Women and Makeup

Yup, that is so true.

For a while I've had my doubts over some unimportant (maybe) things that bothers me. It's something about women, wife and how to be one. Let's pick one simple issue, makeup.

I don't like to wear make up. Why? I just don't feel comfortable with it. I find that when you wudhu, you will have to brush off anyway. Even if I do put some on, it's very light and minimum make up. I was raised in Atjeh, where you can say the Islam teachings are quite strict. No make up because it hides your true face and it will attract the opposite sex, and your wudhu will not be accepted. Even until I grow older I don't find it necessary to make over my appearance whatsoever. I don't even shave my eyebrows (cos I learned it's not allowed). It's just my way of life.

Well, you know, time flies, I move about, end up in Jakarta, end up in Singapore. To tell you the truth, Singapore is not so bad. It's no sin not to wear make up here. In fact, alot of people on MRT don't even bother to put on, or if they do, you can hardly see it. Jakarta on the other hand, is very competitive when it comes to appearance. Let's just say, it's peer pressure, everyone dress up, you don't, you feel ugly.

My husband has 2 sisters, both are pretty I find. Like all Jakartans, make up is a must, wherever you go. Depends on where you go though. THe make up will vary. To be honest, I feel ugly whenever I am around them. They dress up, they wear make up, and when I refused to put on very heavy make up on they just commented, "it's just because you're not used to it". Is being not used to make up a bad thing?

I begin to question whether I should put on some just to adapt to the family. Maybe, if I put on some, they will see me as pretty as they are and I won't feel so ugly. I remember their motto, if you want to be pretty you have to prepare yourself for some pain or sacrifices, and I don't do that.

My doubts were answered by a call to USA. My aunt is there. Incidentally, she mentioned the topic above. She said she'd changed, she does not put on make up anymore because she learned that if you put on make up to please others or to show off, it is not allowed. She did that to find Allah's blessing. Well, her reason is somewhat more noble than mine XD. I started off with the same reason (maybe) then it just became my way of life and I began to forgot why I did it.

To tell you the truth, people criticize you because you are different. Why I don't do make up they see it as no effort to look pretty. If I have a strong belief that I do it to find Allah's blessing, then maybe I will hold on to it and walk on with my head held high.

If I do everything with the reason of finding Allah's blessing, InsyaALlah, I will hold my ground on everything I do despite what people say. All I need to do is straightened my intentions Lillahi Ta'ala. InsyaAllah, Allah will bless me. So now, as usual, I won't care what people say unless it's something that Allah would like me to do. :).