Can You Do Wudu with Mascara On?

Question: 113725

We are a group of women who would like to ask about the ruling on the Wudu of a woman who puts mascara on her eyelashes; mascara is used to beautify the eyelashes and make them look thicker. Some of this mascara is permeable and some of it is impermeable or waterproof. We know that the water has to reach the eyelashes when doing Wudu; what is the ruling on Wudu in this case?

Summary of answer

If the mascara does not prevent water from reaching the hair, then Wudu is valid. If it prevents water from reaching the hair, then it must be removed before doing Wudu or Ghusl.

Answer

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah and his family.

Water must reach the eyelashes when doing Wudu and Ghusl , because they are part of the face which we are enjoined to wash. The same applies to the hair of the eyebrows, the cheeks, the moustache and beard.

It says in Ar-Rawd Al-Murbi` (p. 7): “And he should wash every part of the face, including the fine hair that grows on the skin, such as the eyelashes, and the moustache and soul patch [the tuft of hair beneath the lower lip], because that is part of the face.” (See also: Al-Majmu`, 1/376) and Mawahib Al-Jalil, 1/185)

Based on that, if the mascara does not prevent water from reaching the hair, then Wudu is valid; if it does prevent water from reaching the hair, then it must be removed before doing Wudu or ghusl, because one of the conditions of Wudu and ghusl being valid is that the water must reach the part being washed .

An-Nawawi said in al-Majmu` (1/429): “If there is some wax, dough, henna or the like on the skin, which prevents water from reaching any of the body part that is being washed, then Wudu or Ghusl is not valid, whether the amount of that thing is great or small.”

For more details, please refer to the following answers: 21724 , 39301 , 72390 , 88179 , 103738 , and 81685 .

And Allah knows best.

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