Cosmetics on Shabbat III: Makeup

You are beautiful, my companion (f.) you are beautiful, your eyes are doves. You are beautiful my beloved (m.), also pleasant, also our couch is fresh.

Grace is a lie and beauty ephemeral. A woman who fears God, she should be praised.

One who sees comely trees and comely people says: Blessed [is God] that so created comely creatures in His world. A story of Rabban Gamliel who saw a comely non-Jewish woman and recited a beracha over her.

Beit Hillel say [in praise of a bride]: A comely and attractive bride…When Rav Dimi came, he said: Thus, one sings before a bride in the Land of Israel: Not kohl and not rouge and not paint, yet a graceful ya’el [ibex]…

As it is taught [in a baraita]: “And one who is desolate in her nidda [state]” The first elders said that she should not use kohl and not indirectly redden her skin and not adorn herself with colored garments, until Rabbi Akiva came and said: If so, you make her distasteful to her husband…

The norms and trends found in rabbinic literature emphasize the value of the family, nurture the connection of the couple, and protect its vitality. The desire for purity and sanctity as values that can be applied in daily life in general, and in family life in particular, is expressed in the attention that the sages gave to the value of beauty between man and wife within the family framework, in different directions, in order that a man find his satisfaction within this framework… The sages’ awareness of the central role of feminine aesthetics in this framework stood out above all. This awareness is translated in many places into revolutionary halachic rulings in the area, like the words of Rabbi Akiva about adornment for a woman in nidda.

A woman may make herself up [on Chol Ha-mo’ed]. Our rabbis taught [in a baraita]: These are women’s adornments: She applies kohl and is pokeset [parts her hair or applies and removes a substance to redden her skin] and applies rouge [sarak] to her face…

Kochelet – Places kohl between her eyes, in order that they appear comely. Pokeset – Parts her hair to this [side] and that. Applies rouge to her face – an herb, in order that she seem ruddy…

Similarly, the pokeset – There are those who explain: She presses a sort of dough on her face, and when she removes it, it reddens the skin.

…Rav Chisda’s wife would make herself up before her daughter-in-law. Rav Huna bar Chanina sat before Rav Chisda and said: They only taught [that a woman may use makeup on Chol Ha-mo’ed] regarding a girl [young woman], but not an elderly woman. He [Rav Chisda] said to him: By God, even your mother and even your mother’s mother and even a woman standing over her grave [may do so]…

….They only taught – that which it says that a woman adorns herself [on Chol Ha-mo’ed], Regarding a girl – a young woman, whose way is thus, and thus she is joyous on the mo’ed [festival]. But not an elderly woman – And how could your wife do this, that she adorns herself, for she is old? Even a woman standing at the opening to her grave – is permitted to adorn herself.

On Friday night, with my Face freshly exfoliated, moisturized, primed, painted, penciled, powdered, buffed, and sprayed, my husband and I sing, “Sheker hachein, v’hevel hayofi [Grace is a lie and beauty ephemeral].” Then we smirk.

As we light the candles and welcome Shabbos, the stress of the week disappears and we embrace the peace and beauty of the Sabbath. We are dressed in our best clothes and dine on delicious Shabbos delicacies in the company of our dearest family and friends. We want to look our best, and we take great effort to pull it all together….Why do we wear makeup? Ask twenty women and get one hundred and twenty reasons. Over the years, as a professional makeup artist, the reasons I’ve heard that propel women to wear makeup are endless…I’d like to share some of the more universal ones…Makeup makes me feel pretty, younger, happier, stylish, more secure. Makeup gives me that special glow, draws attention to my best features, makes my husband happy….My overall assessment on why women wear makeup is simple. I believe that wearing makeup makes a woman feel better in some way, shape, or form.

…Similarly one who applies kohl [to her eyes] and one who is pokeset [parts her hair with a comb or places a substance on the skin to redden it upon removal], Rabbi Eliezer holds liable [on a Torah level] and the sages prohibit rabbinically…

It was taught [in a baraita]…and so Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar would say in the name of Rabbi Eliezer: A woman may not apply paint to her face, because she is coloring.

On what account is it liable? Rabbi Avin said Rabbi Yossei son of Rabbi Chanina said:…Kochelet [using kohl] is on account of koteiv [writing]…Our rabbis said before Rabbi Abbahu:…Is the way of writing thus?…Rather Rabbi Abbahu said: To me it was explained by Rabbi Yossei son of Rabbi Chanina: Kochelet is on account of coloring [in a number of mss. “writing”] …

On account of writing – For she moves the kohl wand around the eye, like a person who moves a pen around a letter.

One who is kochelet is liable on account of koteiv [writing], one who is pokeset is liable on account of tzovei’a [coloring].

Koteiv [writing] is one of the arch-categories of melacha, therefore it is prohibited to be kocheil with eye-paint and the like on Shabbat, because he is like one who writes (koteiv)…

Dyeing is one of the arch-categories of melacha, therefore it is prohibited for a woman to apply sarak [rouge] to her face, because she is like one who dyes (tzovei’a)…

It is prohibited for a woman to apply sarak [rouge] to her face on Shabbat, on account of tzovei’a. And for this reason, she is prohibited to apply kohl on Shabbat, and for this reason she is prohibited to spread paste on her face, that reddens the skin when she removes it.

…Applying kohl or being pokeset is prohibited, and she is liable [on a Torah level] for a sin-offering, thus is straightforward in [Tractate] Shabbat. The explanation is applying kohl to the eyes and parting the hair with a comb. There are those who explain pokeset as sticking a type of paste on her face and when she removes it, it reddens the flesh. And she should not apply rouge to her face, because she is coloring.

For even when actually performing an act, the one applying kohl is only [violating] a rabbinic prohibition, as we learn in Shabbat 95b “and our sages say on account of a rabbinic prohibition.”

This is the rule: Whoever does a melacha and his melacha is mitkayyemet [lasting] on Shabbat is liable [on a Torah level].

One who colors [ha-tzovei’a] is not liable [for a Torah violation] until the color be lasting, but color that is not lasting at all, such one who applies paint [sarak] or vermillion over iron or copper and colors it, is patur [has violated a rabbinic prohibition, but is exempt from Torah-level liability], for you apply it for a time and it does not color at all, and one whose melacha is not mitkayyemet on Shabbat is patur.

One who writes [ha-koteiv] is not liable [for a Torah violation] until he writes with something that makes a mark that endures, like [scribe’s] ink and black pigment and red paint and gum ink and calcanthum and the like, and he writes on a thing upon which the writing is mitkayyem, like skin and parchment and paper and wood and the like, but one who writes with something whose mark does not endure, such as drinks and fruit juices, or who wrote with ink and the like on vegetable leaves or on anything that isn’t lasting, is patur [has violated a rabbinic prohibition, but is exempt from Torah-level liability]. And he is not liable [on a Torah level] until he writes with a lasting thing upon a lasting thing…One who writes on his flesh is liable [on a Torah level], for it is skin…

Even applying red paint to a woman’s face is also only rabbinic, for tzovei’a is not on a Torah level on a person’s skin.

…There is no liability for a sin offering [on a Torah level] for tzove’ia on human skin…For they only taught the whole matter of tzovei’a for cloth and [animal] skin. as it was in the mishkan…

According to what that Mishna Berura wrote, the rationale is that tzovei’a is not on a Torah level on a person’s skin. Nevertheless, that rationale itself requires explanation, for one who writes on his flesh is liable [on a Torah level]…and it seems…that the action of writing is not performed upon the surface that is written on, but rather the action is the writing itself, for the matter that was written remains marked as a reminder, and this is applicable also with one who writes on human flesh…but with coloring, the action isn’t the coloring itself but is [the effect] upon the item being colored, for it receives the color. A woman’s face is not subject to coloring that remains and endures, for in the end it is impossible to do without washing one’s face at least once a day in the morning, and in the end the color will come off with washing; therefore, it is not coloring, only she is “like one who colors” and it is prohibited on a rabbinic level. And even though it is possible for the color to last for a while if they don’t remove it, but since it is bound to come off through the action of washing, it is considered eino mitkayyem…

That you asked if a woman may apply kohl to her eyes on Shabbat, or if she should treat it as prohibited, is very weak…Sages such as you should be in doubt regarding this clear matter? Is a woman not obligated in Shabbat like a man? Granted regarding adornment, there is a distinction between a man’s adornment and a woman’s adornment, but regarding melacha should one draw a distinction between woman and man? Is it not thus written: “you and your son and your daughter?” And further, is it not an explicit teaching of our sages, that we say “and so one who constructs [her hair] and so one who applies kohl and so one who parts her hair with a comb?”….

Says [Sharon] Langert: “I personally love makeup, but if you’re an Orthodox woman in an Orthodox community, you kind of accept that on Saturday, you won’t look the same as during the week.”

Due to the various halachic issues regarding makeup and cosmetics on Shabbos, it is advisable for one to apply all makeup before Shabbos begins. All makeup may be applied on Erev Shabbos, even if it will remain on well into Shabbos.

The time-honored method for Shabbat and holiday application is to schmear on a heavy coating of moisturizers and makeup before lighting candles, then sleep very carefully in it and keep it pasted on through Havdalah the next day… It’s a pretty tall order to keep a full face of makeup on for that long without ending up smudged or looking like a clown with exaggerated features. Just imagine how many pillowcases have been lost to the cause.

It is prohibited for a woman to apply sarak to her face, and this is pasting red herbs onto her face to show herself as a comely woman, since this is akin to tzovei’a, and so ruled the great compiler [Rambam] and in any case, the great decisor [Rif] did not bring it and perhaps he questions it, since in the Talmud it is a single person’s opinion…

Women are accustomed to put sarak on their faces, a sort of paint, and sprinkle powder over it. One can take the position that if she sprinkles just the powder on her face, without paint from before, even though the powder also changes and beautifies the appearance of the face, in any case there is no prohibition in this. For this is not defined as tzovei’a, since the powder is dry and does not adhere completely to the skin of the face…Tzovei’a if the color does not adhere to the thing colored is not defined as tzovei’a…Indeed, if she painted her face on Friday, and on Shabbat there is still a bit of the paint on the face, one should not permit sprinkling the powder over the paint, for the powder adheres to the paint, and it changes and beautifies the appearance of the paint…and it is a completion of the melacha of tzovei’a…

Regarding whether it is permissible for a woman to adorn herself with lipstick, behold it is prohibited for two reasons, from the prohibition of smoothing and from the prohibition of coloring, and if it is liquid such that there is no smoothing, there is in any case a prohibition of coloring. And so, it is prohibited for a woman to color her face on account of the laws of tzovei’a, but to cast white powder on the face, which is not mitkayyem at all, there is no prohibition of tzovei’a in this.

The use of makeup powder to color the face on Shabbat….To his honor, my dear grandson…It is correct what you responded to Rav David Weinberger about what I wrote in my book Iggerot Moshe OC I:114 regarding the matter of coloring the face…And you said that it would seem that one can also permit for this reason colored types of makeup powder and as was mentioned in my name…And it is also correct what you said that one should be careful of giving a general permission even to white powder, for after testing and investigations and inquiries it seems that most of the powders that are sold for women’s cosmetics are made with an oil-type base, and some of them are mitkayyem over time, and naturally most of them raise a concern of tzovei’a, and only the others that are not mitkayyem are permissible. Without experience in assessing this type of matter, it is difficult to make a general decisive ruling. And in my response cited above I had in mind simple white powder, called talcum, which is made without oil and is not mitkayyem. It is further understood that in preparing women’s cosmetics, one should also be careful regarding the prohibition of memachek [smoothing], and to prepare the powder in advance of Shabbat.

I was asked if it is permissible for women to place colored powder on their faces on Shabbat. It seems that one should not derive a prohibition of putting colored powder on her face from the law of applying sarak to her face, for applying sarak is different because it is mitkayyem, but placing powder on the face is not considered mitkayyem because perspiration removes it in a short time.…This case is different because the prohibition even for one who applies sarak, which is mitkayyem, is only rabbinic, because there is no tzovei’a [on a Torah level] on human skin ….For this [applying powder] is not defined as tzovei’a, since the powder is dry and does not adhere to the face, and when it comes off no mark remains from it at all… Even with colored powder the fundamental halacha is to permit it…especially when according to the words of Sefer Ha-me’orot in accordance with Rif and Hashlama it is permissible to apply sarak to the face on Shabbat. Granted that we do not rule thus, [but] one should not add on a stringency for colored powder. Especially since there is a rationale for this that they [women] not become distasteful to their husbands…

See there in Iggerot Moshe, that if they simply throw the powder on the face and it does not adhere at all, it is permissible. But Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach was doubtful about this as well, for whenever one intends to be tzovei’a, even for a short time, what are our grounds to permit it, especially when according to the opinion of a number of early authorities there is a Torah-level prohibition even when it is eino mitkayyem…And makeup powder, since the way of women is to color their faces thus, it stands to reason that an analogous case of writing would certainly be prohibited, and what are our grounds to permit it when it is tzovei’a.

The powder submitted to the OK for certification was not a pure powder, but one with other ingredients. An OK Rabbinic Coordinator who also holds a Master of Science in chemistry investigated the ingredients and felt that some of them would indeed be considered something that would make the powder stick to the skin. In addition, the powder definitely had an oily feel when put on one’s skin. After consultations with various rabbinic authorities, we felt the following pitfalls would be too great for the OK to certify the product: • The present powder was not acceptable due to added ingredients. • Even if we could get pure powder, one might use it on top of makeup that was put on before Shabbos. • Not all rabbinic authorities are in agreement that any powder makeup is permissible. • Ladies seeing a Rebbitzen using the product on Shabbos might come to the mistaken conclusion that other makeup is permissible.

If blood came out of his flesh, he puts some spider webs [used historically as a bandage] there. Or a red cloth, for in this there is no concern of tzovei’a, but a cloth that is not red is prohibited.

It is prohibited to place a cloth on a bleeding wound, since the blood will dye it.

…It seems to me that with a red cloth, it is clear that it is prohibited.

…One can say that sprinkling the powder, which is white and whose purpose is to improve the complexion of the flesh and to give the flesh a glowing appearance without being shiny, and doesn’t change the appearance of the face to look different, one should only be concerned for the position of Magen Avraham 320 and 328 that even with red onto red, dyeing applies to a cloth. In any case…this is also rabbinic from the perspective of being white onto white, even though the color of the powder is whiter than the whiteness of the face, but since in the end the appearance is the same, just that it is brighter since its complexion is improved, this is not defined as tzovei’a on a Torah level…with three [factors that make the halacha] rabbinic as in our topic, for it is tzovei’a on human skin, and white onto white, and also is eino mitkayyem, if so one should tend in this [to leniency]. However, all of this is with a type of powder whose purpose is only to improve the complexion of the flesh and the look of the face will remain in its form, but powder with which they want to color the face, so that it have a tendency to a different appearance, is certainly prohibited.

We permit her to place that powder on her face because of sweat, etc. (face powder), if the appearance of the powder is equivalent to the appearance of her flesh, for this is not called tzovei’a, since her intention is not for any coloring…Note 15: Since they [women] don’t intend with this for coloring, but just place it on their faces for another reason. And the fact that they are particular that the powder be the shade of their flesh, is so that the powder not be recognizable on their faces…

If one softens the [shoe] leather with oil, it is also a matter of ibbud and he is liable [on a Torah level], and therefore, for this reason, one needs to take care not to apply oil to a new shoe [on Shabbat]…and there are those who prohibit also with an old shoe, and especially nowadays when there are many unlearned people and they will come to be lenient also with new ones, one should certainly be stringent in all cases, and how much more so if his intention in applying the oil is so that the shoe be black, it seems that one should prohibit according to everyone out of concern for tzovei’a… [Sha’ar Ha-tziyyun 16: As it is known that this blackens it, and the way of craftsmen is to do thus]…

It is prohibited to put polish on the nails, whether colored or clear polish…Note 167: For in any case the polish is inherently shiny, and also with this there is a prohibition of tzovei’a, for what is the difference between color or shine, I heard from Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach. And the proof is from oiling shoes, that this entails a prohibition of tzovei’a, Mishna Berura 327:12 and Sha’ar Ha-tziyyun 16…and also imparting a shine is itself considered a change in color, end quote. 64: It is prohibited to color the lips and the like on Shabbat and on Yom Tov…and even use of clear lip gloss is prohibited. Note 170:…For it has an element of tzovei’a…

It is astonishing in my eyes what Shemirat Shabbat Ke-hilchetah (14:57) brought in the name of Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach…And even placing a clear color onto hair and parts of the body that have natural coloring does not make it [the action] worse [halachically], for this [clear color] does not mix with that [natural color]. And if the base color is not a dye, how would the clear paint make it worse [halachically, from the perspective of tzovei’a]?…One should only consider whether the [clear] color[ed product] or the oil has substance such that it would be memarei’ach.

A woman is permitted to put hair oil (brillantine) on her hair.

Our sages say that there is a special light to the face on Shabbat, and therefore at a Sheva Berachot meal one can recite the berachot even when there is no “new face,” because Shabbat is called a “new face.” Therefore, there is an extra soul on Shabbat and a woman, too, has an extra soul on Shabbat! And a wise woman said: That extra soul, that Shabbat light to the face, lights up a woman’s face without kohl and without sarak.