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Applying makeup via a Non-Jew On Shabbos & Yom Tov

Question:

My wife is scheduled to go to the Mikvah the first night of Yom Tov, this will in turn cause her not to be able to have any makeup applied throughout the entirety of Yom Tov, this is causing her great anguish for 2 reasons:
1. She always wears makeup even on weekdays at the very least lipstick, blush & eye liner and now for Yom Tov if she can’t wear it, it will definitely ruin her entire Yom Tov atmosphere.
2. She will be meeting a lot more people than on an average Shabbos and will be embarrassed since everyone will immediately know when she went to the Mikvah.

(Not yet sure how we can arrange this) Would it be permitted for us to have a Non-Jew apply basic makeup for her after the Mikvah? If yes, on what terms? How much of it has to be arranged before Yom Tov?

Another alternative would be to push off Mikvah night (although both of us are completely fine with that from a physical standpoint) we always make an extra effort never to push it off.

Answer:

To have a (woman) goy apply the makeup on yom tov is a problematic. Technically it is possible to permit a non Jew to apply some of the makeup, in reference to mileches tzovaih, which we can say that it is temporary and to human skin and only d’rabonon. Therefore we would be able to say that it is shvus d’shvus b’makom tzorech or b’makom mitzvah. However there are other issues with applying makeup, such as using lipstick which is memareach is a d’orayso, and cannot be done by a goy.

There are some make ups available that may be used on shabbos according to R’ Moshe Feinstein zt”l, called “shabbos makeup”, and there are a few companies that make them. Most poskim do not allow the use of shabbos makeup, however when there is a need and a shas hadchak, like this we can be maikel. Just a word of caution; only buy shabbos makeup that has a reputable hechsher, and follow the guidelines that are given.

I am attaching an article written by the Star-K regarding shabbos makeup.The Kashrus, Shabbos and Pesach Guide to Cosmetics

 

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