The MAGA tan is a distinctive look, often characterized by an orange, muddy, or even green hue. It is a gender-neutral aesthetic embraced by figures like President Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., representing a significant investment of time, effort, and money to meet a specific standard. While everyone is entitled to their preferred bronzed appearance, HuffPost consulted tanning experts on how to achieve a sun-kissed glow that avoids the MAGA-coded look.
What Defines a MAGA Tan?
Sophia Avanzato, founder of Main Line Mobile Spray Tan, describes the MAGA tan as featuring “overdeveloped color” that often appears muddy, orange, or even green. The muddy look results from “over application while chasing deeper color,” while green tones can stem from “oxidization from skin chemistry, product buildup or active skin care.” The orange, Cheetos-like tone occurs when individuals attempt a shade too dark for their skin tone or fail to follow rinse and aftercare instructions. “You turn orange if you try to go too dark for your skin tone,” Avanzato said. “Indoors, it may read bronze, but in natural light, it looks orange and heavy.”
Technical Causes of Unwanted Tones
Brittney Bennett, celebrity spray tanner and owner of Be Bronze Studio, explains that key factors include leaving product on too long, using the wrong percentage of Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) for the client’s skin, choosing the wrong undertone, or layering new tanner on an existing tan. “Your skin can only absorb so much DHA,” Bennett said. “When too much is applied, whether from high percentage, overdevelopment or repeated layering, the result isn’t a deeper color, its distorted color. That’s when tans turn orange, muddy or even slightly green.”
Historical Context of Tanning Trends
Tanning trends have shifted over time. Before the 20th century, tanned skin indicated humble class origins, as scholars Phillip Vannini and Aaron M. McCright noted in a 2004 paper. However, after Coco Chanel popularized the tan in the 1920s, bronze skin became a symbol of leisure and wealth. The first tanning salons opened in the 1970s, cementing the desirability of a deep tan. Today, many opt for safer spray tans and self-tanners.
The Role of Conformity in MAGA Aesthetics
Jason Mudd, CEO of Axia Public Relations, previously told HuffPost: “Proximity to power often shapes appearance.” Individuals in elite circles adopt visual norms to signal loyalty and belonging. The MAGA tan, like other MAGA beauty trends, is about conformity to an in-group ideal. As one makeup artist speculated on Trump’s tan: “I think they intentionally began to tan themselves, likely without bronzer, and liked what they saw. But then tan started to become overdone, and now they probably can’t imagine themselves without the color.”
How to Achieve a Natural Glow
To avoid the MAGA tan, experts recommend several best practices. Avanzato advises: “Choose a reputable spray tan artist or quality self-tanners, prep properly, follow rinse times, and layer cautiously. The face should always be softer than the body for the most natural results.” She emphasizes that “the best spray tan is the one nobody recognizes as a spray tan. They just think you look healthy.”
Celebrity makeup artist Bryan Cantor suggests exfoliating with a soft washcloth or dry brushing before applying self-tanner. “Apply body butter to your knees, ankles, elbows and knuckles and allow it to fully dry before you apply your sunless tanner to prevent darkness in those areas,” he said. Use a tanning mitt for long, vertical strokes, and a large, fluffy synthetic brush for the face and ears. For hands and feet, mix a 50/50 blend of self-tanner and moisturizer.
What to Do If You Have a Bad Tan
If you already have an overdone tan, Cantor notes that there is little skin care can do. “You just have to wait for it to fade,” he said. Prevention is key to avoiding the orange, muddy, or green tones associated with the MAGA look.
