Unfiltered Photos Of Kristi Noem Prove Her Makeup Should Never Be Photographed Up Close

During her time as the Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem has made a name for herself with not only controversial actions, but also for her penchant for going full glam with her makeup on virtually every occasion. She earned the moniker ICE Barbie early in her time at that position when she accompanied agents on an ICE raid while wearing an ICE baseball cap and a bulletproof vest. Inexplicably, Noem also had massive hair extensions with her hair blown out and a full face of makeup. The high-profile Trump administration member posted a video of herself in the ICE garb to X, formerly Twitter, where many users were confused by the choice to wear lipstick, foundation, and rouge for a raid.

In August, "South Park" eviscerated Noem's plastic surgery look as they depicted her in the ICE Barbie ensemble. Animators were able to capture her essence with dark eyebrows, spider lash extensions, and bright lipstick on giant lips that were enhanced by lip filler. Unfortunately, the caricatured version of Noem was not that much of a departure from her day-to-day looks. Whether speaking at the White House, meeting international diplomats, or tagging along on raids, Noem makes sure to liberally apply makeup.

The closest we've seen Noem go makeup-free was a couple of snaps she posted to Instagram in November 2024 when she cozied up with her granddaughter. Her hair was tied back, and Noem gave her eyelashes a break from the massive extensions she usually wore, as the one-time governor of South Dakota posed in front of a Christmas tree. Even though she went light on makeup, Noem still used a photo filter. The pics gathered below were unfiltered, however, and those close-up shots exposed some disastrous makeup days.

People have been begging Kristi Noem to fire her plastic surgeon since she was appointed during Donald Trump's second term. The good news for Noem was that she had her confirmation hearing in January 2025 to become the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. The bad news was that it meant enduring questioning with multiple photographers on hand who caught a myriad of close-up shots of Noem. Even though her makeup was caked on, which included darkly-filled brows and a strong shade of red lipstick in addition to heavy foundation, her complexion looked to be a mess. She went overboard with the eye makeup as well, applying liberal amounts of eyeshadow, while often scowling during the process.

In a misguided attempt to prove she was on the frontlines for the war against illegal immigration, Kristi Noem visited a prison in El Salvador filled with gang members. She toned down the ICE Barbie theatrics for the occasion and wore a white top with an ICE baseball hat. Afterwards, she fielded questions from reporters before boarding her plane home, and she was back in business casual attire. She looked to have touched up her makeup as well, as her bronzer was applied thickly and had a bright sheen. A close-up snap showed Noem's spider eyelashes, which made her hair extensions look natural.

Before a press conference in Gary, Indiana in October 2025, where Kristi Noem discussed Operation Midway Blitz, she looked to have spent as much time on her makeup as she did preparing answers for the media. The former governor had on a moderate amount of bronzer — by her standards — but her eye makeup was a serious eyesore. She wore a purplish shade of eyeshadow and, of course, brought along her trusty lash extensions. To ensure her lashes didn't go unnoticed, Noem glopped on an ample amount of mascara that made it appear as if her lashes might adhere to her eyebrows.

Kristi Noem testified before the House Committee on Homeland Security in December 2025, and it was a meeting that she seemed to take seriously, as she toned down her makeup on that day. There was still the trademark foundation, and extended eyelashes, but it was all done more tastefully than usual, but the secretary of Homeland Security could not resist adding a little flair. Sporting a stylish dark blue blazer, Noem decided to add an eye-catching cerise-colored lipstick, which just so happened to match her red nail polish.

Early in her tenure as Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem addressed her staff while wearing a tasteful all-black ensemble that included a long-sleeve top. Her hair had blond highlights and was in light curls as it cascaded down the front of her shirt. Noem looked borderline professional until further inspection showed that she had spent extra time coloring in her eyebrows. Maybe she was attempting to color-coordinate her brows with her dark top, as they had been filled in excessively, even by Noem's standards.

During a visit to multiple South American countries in July 2025, one of Kristi Noem's stopovers was in Ecuador. While speaking to reporters on her plane, Noem rocked an forest green pantsuit and completed the outfit with a pair of large hoop earrings. One close up shot captured by a photographer showed that Noem's eyebrows looked comically stencilled. Plus, the former governor's foundation gave an odd hue to her complexion, as she looked wax-like under all the camera flashes. The unnatural appearance may have been caused by Noem getting new face filler, as her cheeks seemed larger than usual, and gave off a hardened quality.

In November 2025, Kristi Noem was alongside Donald Trump as they met with the White House Task Force to discuss precautions for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Her signature hair extensions lay across a small plaid suit jacket, and she accessorized with hoop earrings. Those who looked at close-up images of Noem at the World Cup meeting likely got a kick out of her exaggerated makeup. This was a day when she elected to embellish her eyelash extensions with globs of mascara. Noem's foundation was also noticeable as it gave an odd texture to her face, which was highlighted by a stark red lipstick choice.