BubbleBabble

My dear friend,

I had one of those classic shower thoughts today — the kind that comes out of nowhere when your mind finally has room to wander. I was thinking about how much I enjoy doing my makeup. The soft glow of blush, the swipe of lipstick, that little shimmer on the eyelids that somehow makes me feel put together even on an ordinary day.

And then, a thought popped up: Am I vain for loving this?

Maybe you’ve asked yourself the same thing. Living in Japan, I’m surrounded by people who always seem effortlessly polished. Hair neatly styled, clothes coordinated, skin glowing in that “I woke up like this” way. And with social media constantly showing highlight reels — café dates, perfect selfies, and “no-makeup” makeup looks — it’s so easy to wonder where the line is between self-care and vanity.

So here I am, writing this out loud, not as someone who has it figured out, but as someone thinking about it too. I’m learning to ask God the question instead of just overthinking it myself.

God Created Beauty

I’ve always loved pretty things. I think, as women, we naturally admire beauty. And there’s nothing wrong with that, right?

From the beginning of time, God surrounded us with it — the way light dances on water, the details in a flower petal, the colors that paint every sunrise. Beauty isn’t something humans invented; it’s something God designed. Our ability to recognize and enjoy it is part of being made in His image, with His eyes that notice what is lovely, and His heart that long for what is good.

So when we enjoy beautiful things — a well-picked outfit, a gentle perfume, or the way color brings life to our faces — I believe we are echoing a small part of the Creator’s design. After all, He didn’t make the world dull or colorless; He made it vibrant, intentional, and full of wonder.

As Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.” Creation itself reflects the beauty of its Maker. Every sunrise, every mountain peak, every flower petal tells a story about who He is — creative, thoughtful, and full of glory.

But somewhere along the way, that admiration can quietly shift. Beauty, which was meant to point our hearts upward toward the Creator, starts to turn inward toward ourselves.

So no — admiring beauty isn’t the problem. The problem begins when beauty becomes the point. That’s when I start asking the harder question: Is this still appreciation, or has it become worship?

When Beauty Becomes an Idol

Friend, I don’t think that makeup or fashion themselves are wrong. God created beauty — He painted sunsets, sculpted mountains, and clothed flowers in colors that no designer could ever recreate. I don’t believe there’s anything sinful about wanting to feel lovely or caring for ourselves, as long as it’s done with the humility of Jesus and a heart that desires to glorify Him.

But the trouble begins when our hearts start to depend on beauty for validation — when “feeling pretty” becomes the measure of our joy, our worth, or our confidence.

It’s subtle, isn’t it? One day you’re simply enjoying a new lipstick shade, and the next, you’re scrolling through photos wondering if you’ll ever look as flawless as someone else. Without realizing it, self-care turns into self-comparison. And what began as appreciation becomes pursuit — not of beauty, but of approval.

That’s where the mirror becomes dangerous.

The Bible reminds us of this balance in 1 Peter 3:3–4:

“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”

This verse doesn’t mean we must reject all adornment or stop caring about our appearance. If anything, it’s a reminder of posture, not prohibition. Throughout Scripture, God never condemns beauty itself — after all, He designed it. What He warns us against is placing our value in it.

Peter’s words aren’t meant to shame women for expressing themselves, but to guide us back to humility — to the kind of beauty that reflects the heart of Jesus. When we care for ourselves with grace, gratitude, and modesty, we do so in a way that honors Him. The difference lies in intention: do we dress to glorify ourselves, or to carry ourselves with the quiet confidence of someone loved by God?

Beauty was meant to reflect the Creator, not replace Him. When our hearts begin to seek security in how we look rather than in who He is, we lose sight of the One who defines us.

So no, God isn’t asking us to throw away our mascara or stop caring about style. He’s asking us to bring our reflection back to Him — to remember that the truest image we bear is His. We are made in the image of God, and that alone is the foundation of our worth.

And when our hearts are set on Him, beauty is no longer something we chase — it’s something we carry. It radiates not from the products we use, but from the peace within us — that quiet confidence of knowing we are already fully seen, fully loved, and fully beautiful in His sight.

Allowing Beauty to Be an Offering to God

When I think about how God sees us, I imagine Him smiling — not because our eyeliner is even or our hair sits perfectly, but because He sees the heart behind it. I like to think that when we take time to care for ourselves, to feel radiant and confident, He delights in it — the same way an artist delights when someone admires their art.

But as always, the difference lies in why we do it.

If we wear makeup to hide, to compete, or to earn approval, it becomes exhausting, like chasing a standard that keeps moving. But if we wear it as an act of creativity, confidence, and stewardship — knowing our worth is already secure in Christ — it becomes something beautiful. It becomes a reflection of gratitude, not insecurity.

And I can’t help but think of Esther.

In Esther 2:7–9, we meet a young Jewish woman whose beauty placed her before a king, but it was her obedience and courage that placed her before God’s purpose. Her beauty was not meaningless; it was something God used as part of His greater plan; a doorway for deliverance and protection for her people. But what stands out most is that Esther didn’t rely on beauty alone. When the time came for her to act, she sought God’s will through fasting and prayer.

That’s the heart of it, isn’t it? God can use even our outward beauty for His glory, but only when our hearts remain aligned with Him. Esther’s beauty may have caught the king’s attention, but her faith moved the heart of heaven.

So no, it’s not vain to want to look presentable. It’s a matter of heart posture. We can enjoy beauty — color, creativity, and care — but we must not worship it. Because beauty without humility fades quickly, but beauty anchored in Christ becomes eternal.

Prayer for You

My dear friend, if you’ve ever stood in front of the mirror feeling “not enough,” or scrolled through social media comparing your reflection to someone else’s, I want you to pause and take a breath. Psalms 139 says,

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.
¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
    How vast is the sum of them!

Your beauty was never meant to compete — it was meant to reflect.

Can we learn together to appreciate what’s lovely without letting it rule our hearts? Please? To care for ourselves without becoming consumed by ourselves. To wear makeup as an expression, not as an identity.

And when that quiet tug of insecurity whispers again, I am praying these words over you:

Lord, thank You for making us in Your image.
Teach us to see beauty the way You see it —
not as something to prove, but something to praise You with.
Let our reflection be a reminder of Your grace, not our worth.

So, to finally answer the question I asked in the beginning — am I vain for loving makeup? I don’t think so. I think I’ve just learned to change the reason why I wear it. Not to impress, not to compare, and not to prove anything, but simply to appreciate. Because I believe God delights when we express His creativity through care and humility. And if my little morning routine can remind me of His thoughtfulness and creativity, then maybe that, too, can be a quiet act of worship.

After all, true beauty isn’t found in how others see us —
it’s found in how clearly we reflect Him.

With love,