Three-day yom tov & makeup - Nishmat Yoatzot Halacha

In memory of Chaya Mirel bat R’ Avraham

In memory of Chaya Mirel bat R' Avraham

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Three-day yom tov & makeup

September 13, 2004

Question

My mikva night is the coming Fri. night, immediately after Rosh Hashana.
I understand that all my preparations are to be done before Yom Tov.
Can I put on any makeup for Yom Tov (either before, or else make-up powder permissible on Yom Tov) and wash it off before I immerse? As someone who usually has some make-up on (except for Yom Kippur and then no one does) I'll feel quite "naked" without any for 2 days in shul and will feel like everyone must figure I have to go to the mikva one of these nights – why else would I not have a trace of anything on?

Answer

You can wear makeup as long as it is the kind that you can wash off prior to immersion. It is better to wash it off on Yom Tov (Friday afternoon), when you can use warm water from the tap, than to wait until Friday night when warm water is more of a problem.

Please see our articles on Mikveh & Makeup on Shabbat and Yom Tov and Mikveh on a Three-Day Yom Tov for detailed instructions and more suggestions.

Shana tova!

This response was updated on 22 June, 2025.

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