Ever since the very first televised presidential debate between Richard M. Nixon and John F. Kennedy in 1960, most of us now see politicians through a screen. As a result, we critique sweaty foreheads and pale, withdrawn faces, finding deeper meaning in mismatched foundation and errant nose hairs.

Every politician now goes under the microscope over their appearance. People police conservative women in politics like Karoline Leavitt for looking “matte and flat” and former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for her “Mar-a-Lago face” ― named after President Donald Trump’s Palm Beach, Florida, residence. And for male politicians across the ideological spectrum, the scrutiny can be about wearing makeup in the first place.

High-definition television “has really changed things,” said South Carolina-based freelance makeup artist Leah Greene, who has done makeup on political figures like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former president George W. Bush. “Your pores are just more visible now.”

The aesthetic grievances can be over the tiniest details. Online sleuths suspect Vice President JD Vance wears eyeliner, or that Trump applies self-tanner that does not match his hands. Fox News’ Laura Ingraham recently mocked Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) Jon Ossoff for his “pancake bronzer” and “rouge” on his face.

The reality is that most male politicians wear makeup. “I wouldn’t say 100% but I would say 90%” of them do,” Greene said. They must, in order to compete on a national stage and communicate their message.

“The ones that don’t, they’re going to fall through the wayside because they might look a little tired, worn out,” said Kriss Blevens, who has done makeup on politicians ranging from Donald Trump to Barack Obama.

A huge goal of any politician is to appear likable to a mass group. And while makeup alone won’t win you an election, the wrong look could certainly hurt a candidate’s image.

Getty/HuffPost

We asked makeup artists for male politicians about what they typically do, to get them camera-ready. It’s not just powder.

Male Politicians Use Everything From Primer To BB Cream

“There’s a fine line with manscaping” politicians, Blevens said. “On a man, in no way can it show as looking like they’re wearing makeup,” noting that, “I still think men are uncomfortable with it ... There could be some insecurity in the process.”

“Every candidate is their own individual person, exuding a certain aura about them,” Blevens continued. “Not everyone’s going to get the exact same thing.”

Male politicians usually are in agreement about less foundation though.

Greene said male politicians across party lines want “the no-makeup makeup look.” To achieve this, makeup artists also wield scissors in addition to beauty brushes and blenders.

Blevens said she always has her scissors on the lookout for brows, nose hairs or ear hairs that need to be trimmed. On a few politicians, “I have ... plucked long hairs off the top of the nose,” she said.

“I make sure they don’t have nose hairs. If their eyebrows are crazy, I take care of that,” Greene said. She notes that she won’t put eyeliner or mascara on the men she works with, but she will fill in their brows sometimes. “That’s a way to brighten their eyes and make eyes look more awake,” she said.

Chapstick will be offered to make lips look smoother and healthier, Greene added. “I don’t just apply it, but I offer it. They usually say yes,” Greene said. She noted that she won’t use concealer because it looks too thick on camera, but she will use under-eye brighteners. “They love [brighteners] because they don’t get much sleep, especially if they’re on the campaign trail, and they don’t want to look tired and old.”

Shininess is the enemy on camera, and makeup artists use their tricks to combat it.

“Baldness and shine that is on top of a head that is hair-free is can be really tough with lights,” Blevens said. “So I have a special mattifying primer that is invisible and liquid that I’ll just rub all over.”

Every Politician Wants To Look Polished. Sometimes That Means Looking More Tan.

Blevens said in the old days, makeup artists would use heavier creamy makeup for foundation, but on cameras, it’s best to use minimal products for maximum results. Blevens will usually use a mattifying blemish balm “BB” cream on male politicians. “It goes on as a moisturizer, self-oxidizes, and it really does totally get rid of redness, broken capillaries, and and gives an evenness” to their face, she said.

Sometimes, male politicians face flack for looking too tan, but sometimes it goes with the territory. Blevens defended Ossoff’s bronzed look: “You would expect somebody that is from Georgia that’s out campaigning to look a little sun-kissed,” she said. “All those Southern states, you’re going to be tanner. It’s a look.”

Blevens said from her experience, Trump uses a self-tanner that “isn’t the best,” she said. At the same time, “You can’t tell somebody not to do something that makes them feel good about themselves,” she said.

Blevens said when she has done Trump’s makeup, “I want to make the tan look even and flawless and color-correct it, so it’s more of a natural-looking tan.”

Male politicians will usually just give minutes for their grooming and makeup, but makeup artists make do. “If I had a big job and I had no time, I’m going to go: BB cream. Powder. Bye,” Blevens said.

The goal, above all, is to help politicians develop a consistent look. “Pete Hegseth always looks really good and polished,” Blevens said as an example of a politician that is well groomed. “His image is consistent.”

But sometimes, a less-polished look is part of a politician’s charm.

Blevens said Vermont senator Bernie Sanders “doesn’t like a lot of fuss, and his hair can be a little bit crazy,” she recalled. But “if he was made to look too perfect, he wouldn’t be Bernie.”

via Associated Press

Above, then-Republican presidential candidate Richard M. Nixon is seen wiping his face with a handkerchief during the nationally televised debate. Nixon’s pale, awkward appearance became a defining symbol of his flaws.

Can Bad Makeup Be The Difference In An Election? It Certainly Won’t Help.

In the 24-hour news cycle, male politicians now recognize that a blotted, bronze face can add credibility on stages.

In the 1960 televised debate, President Nixon famously declined to wear makeup, while his opponent John F. Kennedy agreed to cosmetic touchups. During the debate, Kennedy looked tan and strong, while Nixon looked was seen wiping his forehead and looking pale and haggard. Kennedy later won the election.

Male politicians “all know that story,” Greene said about Nixon’s cautionary example of appearing too pale. “They’ll tease, ‘I look like I just stepped out of the morgue.’ So when they say that ... I start bronzing them up a little bit.”

The wrong shade of foundation and powder can be costly too. “If you’ve got too much makeup on, people are just not going to even pay attention to what you’re talking about,” said Michelle Phillips, a makeup artist who has worked at both the Republican National Convention and the Democratic National Convention.

When Phillips worked with then-presidential candidate Al Gore, a different makeup artist applied makeup before his first 2000 presidential debate against George W. Bush.

“They did his makeup a little bit darker than normal,” Phillips recalled. “All hell broke loose, and that’s all people were talking about.” Gore got accused of looking “embalmed.” Even his aides acknowledged Gore needed less makeup for his next debate and more image management was needed.

The biggest change with male politician beauty trends might just be that they respect it more now. Greene recalled that Marco Rubio was “very sweet” and Sanders was a good sport. “He’s like, ‘I know you don’t have much to work with,’” she said.

Makeup artists said the men they work with are deeply appreciative of what makeup can enhance and conceal.

“I’m more respected,” Greene, who has been applying makeup to politicians’ faces for 20 years, said. “Back then, it would be more like, ‘Oh, do my makeup and go get me a cup of coffee.’” But now, they know it’s an important job that requires focus: “More people opt for it than don’t,” she said.

Most male politicians know that the person who wields a blender brush and powder close to their face holds power. “They know they need me, and I’m always treated very well,” Blevens said.