1. Modesty in Dress

World Scripture

Women should adorn themselves modestly and sensibly in seemly apparel, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly attire but by good deeds, as befits women who profess religion.
1 Timothy 2.9-11

Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and be modest. That is purer for them. Lo! God is Aware of what they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, and to display of their adornment only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils over their bosoms, and not to reveal their adornment save to their own husbands or fathers… or children who know naught of women’s nakedness. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And turn unto God together, O believers, in order that ye may succeed.²¹
Qur’an 24.30-32

Let not yours be the outward adorning with braiding of hair, decoration of gold, and wearing of fine clothing, but let it be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable jewel of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. So once the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves and were submissive to their husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord.
1 Peter 3.3-5

Woman, before decking yourself, make yourself acceptable to your Lord, Lest He should visit not your couch, and your makeup be gone to waste. In the woman finding acceptance with her Lord, lies beauty of her makeup. Should her makeup be acceptable, shall she have love of her Lord. Let her deck herself in fear of the Lord, joy in God her perfume, Love her sustenance. Dedicating body and mind to her Lord, let her in love to Him be united.
Adi Granth, Var Suhi, M.3, p. 788 (Sikhism)

In The Book of Songs it is said, Over her brocaded robe She wore a plain and simple dress, In that way showing her dislike of the loudness of its color and magnificence. Thus the ways of the moral man are unobtrusive and yet they grow more and more in power and evidence; whereas the ways of the vulgar person are ostentatious, but lose more and more in influence until they perish and disappear. The life of the moral man is plain, and yet not unattractive; it is simple, and yet full of grace; it is easy, and yet methodical. He knows that accomplishment of great things consists in doing little things well. He knows that great effects are produced by small causes. He knows the evidence and reality of what cannot be perceived by the senses. Thus he is enabled to enter into the world of ideas and morals.
Doctrine of the Mean 33 (Confucianism)

The body is impure, bad-smelling, and replete with various kinds of stench which trickle here and there. If one, possessed of such a body, thinks highly of him or herself and despises others, that is due to nothing other than lack of insight.²²
Sutta Nipata 205-06 (Buddhism)

Teachings of Sun Myung Moon

One woman uses makeup to enhance her beauty; another is beautiful without makeup. Between the two, whose face is more in harmony when she smiles? Little children are beautiful. How would it be if you put makeup on their faces, lipstick and eye shadow? Think how ugly and unnatural they would look. From God’s point of view, from the vantage point of His great age, you are younger than a new baby. When God sees us humans wearing makeup and enjoying it, I think He might feel far more displeased than we would on seeing a made-up baby lying in a crib.
(97:49-50, February 26, 1978)

In the sight of God, fallen human beings are so ugly and dirty and distorted that He does not want to look at them. He does not want to smell them or get anywhere near them. Nevertheless, women believe that God would prefer to see them in church wearing makeup, jewelry and their best clothing. It is ridiculous and pathetic!
(94:42, June 26, 1977)

Do you women put on makeup for your husbands, or to look attractive to other men? Generally, a husband does not like his wife’s makeup. He might say that her manicured fingernails look like fox claws. Actually, they can be dangerous. Does a loving husband want to touch those claws? If he liked his wife’s nail polish, he would ask her to put it on everyday. Have you ever heard of a husband who gives his wife manicures? I don’t know of any. Women who put on makeup are not responding to their husbands; they responding to Satan’s electrical waves.
(201:104-05, March 11, 1990)

Women should always look beautiful, even if it requires using makeup and perfume. A wife should not be indebted to her husband in emotional life. She should always concern herself with her husband’s body and clothes. If he comes home tired, she should prepare water for him to wash his face… A woman’s smile is the flower of the family. To establish a harmonious family, a wife needs to be a first-class actress in both comedy and tragedy. Whether her husband is joyful or sad, she should have the ability to completely melt him all the time.
(27:88, November 26, 1969)

Do you women put on makeup in front of the mirror, thinking, “I am going to attract the attention of a lot of men by looking beautiful”? Or do you think, “I want to look pretty in order to spread joy to others”? Which is it? You are thinking to look beautiful so others may think well of you and be attracted to you. That way of thinking is Satan’s way. Why are butterflies colorful and flowers beautiful? Their beauty spreads joy to the whole creation. It would be okay to wear makeup if you were thinking, “I am putting on makeup to make the world more beautiful, like a flower or a butterfly.” It is not the makeup a woman wears but her motivation for wearing it that determines whether she is on the side of heaven or hell.
(129:316-17, December 1, 1983)