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Author Topic: Makeup is a work of the devil  (Read 9781 times)

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Makeup is a work of the devil
« on: March 29, 2025, 01:48:21 PM »
Dear Traditional Catholic women,

I write this to all of you with a sincere hope of the salvation of your soul even if it hurts you to read this initially. You must stop wearing makeup and hair dye.

Makeup creates a mask in which women are able to present themselves as more beautiful, more tempting, and more desirable than they actually are. It has been condemned by holy saints since the time of the early church. It is an alteration of God's creation and a form of deceit and vanity.

"Why are you anxious to add to the work of God? If He wished you to be born painted, He would have created you so!"
(On the Apparel of Women, Book 2, Chapter 6)
- Tertullian

"Those who use artificial means to beautify themselves transgress the truth of God’s creation... they are lying against their own face!"
(The Instructor, Book 3, Chapter 2)
- St Clement of Alexandria

"You deface your own beauty by unnatural paints, and even sin against God, for you seek to be more beautiful than He made you."
(Homily 10 on Matthew)
- St John Chrysostom

"Those women who put on makeup to provoke lust are not merely committing a sin, but are a snare for others to sin as well."
(On the Good of Marriage, Chapter 25)
- St Augustine of Hippo

These same considerations apply for hair dye, botox etc. as it seeks to achieve the same goal as make up.

These things have become so normalised in the modern world that even Catholics don't think there's anything wrong with it. But that's why we must stand against it and root out these evils bit by bit to become holy. 

My girlfriend used to be so insecure about her looks that she would rarely go out in public without wearing makeup. She only wore a couple of products. Eventually (praise God) she stopped wearing makeup as often because she realised it was a cause and a coping mechanism of her insecurity, and instead she needed to put her self worth in how God sees her. Then she only wore makeup to mass because she thought it was more formal, and then she realised that it isn't and pleasing God is all that should matter to her. So she has stopped wearing makeup and using hair dye entirely and she now believes it is a work of the devil.

May God bless you.

Offline Ladislaus

  • Supporter
Re: Makeup is a work of the devil
« Reply #1 on: March 29, 2025, 02:16:24 PM »
We've had long discussion threads about this.  There can be some relatively-slight use of makeup where it does not so much constitue a "mask" that alters one's appearance as a much as an act similar to grooming.  We have to be careful about absolute statements like the one in your OP, since absolute statements about material things without considering the formal aspect (both apply in every case of moral theology) ... as it that's the type of un-nunanced and non-distinguished thinking that turns people into Puritans vs. Catholics.  Drinking alcohol is evil.  X, Y, and Z are evil.

Back to the point.  If a woman (or a man) does up their hair or wear a certain hairstyle, is that also "evil" for the same "principles" laid out above?  What about powdering your hair?  What about the case of a young lady or young man who have skin issues (such as acne).  In that case, putting a little makeup on would be in the same category as putting  a bandage on a festering / puss-filled sore so other people wouldn't have to look at it.

I believe that a LIGHT application of makeup that doesn't significantly alter one's appearance and not motivated by seeking impure attention might be considered licit and in the same category as grooming.  If you promote everything all natural, you'd never cut or style your hair, never trim your toenails or your nose hair or ear hair ... like the hippie women in the 1960s who enjoyed displaying ample armpit hair.

So in the quotes from the Fathers you posted, note the implied FORMAL principles.

Tertullian:  adding to the work of God and "painting" ... altering creation
St. Clement: beautify themselves ... lying
St. John Chrysosom:  unnatural PAINTs seeking to be more beautiful
St. Augustine:  provoking lust

Formal Motive ... to provoke lust.  Clearly sinful.  PAINT (aka heavy application) to alter one's (created) appearance ... deceptive and vain.

Thus, as I stated above, a light application (vs. PAINT) that does not significantly alter one's appearance and not motivated by seeking impure attention could be licit.  Is all "beautifying beyond nature" evil?  Should I not use soap to clean myself or shampoo on my hair?  Should I never trim my beard, shave my armpits?  Can a woman never style her hair?  These all "alter nature" with the point of enhancing one's appearance.  If you're disfigured or have an outbreak on your face / body, civility requires covering these up so people don't have to see such things.  There's no absolute principle in "naturality" ... otherwise we'd walk around naked, wouldn't groom ourselves, use soap (let the natural oils build up as God intended) etc.  There's also no absolute principle in beautification (or, rather, de-uglification) if one wants to cover certain blemishes, etc.  There's no absolute principle in wanting to look good ... to a point.  Otherwise, people should show up to Mass un-groomed and looking like slobs, right?  There's a balance between a dignified look, where you dress nice, look nice, are neatly groomed, but it doesn't cross that line into being ostentatious, drawing attention (being a slob or ungroomed could also draw attention), substantially change nature (with heavy paints), and seeking impure attentions.

If some man or woman showed up at Mass un-groomed, obviously in need of a haircut, with unkempt hair, exhibiting (ever-so-natural) body odor due to lack of deodorant, bad breath due to not having brushed his teeth, dirty clothes ... I'd consider that a disrespect toward the Blessed Sacrament and a Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  But if you turn those principles incorrectly into absolutes, showing up like this might be virtuous, and those who groom themselves, bruth their teeth, use deodorant, and dress nicely (wearing nice clothese is vain beautification, no?) would be the sinners, right?

As with all matters or moral theology, it does depend on the motivation, right?  I could see someone who's dressed poorly because he can't afford better and is ashamed, someone might show up dressed in shabby clothes because he can't afford any more (say a homeless person who sneaks into Mass) or else a person might show up that way because he just doesn't care and has little respect for the Mass and the Blessed Sacrament.  In one case there's no sin and perhaps even an increase in humility, while in the latter (perhaps they're dressed identically) there's sin.  On the other extreme someone might be proud of his appearance in an $800 suit and look down upon the other "scuм" who could afford only a cheap off-label one.  It's all about the motivation, the formal aspect.

You may have a woman who applies a lot of makeup to attrack impure attention from men, but you may have another who puts a little on just to cover up some unsightly acne or otherwise puts on a light layer where her mindset is little different than if she were combing her hair or brushing her teeth or applying a bit of deodorant.


Re: Makeup is a work of the devil
« Reply #2 on: March 29, 2025, 02:35:00 PM »

Re: Makeup is a work of the devil
« Reply #3 on: March 29, 2025, 02:37:33 PM »

Re: Makeup is a work of the devil
« Reply #4 on: March 29, 2025, 02:42:49 PM »
True:  Most young women don’t need makeup or hair dye.  It’s sad to see little girls with makeup and dyed hair.  It bad for the environment and some make up products cause cancer.  

Some of us older married ladies could use a little make up and to cover up some grays. And wear contacts too.   

We all can work on our inner beauty.