Should a Christian woman use make up?

Artwork Credit: A Venetian Beauty (1865) by Eugen von Blaas (1843–1931). Artvee.com.

    Perhaps we were taught growing up that wearing makeup is simply wrong. Maybe we were never told anything at all, and we picked up cues from what the older women did, or did not do. Some may wear makeup to feel more presentable, while others have never touched it, fearing that it might dishonor God. Others may not care at all. But if we say we follow Christ, we ought to ask: What matters to Him about how we present ourselves?

    The Bible does not mention makeup the way we might want it to. It neither commands nor outright prohibits it. This does not mean God is silent about beauty or self-adornment. It means we need to be discerning. When Scripture speaks of how women present themselves, the issue is usually why they do it and how it affects their witness, their humility, and their hearts.

    Some Christians refer to verses in the Old Testament where women used cosmetics. Jezebel painted her eyes in 2 Kings 9:30, just before she died. But this was not a warning about makeup itself. Jezebel’s destruction came because of her rebellion and idolatry (1 Kgs. 16:31–33), not her eyeliner. Others mention Ezekiel 23:40, where God rebuked Israel through the imagery of a painted adulteress. Still, the makeup was not the sin. It served as a picture of seduction and unfaithfulness to God. These passages may give us a sense of warning, but they do not prove that wearing makeup is a sin in itself.

    In the New Testament, the apostle Peter urged women: “Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—rather let it be the hidden person of the heart” (1 Pet. 3:3–4, NKJV). Paul gave a similar word to Timothy, that women should “adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but… with good works” (1 Tim. 2:9–10, NKJV). These verses do not ban all outward adornment. They simply remind us that if we spend hours on the mirror and none with God, we may have gotten something backwards.

    There are Christian women who feel convicted never to use makeup at all. That can be a wise and good conviction. If they associate makeup with vanity, or if they feel their conscience is pricked every time they try it, then perhaps it is best for them not to use it (Rom. 14:23). Our convictions should never be mocked or dismissed. But convictions are not always commands. We must be careful not to impose on others what the Lord has not.

    At the same time, we should ask ourselves honest questions about whether we wear makeup. Are we trying to look clean and presentable, or are we striving to appear younger or more seductive, or for whatever reason? Are we covering a blemish or hiding the truth? These questions may require us to bring our routines before God and ask Him to search us (Ps. 139:23–24). It may also help to ask a spiritually mature friend or an older sister in the faith, someone who loves us enough to be honest, yet gentle.

    We must also consider how makeup is viewed in our culture. In some settings, modest makeup may speak professionalism. In others, it may be associated with pride or seduction. Cultural context matters, especially if we seek to avoid causing offense unnecessarily (Rom. 14:13–15). Still, we must not live in fear of people’s opinions. Our aim is not to be controlled by the culture, but to walk with wisdom in it.

    There are also women who feel pressured to wear makeup because of insecurity. They may have been ridiculed, or overlooked for their appearance. We must be careful here. It may be too easy to say, “You should not wear makeup; God looks at the heart.” That is true (1 Sam. 16:7), but it may not feel true for the woman who has been told her whole life that her appearance is not enough. If we are to urge her to put down the brush, we must also be willing to stand with her, and to remind her that God made her beautifully and wonderfully (Ps. 139:13–14). She does not need to be polished to be precious.

    Some women say, “But makeup helps me feel confident.” There may be some truth in that. But, “Is that confidence based on grace, or on appearance?” If it disappears as soon as the makeup comes off, it may not be the kind that lasts. True beauty is not something we paint on, it is something God forms in us as we follow Him (Prov. 31:30; 2 Cor. 3:18).

    There will be a place for makeup, just as there will be a place for jewelry and clothing choices. These may not be moral issues in themselves. What matters is that we examine our hearts. Do we seek to honor the Lord? Do we want to help others in their walk with Him? Do we aim to live in moderation and self-control (Titus 2:11–12)? 

So, should a Christian woman use makeup?

    We may say it depends on her conscience, her motives, and ultimately, her witness. We may choose to wear it or to avoid it, but we must be able to say that our choice was made before the Lord (Rom. 14:5–6). It should never be done out of fear of man, or the desire to impress, or the need to measure up to worldly standards. If we do use makeup, let it be with moderation and honesty. If we choose not to, let it be from conviction and not pride. Either way, let our aim be the beauty that pleases God, “a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God” (1 Pet. 3:4, NKJV).