First Lady Melania Trump’s longtime makeup artist said she has faced professional backlash in the fashion and modeling industry for continuing to work with the Trump family. Nicole Bryl made the remarks during an appearance this week on the “Return on Identity” podcast with host Ahmad Ashrafi.
“Because I was working with Melania, who’s, you know, Donald’s wife, all of a sudden, beauty didn’t become beauty anymore, it became political,” Bryl said. “I didn’t understand why all the doors shut. People totally canceled me.”
Bryl said she was pressured by others in the industry to drop the Trump family as clients or remove references to them from her social media. She said some also urged her to publicly denounce the Trumps based on political disagreements.
“They wouldn’t talk to me. They wouldn’t take my calls. They stopped sending me products,” Bryl said.
“Lipstick didn’t become lipstick anymore. Products were not just products anymore,” she added. “It became something more.”
Bryl said the experience raised concerns about her financial future but did not change her decision to continue working with the first lady. “There was pressure of going broke,” Bryl said.
She said she refused to bow to what she described as intimidation from others in her profession. “No one’s going to bully me,” Bryl said. “I love my client, and I’m not leaving her side.”
“She’s one of the most amazing people I’ve ever known or worked with,” Bryl added. “She’s been nothing but kind.”
Bryl said Melania Trump has also faced bullying and said that played a role in her decision to remain loyal.
“She herself has been bullied, and I’m not walking away from that,” Bryl said.
Melania Trump announced this month that seven Ukrainian children who were abducted during Russia’s invasion have been reunited with their families after what she described as quiet diplomatic efforts with Moscow, per the New York Post.
“My dedication to guaranteeing the safe return of children to their families in this region is unwavering,” the Slovenia-born first lady said in a statement. “I commend the leadership and persistent diplomacy of Russia and Ukraine in the pursuit of the reunification of children and families.
“Their bridge-building has created a tangible collaborative environment—an anchor for optimism. This cooperation will continue to drive the process forward through the next phase,” she added.
Melania, 55, announced on October 10 that an initial group of eight children had been reunited with their relatives after the establishment of an “open channel” with the Kremlin. Since the beginning of Moscow’s invasion in February 2022, thousands of Ukrainian children have been forcibly deported to Russian territory.
Kyiv authorities report that a minimum of 19,500 children are still missing, while unofficial humanitarian organizations estimate that the actual figure is probably much greater, The Post reported.
“The children who come back are subdued mentally — they’re broken,” Ukraine first lady Olena Zelenska told the outlet in August. “Only after they return do they start coming back out of their shells.”
This week, the first lady revealed the White House’s Christmas decorations and theme, “Home is Where the Heart Is,” to commemorate the holiday season, marking the fifth time she has been able to adorn 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue for the holidays.
The first lady’s decorations this year show the American spirit of “generosity, patriotism, and gratitude.”
This year, Trump has decorated the White House with over 25,000 feet of ribbon, over 2,000 strands of light, over 120 pounds of gingerbread, over 2,800 gold stars, over 10,000 blue butterflies, and over 700 feet of garland.
“Every detail of the 2025 White House Christmas decorations was personally selected by Mrs. Trump to honor the heart of America and the theme ‘Home Is Where The Heart Is,’” the White House told Fox News.
