Fox News Star Ainsley Earhardt's Fake Tan Used To Be So Tacky

Throwback photos of Ainsley Earhardt on Fox News show that she used to be overly fond of getting in the tanning bed. For years, Earhardt has been known for having her makeup and everything else perfectly in place while on-air. "I enjoy makeup and having someone who does my hair. What female wouldn't?" she told Elle in August 2018. A year later, her foundation was several shades darker to match the darkened skin tone on the rest of her body. In a July 2019 Instagram snap alongside her "Fox & Friends" co-hosts, Earhardt rocked a pink dress with a high collar and a split neckline. What stood out the most was that Earhardt was so tan at the time that her skin color virtually matched the pink ensemble.

The following month, Earhardt's fake tan only intensified, as Instagram throwbacks from August 2019 show how overboard she went in the tanning booth. She sported another pink dress for one on-set pic in which her skin looked several tones too dark, especially when contrasted with how blond her hair was at the time. Photos uploaded by the news anchor later that month painted an even darker picture, as she seemingly tripled down on the tanning. One post showed Earhardt in a different pink dress juxtaposed with her extremely blond hair and tanned skin. 

Two photos taken on August 28, 2019, were the most alarming. In one, Earhardt posed with Judge Jeanine Pirro, and both women's skin hues were overly dark. However, Earhardt's orange skin was never more apparent than in the second snap; she was posing with Dog the Bounty Hunter, and her tan almost matched that of the famously leather-skinned reality star. Looking at more recent pics, the transformation of Earhardt over the years becomes apparent.

A couple of years after Ainsley Earhardt went ultra dark with the fake tanning, she significantly toned it down. She uploaded an Instagram photo alongside Kathie Lee Gifford in December 2021 that was taken on the "Fox & Friends" set. Both women wore plenty of makeup, which is fairly standard for on-air personalities, but Earhardt looked several shades lighter than she did during her dark-tanning days. As mentioned, the "Fox & Friends" host still wore ample makeup — in fact, it's rare to catch Earhardt without makeup — but the skin tone change was apparent by looking at her hands and legs.

By May 2023, Earhardt was still employing the near-constant makeup look, but her skin had a more natural glow than her tacky tan era. She reconnected with Judge Jeanine Pirro and uploaded an Instagram snap. Compared to the 2019 photo, Earhardt had a much healthier hue to her skin — and so did Pirro, for that matter — as the women posed outside together. Earhardt sported a yellow dress with a green jacket, and this time around, there was no stark contrast between her outfit and her skin color.

Later, Earhardt showed off an even lighter complexion, free of faux-tanning, when she posed for an Instagram photo alongside Tarek El Moussa in April 2025. She wore a bright red pantsuit with a matching turtleneck, finishing the look with a pair of nude high heels. Once again, Earhardt employed makeup, but her skin tone had a natural look that didn't clash with the brightly colored ensemble.