep-seated insecurities about appearance and self-image.
In a 2018 paper, Woloshyn wrote that Trump believes altering his natural skin color will improve his appearance and sense of self. This is actually pretty relatable when you think about it. Many people feel better about themselves with a tan or some color on their skin. The difference is simply a matter of degree and how successfully the look is executed. For most people, a subtle glow is the goal rather than a traffic cone shade.
The mystery of Donald Trump’s orange skin tone has captivated the public for years now. Between tanning beds, self-tanner mishaps, foundation mismatches, and possible stress-related applications, there seems to be a combination of factors at play. Beauty experts agree that better blending and shade matching could improve the look significantly. Whether or not Trump will ever change his signature appearance remains to be seen. For now, the distinctive orange hue has become as recognizable as the MAGA hat itself.
