Islamic Rulings on Women's Adornment and Makeup
(Zeb-o-Zeenat)
Estimated Reading Time: 18 min read
Every week some new beauty trend reaches Muslim women's phones — a shoe design that looks a little masculine, a contouring technique that reshapes the entire structure of the face, or a hair dye that claims to cover every grey strand in one go. Most of the time, no one even pauses to think that such a trend might carry a Shariah ruling of its own. This article gathers together the questions that come up the most — shoes, eyebrow color, cosmetic surgery, contouring, hair dye, Purification (Taharah), and clothing at home — and answers each one with the evidence behind it, not just a one-line verdict.
Note: Every effort has been made to accurately present the Arabic text and its diacritical marks (Zer, Zabar, Pesh / Harakat) in the Qur'anic verses and Hadith quoted below. If any unintentional error remains in the Arabic script, we ask Allah Ta'ala for forgiveness, and kindly request the reader to read and pronounce the Arabic correctly.
A visual guide to the Shariah rulings on women's adornment covered in this article.
Before moving ahead, it is worth reading this alongside our detailed guide on whether tight clothing, pants, and tights are permissible for women, since several of these rulings rest on the very same underlying principle explained above: Resembling the Opposite Gender (Tashabbuh).
Is it permissible for a woman to wear a shoe with a masculine design?
A question was once put to Imam Ahmad Raza Khan (may Allah have mercy on him): is it correct to say that a masculine-style shoe worn by a woman is only disliked (makruh), not forbidden? His answer settles this issue clearly, and the same principle still applies today whenever a shoe, sneaker, or heel comes to market with a masculine cut.
A second narration, which Imam al-Hakim graded as authentic, states the same principle from another angle — this time about clothing worn by either gender that belongs to the other:
Based on these two narrations, wearing a shoe that is specifically made and sold as a men's fashion style is not permissible for a woman, no matter how attractive or fashionable its design may look. The standard is not comfort or appearance — the standard is whether the item is clearly recognized, in the society one lives in, as belonging to the opposite gender.
There is a reason this principle is given so much weight, rather than being dismissed as a trivial matter of fashion preference. Islam places real importance on keeping the visible distinction between men and women clear, because blurring this line in dress was never, in the sight of the Prophet (peace be upon him), a minor fashion issue — he drew attention to it directly and repeatedly. This is why the scholars did not leave it to personal taste, but tied it to a lasting principle that a believing woman can apply to any trend, new or upcoming.
Many stores today carry unisex sneakers and flats whose design is not specific to either gender — these fall outside this ruling. The concern here is specifically about shoes that are designed, marketed, or commonly recognized as a men's style, and which a woman wears to copy that look. A simple test many women find useful: if that shoe would look ordinary on a man's foot walking down the street, it falls into this category, regardless of what color it is sold in.
Reference: Musnad Ahmad, Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abi Dawud, Jami' al-Tirmidhi, Sunan Ibn Majah (hadith of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both); Sunan Abi Dawud and Al-Mustadrak of al-Hakim (hadith of Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, authentic chain); Fatawa Razawiyyah, Volume 22, Page 173.
Can women apply color or tint to their eyebrows and lashes?
Makeup counters today are full of brow gels, tinted pencils, and lash serums, and here it is essential to distinguish between two very different actions that often get mixed up: applying color to hair that is already there, and removing the hair or reshaping it altogether. Islamic jurisprudence views these two quite differently.
Removing, plucking, or thinning eyebrow hair for the sake of beauty is not permissible. This is based on the following hadith found in Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, and Sunan Abi Dawud:
On the other hand, applying color to hair that is already present on the face — kohl, brow tint, pencil, or a similar tinted product — is an entirely separate matter. Since this only changes the color and not the shape or amount of hair, it is permissible under three conditions: the product used must be pure and free of impermissible ingredients, the process must not involve plucking or thinning any hair, and the chosen color must not be pure black dye applied to white facial hair, which is explained further below.
In short: reshaping the eyebrows by removing hair is not permissible, but deepening or filling in existing eyebrows with color — without removing any hair — stays within the permissible limit, provided the product itself is halal and pure.
One more important point here: scholars also state that anything that touches the skin without genuine necessity should itself be free of impurity (najasah). A pure part of the body should not knowingly be brought into contact with something impure unless there is a real need, and this same principle comes up again later in the discussion on contouring.
Before booking any eyebrow service, always ask whether it involves removing hair through threading, waxing, or plucking, or whether it is only about applying color and filling in. Salons often use words like "shaping" and "tinting" loosely, so the safest approach is to clearly ask, before treatment begins, exactly what will be done to the hair.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitab al-Tarajjul, Volume 2, Page 221; Fayd al-Qadir Sharh al-Jami' al-Saghir, Volume 2, Page 860; Bada'i al-Sana'i, Kitab al-Taharah, Volume 1, Page 209; Fatawa Razawiyyah, Volume 4, Page 585.
The same principle of not tampering with the body without genuine need comes up again when discussing whether wearing black in mourning is permissible in Islam — another area where custom often runs ahead of what Shariah actually requires.
Is it permissible in Islam to undergo cosmetic surgery purely for beauty?
It is natural for anyone to occasionally look in the mirror and wish some feature were a little different, and the cosmetic industry has built an entire business around exactly that feeling. But Islamic guidance draws a clear line here that surprises many people.
Undergoing surgery purely to reshape facial structure for the sake of looking more beautiful is not permissible. This is considered an unnecessary alteration of the form Allah has created (Taghyir Khalq Allah), and it falls into the same category as mutilating the body's natural form (Muthlah). This is supported by the following hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari:
Classical jurists also made clear that this ruling is not absolute. Where a genuine need exists — correcting disfigurement caused by an accident, burns, a birth defect, or illness — undergoing surgery to restore the normal shape is permissible for the purpose of protection and restoration, because necessity changes the ruling on matters that would otherwise be forbidden. The difference is between necessity and mere preference: fixing what has been damaged, and reshaping what was always healthy and intact, are not the same thing.
This same distinction also makes clear that this ruling is not a blanket ban on every medical procedure related to the face or skin. Treatment prescribed for a genuine skin condition, or reconstruction following surgery for a disease, falls under the exception of necessity rather than under prohibition, because its underlying purpose is treatment, not the pursuit of beauty. What remains impermissible is surgery whose sole purpose, from start to finish, is reshaping a healthy, unaffected feature purely for the sake of beauty.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Libas, Volume 7, Page 94 (Dar Tawq al-Najah edition).
What are the conditions for contouring makeup to be permissible?
Contouring has become a common everyday makeup technique, used to highlight and shade the structure of the face, whether in photos or in person. Since it does not involve cutting, removing hair, or permanently altering the skin, it falls into a lighter category than surgery — but it is not entirely free of conditions either.
Staying within these conditions, contouring remains permissible for everyday makeup. The concern scholars consistently raise is not the shading technique itself, but what it is made of and whether it obstructs purification — a subject that comes up again in the next two sections.
Contour powders and creams sold as "waterproof" or "24-hour wear" deserve extra attention, since these are exactly the formulas most likely to leave a film on the skin that water cannot pass through. A woman who regularly uses such products should get into the habit of checking her skin before wudu, rather than assuming that a normal face wash removes everything.
Reference: Fatawa Razawiyyah, Volume 24, Page 198; Fatawa Alamgiri, Kitab al-Taharah, Volume 1, Page 4; Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitab al-Tarajjul, Bab al-Khidab bi al-Sawad, Volume 2, Page 226.
Why is pure black hair dye not permissible for Muslim women?
Grey hair comes to some people earlier than others, and it is understandable to lean toward the darkest, most concealing color available. Even so, this is a topic where the hadith states the ruling with unusual clarity and force.
Based on this warning, using pure black dye to cover white or grey hair is not permissible. This applies to the hair on the head, and by the same reasoning, to facial hair dyed the same pure black color.
Some women assume this ruling is only about outward appearance, but the wording of the hadith makes clear that the concern runs much deeper — it describes this as a mark of a people drifting away from the natural, honest display of age, not merely a small detail of adornment. This is why the scholars did not treat it as merely disliked, but classified it clearly among things to be avoided.
Henna, a reddish mixed dye, or any color that is not pure black remains permissible for covering white hair. The restriction is specifically on black color used in this particular way, not on coloring hair in general.
In practice, this means looking at what color a product actually produces rather than trusting the name on the packaging — some dyes labeled merely "dark brown" can turn out nearly black once applied, and the safest choice is one that clearly leaves behind a reddish or brownish tone, not flat black.
Reference: Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitab al-Tarajjul, Bab fi Khidab al-Sawad, Volume 2, Page 226; Fatawa Razawiyyah, Volume 22, Page 664; Mir'at al-Manajih Sharh Mishkat al-Masabih, Volume 6, Page 166.
Do makeup and hair dye affect the validity of Ablution (Wudu) and Ritual Bath (Ghusl)?
This is where many women become careless — even a completely permissible product can cause a problem if it interferes with the manner of purification. The core requirement comes directly from the Qur'an itself:
Commenting on this verse, the Hanafi jurist Imam Abu Bakr al-Jassas (died 370 AH) explains that the command "al-ghusl" (washing) in the verse means pouring water over the named part of the body in such a way that it reaches every point of the skin — purification is only complete when water actually passes over the entire designated area, not merely brushes past it.
Every classical work of Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh) states this same basic principle from this verse: water must genuinely touch the skin for wudu and ghusl to be complete. A related hadith in Sahih Muslim states this with great clarity, mentioning some companions who performed wudu hurriedly before the Asr prayer:
Applying this principle to makeup and hair dye, the ruling comes down entirely to whether the product creates a barrier:
Forms a layer (blocks water): Thick contour or foundation that sits on the skin as a visible layer, waterproof formulas, and certain thick dyes or henna pastes that harden and do not fully wash away will block water from reaching the skin. In such cases, wudu and ghusl will not be valid until the product is removed.
Only changes color (does not block water): A dye or tint that gets absorbed into the hair or skin and only changes its color — without leaving any raised layer — does not stop water from reaching the surface, and purification performed while wearing it remains valid.
The practical guidance this gives is simple: before wudu or ghusl, a woman should check whether she is wearing any makeup or dye that has dried into a visible layer. If so, she should remove it, or at least break through it, so that water can reach the skin underneath rather than simply running over the surface.
Lightly run a finger over the area after washing. If the skin feels smooth and you can feel the natural texture underneath, water has reached it. If any film, slickness, or slight raised texture is still felt, that layer needs to be broken and the area washed again, since purification of that part is not yet complete.
Reference: Surah Al-Ma'idah, Verse 6; Ahkam al-Qur'an by Imam al-Jassas, Volume 2, Page 470; Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Taharah, Bab Wujub Ghasl al-Rijlayn, Volume 1, Page 157; Mir'at al-Manajih Sharh Mishkat al-Masabih, Volume 1, Page 271; Nur al-Idah, Fasl fi Ahkam al-Wudu, Page 48 (Maktaba tul Madina, Karachi edition); Fath al-Qadir, Kitab al-Taharah, Volume 1, Page 12 (Quetta edition); Fatawa Alamgiri, Kitab al-Taharah, Bab al-Awwal, Volume 1, Page 4.
Can a woman wear men's clothing inside her own home?
A common question arises from a very ordinary situation: it's cold, the husband's sweater is soft and within reach, and no one outside the house will see her wearing it. Does privacy change this ruling?
No. The prohibition on wearing clothing attributed to the opposite gender applies to the act itself, not to who is watching. This is drawn from the same principle already discussed, illustrated by the narration in which Ibn Abi Mulaikah told Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that a certain woman used to wear a masculine-style shoe:
Since this ruling is tied to the nature of the clothing itself, not to whether it is seen or not, wearing a men's sweater, shirt, or anything similarly cut and recognized as men's clothing remains impermissible even within the four walls of one's own home. A far simpler and better option is to keep a set of warm, comfortable clothes at home that are specifically cut and made for women, so that the comfort of home does not have to come at the cost of going against this principle.
The commentator Allamah al-Munawi, explaining the concept of Resembling the Opposite Gender (Tashabbuh), states it quite plainly: a woman adopting men's particular style, manner, gait, or way of speaking — whether in dress, walking, or raising the voice — and likewise a man adopting women's ways. This is exactly why this ruling is about the nature of the clothing, not about who else is present.
Keeping a few loose, women's-cut sweaters, hoodies, or joggers at home fully solves this need for comfort — the same warmth and looseness that makes a husband's sweater tempting on a cold day is just as easily found in clothing made and sold for women, without needing to reach into the husband's wardrobe.
This same reasoning connects to why the Islamic ruling on silk clothing for men and women is not just about the fabric itself, but about the same broader principle of keeping men's and women's clothing distinct — a daily habit, not only an outdoor concern.
Reference: Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitab al-Libas, Bab fi Libas al-Nisa, Volume 4, Page 105; Fayd al-Qadir Sharh al-Jami' al-Saghir, Volume 5, Page 343; Fatawa Razawiyyah, Volume 22, Page 664.
These rulings are not meant to make beauty or comfort difficult for Muslim women — they exist to draw a clear line between adornment that stays within the limits Allah has permitted, and adornment that quietly crosses into resemblance or unnecessary alteration without a person even realizing it. When in doubt about a particular product or trend, the safest approach is to consult a qualified local scholar who can look at the specific item and give guidance. If you found this useful, consider sharing it with a sister or friend who may have asked similar questions.
Read More Guidance for Muslim Women
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. If a shoe's design is recognized, in a given place and time, as a men's fashion style, then a woman wearing it falls under the prohibition of resembling the opposite gender, based on the hadith in which the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) cursed women who imitate men.
No. Applying color to existing hair and removing or plucking eyebrow hair are separate matters. Applying color with pure, halal products is generally permissible, while thinning or removing eyebrow hair for beauty is not permissible.
Surgery purely for beauty is not permissible, as it is an unnecessary alteration of the form Allah created. It is only permissible when there is a genuine need, such as correcting disfigurement from an accident, burns, or a birth defect.
Only if it forms a visible layer that blocks water from reaching the skin. If the product only changes skin tone without forming a raised layer, Ablution (Wudu) and Ritual Bath (Ghusl) performed while wearing it remain valid.
Yes. Applying pure black dye to cover white or grey hair is not permissible according to authentic hadith, but henna, a reddish mixed dye, or any color other than pure black is permissible for the same purpose.
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