Karoline Leavitt’s close-up picture from Vanity Fair’s latest feature went viral this week. Eagle-eyed netizens quickly spotted what seemed to be familiar dots around her lips. Experts have come forward to explain what fueled this brutal trolling.
The words “jump scare’ appeared over and over again on Vanity Fair’s Instagram page on December 16, 2025. The magazine dropped close-up shots of prominent White House figures. It was part of a series about the first year of the second Trump administration.
The dazzling pictures outlined every makeup smudge, strand of hair, line, and freckle on Leavitt. For those who saw the imperfections on the face of the usually polished political figure, it was astonishing.
The comments section for Vanity Fair’s Instagram post included some hilarious responses. Users wrote things like, “Having lip filler and not believing in vaccines is wild…” and “Genius. The injection marks really sing in this one!”
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It isn’t the first time the White House press secretary’s cosmetic choices have sparked conversation. These “Mar-a-Lago face” or “Conservative girl makeup” have now become politically coded beauty trends in our culture. The extreme close-up offered a sneak peek into the cosmetic decisions involved in these beauty trends.
Dermatologist Dr. Corey L. Hartman told HuffPost that he can tell that “those red spots are a vascular response to needle entry points.” They are used to deliver a soft-tissue filler to the vermilion borders of her upper and lower lips.
He further explained how different injectors favor different lip filler techniques. The results can vary broadly depending on aftercare, timing, and skin sensitivity.
Hartman continued, “It looks like a serial puncture technique, which is certainly a choice, but this would be on the higher end of injection sites.” Even though he doesn’t use this technique, if he did, he said he would “try to minimize the number of sticks.” Especially if they leave behind small telangiectasias like those on Leavitt’s lips.
Plastic surgeon Dr. Anita Kulkarni told the outlet, “The marks are likely from very recently injected lip filler.” Like the same day or the day before the photo shoot.”
She described the “picket fence” technique, which Kulkarni doesn’t usually use. She argued that the needle marks are not typically this visible. It made her conclude that “she likely has some inflammation in that area that may be from sensitive skin and the needle.”
Kulkarni suggested that Leavitt appeared to be within one to three days of filler treatment based on the picture.
Makeup artist Michelle Phillips told HuffPost that Leavitt’s lips “appear swollen and look as if there are little needle marks.They are typical after having a lip augmentation.”
She wondered why Leavitt didn’t opt for opaque lipstick instead of a sheer gloss, which certainly highlighted the needle marks. She also claimed that Leavitt’s lip liner placement was an issue, too.
Another makeup artist, Bryan Cantor, told the outlet how certain lip products can make textures more evident. According to Christopher Anderson, the man behind these portraits, she had “her own personal groomer” present at the shoot. Most of the subjects arrived camera-ready or with their own makeup and hair teams.
Makeup artist Kriss Blevens stressed that concealment sometimes requires going bolder, not lighter. She typically works with clients post-procedure.
For photographer Anderson, the images are consistent with his close-up portraiture style. Speaking to The Independent, he said, “Particularly, political portraits that I’ve done over the years. I like the idea of penetrating the theater of politics.”
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In theory, his creative vision aligns closely with the repeated sentiments of Trump officials. That this is “the most transparent administration in history.” He refused to retouch marks or blemishes in Leavitt’s Vanity Fair photos.
Anderson’s goal was to show authentic, unfiltered images—his art cuts through political image management.
