Cosmetics

From Halachipedia
Revision as of 12:19, 21 August 2024 by Gsilver2 (talk | contribs) (→‎Powder)

(diff) ← Older revision | Approved revision (diff) | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
This article is good. It can still be slightly improved, either by adding content, restructuring the page, or updating its content.

Background

  1. With so many new cosmetics on the market today, the question of using these products on Shabbat becomes very relevant. Some background information may shed some light on what the possible problems may be in regards to Hilchot Shabbat. One Melacha to be aware of, is the act of dyeing (Tzoveya), which was done to color the curtains of the Mishkan[1], the second is the act of smoothing (Memachaik) which was done to finish the leather of the coverings of the Mishkan.
  2. While the biblical prohibition of dyeing is only something that will be colored permanently, there is still a Rabbinic prohibition on creating a temporary coloring effect. Therefore, cosmetics such as: rouges, lipsticks, eye shadow, and others which add color to the skin, albeit for a short amount of time, are still forbidden to use on Shabbat.[2]

Bar, Liquid, and Foam Soap

  1. Some poskim hold that it is permitted to use a bar of soap on Shabbat because one doesn't intend of smoothing out the bar of soap or creating any soap suds.[3] On the opposite extreme, some poskim hold that it is forbidden to use either bar or liquid soap on Shabbat.[4] However, according to the majority of poskim, one may not use a bar of soap but one may use liquid soap on Shabbat.[5]
  2. Some poskim permit the use of foam handsoap on Shabbat.[6]
  3. If one used a scented soap to clean one’s hands, it is permitted to dry one’s hands on a towel.[7]
  4. Using Purell is like using liquid hand soap, and thus many poskim permit using it on Shabbat.[8]

Cutting Nails or Hair

  1. It is forbidden to cut nails or hair on shabbat or sever them in any way.[9]
  2. On the night of her tevila in the mikveh, a woman may have her nails cut by a non-Jew.[10]

Lipstick

  1. It is forbidden for a woman to apply lipstick on shabbat.[11]

Powder

  1. Some Poskim permit women applying non-sticky powder to their faces on Shabbat.[12] However, other poskim forbid this act.[13] Nevertheless, all agree that applying sticky powder is forbidden.[14]
  2. It is forbidden to use makeup on Shabbat if it is lasting.[15]
  3. Putting on nail polish, even if it is clear, is forbidden.[16]
  4. Rav Moshe Feinstein permitted putting on ordinary talcum powder and theoretically extended it to all colored powdered makeups. In practice, regarding specific makeups, he warned that the powdered makeups may not be made with a water or oil base and could not last for a long time.[17] Many of his students forbid all powdered makeups on the market today because in practice they remain on the skin for a long time.[18]

Nail Varnish

  1. It is forbidden to apply or remove nail varnish on shabbat.[19]

Combing Hair

  1. Regarding combing one's hair on Shabbat, see the Getting Dressed on Shabbat page.

Braiding Hair

  1. It is forbidden to braid hair on shabbat.[20]

Perfume

  1. It is permitted to apply perfume onto the human body but it is forbidden to apply perfume onto clothing on shabbat.[21]

Nail Polish

  1. It is forbidden to use nail polish on Shabbat, whether it is a colored nail polish or clear polish, as the shine adds a pleasant finish to the nail, and is enhancing the natural color of the nail, thus violating Tzovaya.[22]
    1. It is for this same reason that one would be prohibited from using whitening strips for teeth.
    2. It is also for this reason that one is prohibited from using fade creams that are of the same color as one's natural skin, even if it is being used just to cover up blemishes.[23]

Sun-Tanning

  1. Some Poskim go as far as to prohibit intentional suntanning, as this leaves a color on the skin, and thus may violate tzovaya.[24]
  2. It should be noted that not all Poskim concur with this ruling, and everyone holds that it is permitted to merely sit outside if there is no intention of tanning, even if one will be pleased with the results.[25]

Makeup Removal

  1. While putting on makeup in most cases is forbidden, removing it is permitted. However, it is preferable to be use a disposable tissue, so as to avoid questions of coloring the cloth or towel being used.[26] One should also avoid using nail polish remover.[27]

Smoothing Creams

  1. Besides for the concern of tzoveah (coloring), when dealing with lotions there is also a concern of memachek (smoothing). Therefore, the use of lipstick or even non-colored chapstick are prohibited on shabbat.[28]
  2. Skin blemish concealers, hand creams (Nivea, Eucerin), Vaseline, rouge creams, moisturizers, lotions and the like are all prohibited under memachek as well.[29]

Lotions

  1. As long as the lotion has a thin and pourable consistency, like that of oil,[30] it would be permitted to use on shabbat [providing that it is not medicinal, as then one would have to ask a question regarding the refuah aspect].
    1. Therefore, one may apply most forms of sunblock lotion on an infant (or himself for that matter), as they are of very loose consistency.[31]

Credits

  1. Special thanks to Rabbi Heshy Kahn for this article.

Common questions

  1. Is it permissible to use Crest whitening strips on Shabbos? See above #Nail polish.

Links

Sources

  1. ↑ Rashi Parshas Terumah 25:5 D"h Meadamim
  2. ↑ Rambam Hilchos Shabbos 22:23, S.A. 303:25, Mishna Brurah 303:79, Rabbi Heshy Kahn (What's Doing, Greater Connecticut, 3/3/11)
  3. ↑ According to Chacham Ovadia Yosef (Sh"t Yechave Daat 2:50), it is permitted to use a bar of soap or liquid soap on shabbat because one has no intention of changing anything. One only intends to clean what he is washing.
  4. ↑ According to Rabbi Moshe Feinstein (Sh"t Igrot Moshe OC 1:113) it is forbidden to use a bar of soap and it is forbidden to use liquid soap on shabbat, due to a concern of memareach.
  5. ↑ According to Chacham Ben-Zion Abba-Shaul (Sh"t Or Litzion 2:35:5), one may not use a bar of soap but one may use liquid soap on shabbat. Rabbi Eli Mansour, Aruch Hashulchan 326:11, and Ketzot Hashulchan 146:32 agree. Kitzur Hilchot Shabbat pg. 74 says this is the common practice. See also Shemirat Shabbat Kihilchita 14:16. Rav Schachter (Shabbat Shiur 11) explained that it is questionable to forbid using a liquid soap since the resultant sods created are very temporary.
  6. ↑ Rav Schachter (Shabbat Shiur 11) holds that using foamy soap is permitted, and that there is no problem of memareach or of nolad, since the result is very temporary, as it is almost immediately washed down the drain. Rav Willig (Asicha Shabbos 2 p. 9) agrees.
  7. ↑ Ginat Veradim OC 3:16 writes that it is permitted to use rose water to clean your hands and to dry them on a towel since there’s no prohibition of molid re'ach (scenting garments) when it is unintentional. Molid is only a derabbanan and if one doesn’t intend for it, it isn’t an issue of a pesik reisha. This is also the opinion of the Maharshal (Yam Shel Shlomo Beitzah 2:34). Rav Avraham Antebi writes that the Syrian minhag was to use rose water on Shabbat for washing hands.
  8. ↑ Rav Gedalia Dov Schwartz
  9. ↑ SA, Orach Chaim, 340.1
  10. ↑ Mishna Brura 340:3 quoting the Magen Avraham
  11. ↑ Yabia Omer 6.37, Igrot Mosher Orach Chaim 1.114, Menuchat Ahava 13.6
  12. ↑ Rav Moshe (OC 5:27) writes that if the powder is dry and thus will only last for a short amount of time on the face, then there is no problem of tzoveah to use it on shabbat. Even though even temporary tzoveah (צביעה שאינה מתקיים) is typically prohibited midrabanan, Rav Moshe thought that this type of powder wasn't even permanent enough to reach that threshold, and therefore was completely permitted.
  13. ↑ See Dirshu Mishna Berurah (303:25 footnote 50), citing Rav Shlomo Zalmen and the Shevet Halevi to prohibit applying powder of any kind on shabbat.
  14. ↑ Yechave Daat 4.28, Menichat Ahava 13.7
  15. ↑ Shulchan Aruch O.C. 303:25
  16. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat Kehilchata ch. 14 fnt. 167
  17. ↑ Igrot Moshe 1:114, 5:27, 6:25:1. Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach in Shemirat Shabbat Kehilchata ch. 14 fnt. 173 is strict.
  18. ↑ Rav Mordechai Willig (Asicha Shabbos 2 p. 6), Rav Belsky in Shulchan Halevi 9:1, Rav Shmuel Fuerst (min 23-26)
  19. ↑ Shmirat Shabbat Kehilchata 1.158, Yalkut Yosef 4.2.102
  20. ↑ Shulchan Aruch 303:26, based on gemara shabbat 94b
  21. ↑ Mishna Brurah 322:18, Shulchan Aruch 511:4. The reason for the prohibition of being molid reach (creating scent) in clothing is either because it's like creating a new entity, which is similar to an act of melacha (Mishna Brurah 511:27), or because it is like fixing the garment (tikun maneh) when one adds scent to it, which constitutes a violation of makeh b'patish (Mishna Brurah 658:7).
  22. ↑ Shmiras Shabbos K'Hilchosa 14:footnote 152
  23. ↑ Rabbi Heshy Kahn (What's Doing, Greater Connecticut, 3/3/11)
  24. ↑ Minchas Yitzchok 5:32
  25. ↑ Rabbi Heshy Kahn (What's Doing, Greater Connecticut, 3/3/11)
  26. ↑ Mishna Brurah 320:59
  27. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata (vol 3, chap 14, note 79)
  28. ↑ Igros Moshe O.C. 1:114
  29. ↑ Rashi (Shabbos 146b D"h Mishchah), Rambam (Shabbat 13:11), Shulchan Aruch 314:11, Mishna Brurah 314:45, Rabbi Heshy Kahn (What's Doing, Greater Connecticut, 3/3/11)
  30. ↑ Rabbi Heshy Kahn (What's Doing, Greater Connecticut, 3/3/11) quoting R' Nosson Kupshitz Shlita
  31. ↑ Rabbi Heshy Kahn (What's Doing, Greater Connecticut, 3/3/11) quoting R' Nosson Kupshitz Shlita
Category Topic
Mitzvot of Shabbat
Kiddush Levana - Enjoying Shabbat - Fourth meal of Shabbat - Havdalah - Having a meal on Friday - In the Spirit of Shabbat - Kiddush - Lighting Shabbat Candles - Making Early Shabbat - Making one hundred Brachot on Shabbat - Preparing foods on Shabbat - Preparing for Shabbat - Shenayim Mikrah - Kavod Shabbat - Shabbos Davening - Seudat Shabbat - Seudat Shelishit - Lechem Mishneh - Motzei Shabbat - When Does Shabbat Start?
Restrictions of Shabbat
Allowing Carrying Using an Eruv Chatzerot - Animals on Shabbat - Asking a Jew to work on Shabbat - Asking a non-Jew to work on Shabbat (Amirah LeNochri) - Benefiting from a Violation of Shabbat (Maaseh Shabbat) - Books, notebooks, and papers - Brushing Teeth on Shabbat - Building a structure on Shabbat (Boneh) - Carrying on Shabbat - Cleaning the dishes - Cleaning and Folding Garments on Shabbat - Clearing the table - Cooking (Ofeh and Bishul) - Cosmetics on Shabbat - Dancing and clapping on Shabbat - Electricity on Shabbat - Eruv Chatzerot - Eruvin - Games on Shabbat - Getting dressed on Shabbat - Giving birth on Shabbat - Grinding (Tochen) - Handling objects on Shabbat (Muktzeh) - Infants on Shabbat - Introduction to the Modern Eruv - Kneading (Lash) - Mail on Shabbat - Medicine on Shabbat (Refuah on Shabbat) - Melacha That Begins Before Shabbat - Opening bottles and containers (Boneh) - Plants on Shabbat (Zoreah) - Preparing for after Shabbat (Hachana) - Reading on Shabbat (Daber Davar) - Recreation on Shabbat - Sechirut Reshut - Separating mixtures (Borer) - Squeezing fruits (Sechita) - Speaking on Shabbat (Daber Davar) - Taking a cruise over Shabbat - Taking measurements on Shabbat - Techum - Transactions on Shabbat - Transportation on Shabbat - Going to and Staying in the Hospital on Shabbat - Wages on Shabbat (Sachar Shabbat) - Washing one’s body on Shabbat
Melachos
Introduction to Melechet Machshevet - Marbeh Bshiurim - Plowing - Planting - Harvesting - Gathering - Threshing - Winnowing - Separating - Grinding - Sifting - Kneading - Baking and Cooking - Shearing - Laundering - Combing - Dyeing - Spinning - Mounting warp threads - Making two loops - Weaving - Unraveling fabric - Tying - Untying - Gluing, taping, or stapling - Ripping - Trapping - Slaughtering - Skinning - Tanning - Smoothing - Scoring - Cutting precisely - Writing - Erasing - Building - Demolishing - Completing a vessel - Extinguishing a flame - Kindling a fire - Carrying
Retrieved from "http://localhost:80/index.php?title=Cosmetics&oldid=33588"