For Women, What is God’s word on cosmetics?

Hello all

For young women, is it deceitful to wear makeup?

Is it wrong to spend money on nice clothes even if they are modest?

How are we supposed to use our “best years” to glorify god instead of garnering praise from society as so many girls do on social media by posting provocative imagery on instagram.

If that is the wrong thing to do, what is the right thing to do with your youth as a woman?

Does god have any special instructions for young women, who are not raising children yet?

I'm not sure why any of this only applies to 'young' women'. It seems the answer will be the same regardless of age.

I am not a woman, nor young, but it doesn't take a woman to understand.

I see many women wearing layers of makeup. I find that sort of excess a bit dishonest, and rather a turn off. My view is i'd rather appreciate a woman's natural beauty, not her makeup skills. There's no reason a woman can't wear a modest amount of makeup.

If you have the money to spend, it's yours to spend. It may not be wisest, but as far as 'wrong', i'd say no. Personally the idea of a woman spending a lot on clothes is a turn off.

How? Well.. by not doing those things? By pointing your attention towards more valuable and useful parts of life? Those girls that do that are making a choice. It's not as if there's no other options available, that's merely the option they chose. And it's a rather sad one as evidence shows how destructive emotionally and psychologically it is on people who invest so much in their social media.
In regards to what you can do instead, personal, inward growth is a great starting point. Physical health can be another useful element. Volunteering at homeless shelters, senior centers, churches, non-profit organizations. Or focusing on school. Volunteer at a kennel. Missions trips. Bible study.
Or even focus on hobbies, dancing, music, singing or whatever it is that you enjoy that involves more than sitting online posting selfies.

The basics of Christianity are the same for everyone. There's little need for special instructions for various groups.

good point, ALL women

I just see young women as more impressionable and prone to insecurity hence the emphasis

I find this passage interesting, in view of the OP Q... note especially the bolded verses:

Esther 2 -

8 When the king’s command and edict had been proclaimed, many young women gathered at the citadel of Susa under the care of Hegai. Esther was also taken to the palace and placed under the care of Hegai, the custodian of the women. 9 And the young woman [Esther] pleased him and obtained his favor, so he quickly provided her with beauty treatments and the special diet. He assigned to her seven select maidservants from the palace and transferred her with them to the best place in the harem.

10 Esther did not reveal her people or her lineage, because Mordecai had instructed her not to do so. 11 And every day Mordecai would walk back and forth in front of the court of the harem to learn about Esther’s welfare and what was happening to her.

12 In the twelve months before her turn to go to King Xerxes, the harem regulation required each young woman to receive beauty treatments with oil of myrrh for six months, and then with perfumes and cosmetics for another six months. 13 When the young woman would go to the king, she was given whatever she requested to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace. 14 She would go there in the evening, and in the morning she would return to a second harem under the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he delighted in her and summoned her by name.

15 Now Esther was the daughter of Abihail, the uncle from whom Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter. And when it was her turn to go to the king, she did not ask for anything except what Hegai, the king’s trusted official in charge of the harem, had advised. And Esther found favor in the eyes of everyone who saw her.


Okay, so this last part doesn't suggest she didn't ask for / take ANYTHING whatsoever, in this regard, but "for what the trusted official had advised" [?? it doesn't appear they went with completely without what this passage is calling "beauty treatments" either]

And WOW, a "YEAR" to get ready... and we complain of an extra 20 minutes, LOL!!

You can get a crapload of opinions on an internet forum, and many of them will twist scripture to support their opinions.

I mean sure, if you don't know where the verses are that talk about makeup, or even IF there are any, and you want some answers right now instead of next year when you find them yourself in normal Bible reading... that's understandable. I'm not saying you shouldn't ask. I'm just saying any answer you get here should be taken with a salt shaker.

Oh kewl, I just noticed what "Hegai/Hege' - H1896 [the official from v.15]" name means,

"(Late Hebrew הֲגַן Aramaic הֲגַן be suitable, fit, worthy: on original meaning compare Fl in NHWB, under the word)" [source: BibleHub].



Yes, I do believe this is purposeful [or, "intentional," as one might say].

So yes if you're ever in the situation where you've been imprisoned in the ruler's harem (very unlikely Esther had any choice in the matter), by all means take advantage of all the beauty treatments they offer you and try to gain as much influence with the king and his advisers as possible.

I like the idea that the word "cosmetics" is derived from "cosmos" and the term really means bringing order out of chaos!

That was the very reason I pointed out in my first post to pay especial att'n to the parts I was bolding and then commenting on, which was (esp) VERSE 15 (I drew att'n to), where Esther DID have a [singular] "choice" in a particular ASPECT of her [God-given] SITUATION.

Good point, of course. Thanks!

This just made me want to see the benefits of myrrh oil for skin care, lol. 😅

Ah. The way you wrote it sounded as if you were needing help, not offering it.

From a guys view I'd say it's not so much that younger women are more insecure but that what the insecurities are change as they get older. Younger are typically more insecure about societal standards. As they get older women seem more insecure about internal things.
Or that's how it seems to me from the outside.

just wanted to start by saying i'm a jeans/tshirt - no make up - only hairstyle i have is ponytail & hot mess (emphasis on the mess) kinda lady

there is nothing wrong with someone taking care of his/her appearance, but what i believe is more important is a person's character. what we have in our heart/mind will eventually reflect on the outside. i could be the most modest woman in the world by being covered head to toe, but if i have bitterness in my heart, it will show up in the way i speak and treat others. the Holy Spirit is so sweet to us. He shows us what we have in our hearts. what i found is that as i grow closer to the Lord and study His word, my heart aligns with His, and my character is shaped to His.

P.S. there's nothing wrong with wearing make up and dressing nicely, but once the make up is removed and you're in the "i'm not going anywhere today so i'm staying in my pjs" look, are you still comfortable with the person you are? do you see yourself as God sees you? i know a lot of ladies are confident on make up days AND no make up days. why? because her identity is in Christ.

Our time, money, and other resources are from God, and need to be used carefully. Spending lots of time and money on makeup/hair/clothing can indeed become a problem, but it doesn't have to get to that point. There is nothing inherently bad with looking nice.

Learn how to apply makeup properly depends on how you use it.
If the facepaint is for disguise and you need to use it every day its more of a Jezebel thing.
If its to enhance your natural beauty then I dont see anything wrong with it..but then Esther was an extreme case, I dont know if women really need half a year to get ready! luxury for some...

Jesus was the original foot spa/pedicurist. for men! or they just had smelly feet.
John the baptist instituted bathing. Maybe back then many people rarely had baths.

but I would advise not bathing in public for women in full view of men like Bathsheba did.

a lot of cosmetics are tested on animals and have harmful dyes and colours so I would only use natural products. if you cant eat it without dying then dont put it on your face. although mud pack and clay mask is quite alright and beneficial.

Great question imo, Court_11. 🙂

First, I have had some personal conviction in regards to this issue. I understand that what God convicts me to do in this area may not be the exact same conviction someone else has. I am not adamant to impose my convictions on others, bc there seem to be some gray areas in the Christian life that aren't definitely spelled out in the Bible. We must depend on the abiding Holy Spirit to guide us personally. I think this is probably one of those areas. (*Immodesty is not okay though.)

My convictions: I do not wear dark eyeliner, mascara, or lipstick; sleeveless or low shirts or dresses; shorts, skirts, or dresses that are much higher than the knee.

I, personally, don't think it is deceitful to wear makeup. I wear basics, mostly bc of acne scarring. If my complexion were more clear, I probably wouldn't wear makeup at all.

I think we, young ladies, do have to use caution not to get hung up on our appearance- as previous posters have said. Pride is unacceptable (Proverbs 8:13) and beautifying ones self is one main avenue in which the enemy snares a lot of people I fear. (I think Proverbs 16:30 is an interesting Scripture that might pertain to this.)

Another conviction I had was to get rid of my Facebook account (I've never had instagram, etc). Social media can (notice I didn't say "is") be a device to distract us from the Father and bring about trouble.

As far as purchasing clothing, it is a necessity after all. But there are many items that are just too expensive for me to buy. I so appreciate when someone gives me a nice hand-me-down, or I find a cheaper article of clothing. Tbh, I've consciously stopped buying clothes to try and be more frugal with money, and what do you know but that God has gifted me clothing through other people. 🙂 ❤️ One thought to consider may be, "If God directs me to strike up a Jesus conversation with someone who may be very poor, could my attire be so "loud" that it makes them uncomfortable, jealous, or distracted?" I've had to ask myself this.

In reference to your latter questions, we have to be busy seeking and serving our Father. Get busy in the church! Look for places to serve others and get involved. (And not only in the church- the world is a mission field.) Sign up for Bible studies (and study big time yourself!). Visit nursing homes and homebound. Cook a dish and take it to someone. Find someone (perhaps younger than you) to mentor. Write encouraging cards to people. Have serious prayer time every day, interceding for others... There are lots of opportunities to love and be salt and light to people. These things are of lasting value when done in obedience to Christ with pure motive.

"...An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband." 1 Corinthians 7:34

Paul wrote these words to young Timothy> "Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity." 1 Timothy 4:18

Just bc you are young doesn't mean you can't be effective for the Kingdom. God uses the the weak and humble of the earth- those who will submit to Him from the heart. Ask Him what He wants from you. 🙂
❤️

Well, snitzelfritz.

I WANTED to write a few thoughts in this thread, but everyone else seems to have beaten me to anything I wanted to say...

That, and I'm still laughing at Cinder's post.

Even if I WERE captured into some ruler's harem, I'm pretty sure I would be swiftly sent back for attitude problems, and long before they ever got around to trying to beautifying me.

Speaking of "for women," Where, oh where is my beautiful Ladies Only Forum? Am I too new? Have I not posted enough to see it yet? Did it get REMOVED? .

Hi, Tinuviel. 🙂 Are you talking about the Christian Ladies Forum?

Hi Tin,

It's so good to have you back!

I could be wrong about this, so anyone who knows, please correct me.

I think the rules have changed over time, and I'm not sure what the current ones are. I know that "back in the day", all registered ladies could have access to the Ladie's Forum. Then it changed to having to be a member for a while first (and I'm not sure how long the time requirement was.)

Now, I think you have to pay the annual $25 subscription membership in order to have access to it, but I could be wrong.

Generally, if you were here before and they recognize you, they will grandfather you in to the old benefits you had when you were here before.

So you might see a lot less activity there now if it costs to see and participate in it -- you might want to ask Oncefallen just to be sure, because I never know about the updated rules unless someone tells me.

Welcome back.