are beauty products sinful?

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kmaguir said:
I am an 18 year old girl, and I am just wondering is it sinful to have makeup products, hair products, lotions, etc? Makeup has been around for centuries, but it is looked at in two ways 1) to enhance beauty or 2) to cover up beauty. When i go out with my boyfriend, or to a restaurant or such, I tend to put on makeup, even if just a little and do something generally with my hair, as most women (even men) do. But is this a sin? Am I altering the body God gave me? Please help.
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No. But please don’t get a tattoo.
 
UnusVeritas said:
I’m 17, and if beauty products are a sin, I’m going to the lowest ranks of hell. Kidding kidding…beauty products are fine. There’s nothing wrong in using them at all. Simply because they’ve been around for a long time, though, doesn’t mean they’re okay. Prostitution has been around a long time too, and that’s not okay. St. Thomas Aquinas supports the use of make-up.
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I quoted St. Thomas earlier in this thread. He supports the use of make-up under some circumstances and opposes it under others. In his view, the morality depends on the purpose. He approves cosmetics used by a married woman to please her husband, but does not give blanket support to it.
 
floresco said:
I quoted St. Thomas earlier in this thread. He supports the use of make-up under some circumstances and opposes it under others. In his view, the morality depends on the purpose. He approves cosmetics used by a married woman to please her husband, but does not give blanket support to it.
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Just a reminder, St. Thomas Aquinas is the greatest theological mind in history, but he is not the Church’s Law-Giver.

We tend to abuse poor Thomas. By using him as if he were the last word in Church law and theology. That is not the case.

St. Thomas’ position on this point, is just that, his position,. not Church teaching. Though he is always a good source.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
floresco said:
I quoted St. Thomas earlier in this thread. He supports the use of make-up under some circumstances and opposes it under others. In his view, the morality depends on the purpose. He approves cosmetics used by a married woman to please her husband, but does not give blanket support to it.
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Of course anything can be misused, and the misuse of it may possibly be not approved. But using it in its proper way, St. Thomas approves.
 
Come on people, it’s not about make-up. It’s about intentions.

I think anything that safe guards our DIGNITY as human beings and thus glorifies God is fine. So make up, beautiful clothing, shoes, jewelery are all ok. In fact, we must present ourselves in a way that safe guards our dignity. This is why it’s a sin to not maintain ones self in a proper way. So not cutting ones nails, hair, not shaving, not maintaining proper hygiene ( all these when possible of course) is in a way a SIN. We are not presenting ourselves as God intended.

That being said, intention is important. It is one thing to want to present one self in a way worthy of ones human dignity i.e. to glorify God in the process. BUT, to wear make-up or clothing in such a way to seduce people, raise unhealthy curiosity is SINFUL. The reason why many in our culture feel that it is sinful is because that is the main reason people in our culture tend to do these kind of things. Women wear clothing that is inappropriate and try to put make up like they are prostitutes. That is certainly sinful. Some keep obsessing over every little eye lash. Sinful.

( Aside: Same goes for guys who obsess over all these things. They want women to look like dolls. Sinful. )

So yea, intention plays the major role in guiding one either towards sin or GOOD. If the intention is GOOD, i.e. to present one self in a way that reflects ones dignity and glorifies God, then proper usage of these things will follow. It is when the intention is something else that you get skimpy clothing and obsession over beauty products even when they are bad for ones own health.

God Bless 🙂
 
I wore quite a bit of makeup in high school but I wear less now… I’m trying to have “no makeup” days, and really tone it down so it’s not noticeable

but if I don’t wear makeup at all, I’ll worry all my family and friends cause I often look very tired lol 😛 I’m a student and I often stay up late to work and sometimes I need makeup just to look less tired and not have dark circles under my eyes. I’m not wearing makeup to cause anyone to have “lustful thoughts”… also sometimes I wear makeup just because I like the colours, etc, but I’m trying to do that less often to decrease vanity.
 
Well, isn’t it, like modest clothing, a matter of prudence? I think any well-instructed and reasonably observant young woman shouldn’t have too much trouble telling the sort of makeup that hides flaws and subtly highlights her God-given beauty apart from the sort that looks garish and provocative.

In an earlier age when makeup was less commonly worn and was associated with actresses and prostitutes, of course it would probably be wrong to wear it. But in our time, makeup is socially acceptable and doesn’t have the bad associations it once did. Modern makeup is also quite a bit less expensive and extravagant than historical makeup mostly was, so it’s not a huge luxury for most women.
 
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