Answered by Shayk Yusuf Badat

Question:

Are women permitted to wear non-scented makeup whilst in iḥrām?

Answer:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

In the name of Allāh, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Jazāk Allāh Khayr/ Thank you for contacting Mathabah Institute.

Most makeup and cosmetic products are scented. When applied they also place a layer on top of the skin which blocks water from actually touching the skin [for wuḍū and ghusl]. Makeup also goes against the spirit of iḥrām which is to avoid beatification and grooming thus primarily focusing on the devotional acts of pilgrimage, paying attention to the inward rather than the external body. Keeping this in mind, it is severely disliked (makrūh taḥrīmī) to apply makeup during iḥrām in general and forbidden (ḥarām) if it results in ablution being incomplete regardless of whether the makeup is scented or not. – (See: Kitāb Al-Āthār Li-Al-Shaybānī, Vol 1, Page 355, Dār Al-Nawādir)

Only Allāh knows best

محمد قال أخبرنا أبو حنيفة قال حدثنا إبراهيم بن محمد بن المنتشر عن أبيه قال سألت عبدالله بن عمر رضي الله عنهما أيتطيب الرجل وهو محرم؟ قال لأن أصبح أنضح قطرانا أحب إلي من أن أصبح أنضح طيبا قال محمد وبه نأخذ لا ينبغي للمحرم أن يتطيب بشيء من الطيب بعد الإحرام – كتاب الاثار الشيباني ج١/ ص٣٥٥ دار النوادر