At what point does caring about your looks become sinful?

[Rosarydevotion]

I think about this a lot and sometimes concern myself about whether or not I’m guilty of being vain. But does caring about our appearance and finding ways to maintain it a sin?

For instance, I have grey hairs coming in, and want to start dying my hair. Everyone does this, but does altering my appearance this way make me vain?

As women in today’s society, we alter our appearance all the time, with makeup, hair die, and some go so far as get surgical enhancements like botox, implants, etc. At what point does this become a sin? Or is it a sin? Is it sinful to desire that we look beautiful?

Thoughts?

 

[pianistclare]

Hair dye is a far cry from injecting yourself with botulism.
I think basic beauty treatments are fine. Skin creams actually keep the skin healthy and protect from the sun, etc.
Going out to great lengths to try to alter our appearance for vain reasons would be the sin.
Like spending heaps of money, having “procedures” done. Women can dye their hair at home. It doesn’t need to consume our thoughts. That’s when it begins to take on a life of its own. Anything that becomes an obsession can be sinful.
I dye my hair (when I think about it). I look way better with normal colored hair than the odd grey strands in my scalp. If my hair came in white, I might embrace it. But the ugly grey, is just…well…ugly. It makes me feel like I don’t take care of myself. Nobody would care if I didn’t dye my hair…I’ve let it go for months now, but I imagine I’ll feel better when one of my daughters offers to do it for me in the bathroom. I’ve never spent money on professional hair coloring. That’s money I could use for my family or my church.

 

[spedteacherita]

I think about this a lot and sometimes concern myself about whether or not I’m guilty of being vain. But does caring about our appearance and finding ways to maintain it a sin?

For instance, I have grey hairs coming in, and want to start dying my hair. Everyone does this, but does altering my appearance this way make me vain?

As women in today’s society, we alter our appearance all the time, with makeup, hair die, and some go so far as get surgical enhancements like botox, implants, etc. At what point does this become a sin? Or is it a sin? Is it sinful to desire that we look beautiful?

Thoughts?

I just turned 58 this past week and lately I’ve been thinking about how I’ve handled my life throughout it…I’ve come to realize that the majority of my life has been trying to live up to how I think others perceive me and, for me, that meant how I looked. I spent hours changing my hair style, trying different makeup, and trying to make my body look appropriate with the “right” clothes. I was never satisfied. I still am never satisfied. I think the way that I’ve tried to make others like me because of how I looked was sinful…Not that each action in itself was a sin (such as getting a perm, coloring or cutting) but that the focus of my life was on me trying to get earthly attention when I should have really been spending my life focusing on Christ’s works with me…

I see it now, but I’m not sure that if I could go back now and do over would that change? If I had the wisdom that I’ve achieved, yes, but not if I go back to exactly who I was at the time.

Perhaps there is something I can do at this time to help young women know that, at the end of the day, that it really only matters about what God thinks of you. Embrace that! and the world will be better…

 

[Sunbreak]

There’s nothing wrong with caring about your looks when you could take simple steps to look good. Coloring your hair is no big deal. Wearing makeup is no big deal. Things like losing weight or having a decent wardrobe are normal things to do. Now, when you cross over into botox injections, liposuction, and surgery then it becomes questionable unless there is a medical reason for such things.

 

[Mary_Ellen]

I think about this a lot and sometimes concern myself about whether or not I’m guilty of being vain. But does caring about our appearance and finding ways to maintain it a sin?

For instance, I have grey hairs coming in, and want to start dying my hair. Everyone does this, but does altering my appearance this way make me vain?

As women in today’s society, we alter our appearance all the time, with makeup, hair die, and some go so far as get surgical enhancements like botox, implants, etc. At what point does this become a sin? Or is it a sin? Is it sinful to desire that we look beautiful?

Thoughts?

I dye my hair and wear a little makeup once in a while. I’d like to wear it every day but have a hard time motivating myself to care enough. I wear it on Sunday mornings when I cantor out of respect for the congregation - they have to look at me, I might as well look my best.

Ask yourself if you care about your appearance to the detriment of your relationship with God or others. Does your beauty routine get in the way of the normal duties you are bound to according to your state in life? I mean is it getting in the way of your marriage, parenting, work, household duties, etc.? Do you care so much about your makeup that your husband can’t kiss you, even on the cheek?

Regarding surgical enhancements, that seems to go a bit too far. Makeup is one thing, surgery without just medical need may be seen as mutilation of God’s creation.

Vanity is excessive pride or conceit regarding one’s appearance. If someone is constantly comparing themselves to others and holding themselves above others they’re probably vain, whether they wear makeup or not.

 

[Robert_Sock]

At what point does caring about your looks become sinful?

My gut answer to the question is that it becomes sinful when the time you put into your looks could be better used in prayer. Did you ever know someone who prayed too much? The way I look at it, it just comes down to the possibly that God condemns one’s soul to Hell. Why take chances; better grow wiser by being sure to please God. It all comes down to values; be sure to place Divine LOVE in the top position, across all situations.

 

[UpUpAndAway]

My gut answer to the question is that it becomes sinful when the time you put into your looks could be better used in prayer. Did you ever know someone who prayed too much? The way I look at it, it just comes down to the possibly that God condemns one’s soul to Hell. Why take chances; better grow wiser by being sure to please God. It all comes down to values; be sure to place Divine LOVE in the top position, across all situations.

It is possible to pray while spending time and putting effort into looking your best. I don’t see the two as mutually exclusive.

I have actually known people who prayed too much, and in the past have been rightly accused of the same myself. Prayer is always good, but prayer at the expense of legitimate responsibility is not what God wants from us. Taking care of oneself, including one’s appearance, is a legitimate responsibility. While there is some flexibility in the interpretation of what it means to be “presentable,” for most of us dyeing hair and wearing a bit of makeup wouldn’t fall outside what is reasonable. In my opinion.

Mary Ellen hit the nail on the head with this:

Ask yourself if you care about your appearance to the detriment of your relationship with God or others. Does your beauty routine get in the way of the normal duties you are bound to according to your state in life? I mean is it getting in the way of your marriage, parenting, work, household duties, etc.? Do you care so much about your makeup that your husband can’t kiss you, even on the cheek?

Regarding surgical enhancements, that seems to go a bit too far. Makeup is one thing, surgery without just medical need may be seen as mutilation of God’s creation.

Vanity is excessive pride or conceit regarding one’s appearance. If someone is constantly comparing themselves to others and holding themselves above others they’re probably vain, whether they wear makeup or not.

I can’t really say it better than that. It’s not an “either or” situation, either I devote time and energy to my appearance or I devote time and energy to prayer. It’s the motivation behind wanting to look good that matters.