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Karoline Leavitt, serving as Donald Trump’s press secretary, has become a notable example of what is being dubbed the “Republican makeup trend.” Known for her heavily applied makeup and overfilled lips, Leavitt also exhibits what some call “eyebrow blindness.” A well-executed eyebrow should enhance the natural features of the face, yet this trend often results in overly filled brows that detract from one’s appearance. Makeup artist Amber Reneé, in a conversation with Nicki Swift regarding Fox News host Ainsley Earhardt, emphasized the importance of eyebrows, stating, “Eyebrows have so much power in a look.” She noted that when done correctly, eyebrows can lift the face and brighten the eyes, giving a youthful glow. However, if they are even slightly misaligned—too arched, overly dark, or blocky—they can disrupt the harmony of the face.
Leavitt has shown some improvement in her eyebrow styling over the years. Moving away from the dark, overly bushy look of the past, she now opts for a more natural shade and uses brow gel more judiciously. Despite these efforts, her eyebrows still appear somewhat harsh in certain photographs. During a White House press briefing in February 2026, noticeable lines under her brows indicated a lack of blending, accompanied by what looked like bruising from recent lip filler injections. Similarly, in a January 2026 press conference, Leavitt’s excessive use of eyebrow pencil resulted in thick, blocky brows reminiscent of common makeup missteps from high school.
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Similarly, at a press briefing in January 2026 (above right), Leavitt also went a little heavy-handed with her pencil, resulting in thick, blocky, and unnatural-looking eyebrows — a classic high school makeup mistake.
Leavitt looks so much better with softer brows
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To avoid having harsh-looking eyebrows, Tonya Crooks, a celebrity brow artist who’s worked with the likes of Kim Kardashian and Megan Fox, says to go easy on the pencil and blend until they look soft and natural. “Being too heavy-handed is a sure-fire way to create blocky, painted on brows that never look natural and often appear as if the brows have been [colored] in,” she told Elle. Instead, you want to use soft, feathery strokes to mimic your eyebrows’ natural hair growth. For filling them in, you may choose between a brow pencil, gel, pen, or pomade. If you do decide to use a pencil, make sure to sharpen it for clean, precise strokes. (As Crooks exclaimed, “You need precision to achieve good brows!”)
Of course, it’s also important to use the correct makeup shade. With Karoline Leavitt, her eyebrows looked a lot less harsh when she started matching her eyebrow color to her natural hair. “An issue with a lot of brow products on the market is that they are too warm, and eyebrows are inherently cool-toned,” Crooks explained. Her tip? “Try matching the [colors] of your brows to the roots of your hair and make sure you choose a brow pencil with a cool undertone.”
As seen above, Leavitt’s makeup improved significantly after she switched from a dark eyebrow color to a lighter shade. She also stopped overfilling her eyebrows and learned how to blend properly. These are all very small adjustments, but as Amber Reneé put it, “It’s wild how much of a difference brows can make!” Indeed!