Assalaamu alaikum wa rahmatAllah wa barakaatuh,

I am hoping you can explain what cosmetic substances on the skin or hair would make it invalid to do wudu' or ghusl over them. Most sisters know that nail polish is a barrier and water cannot reach their nails, so it must be removed to make wudu'. What if a sister is wearing mascara (it comes in waterproof versions or regular) on her eyelashes or kohl (powdery eyeliner) or lip gloss/Chapstick or lotion at home and needs to make wudu'? How can we know if the water is reaching our eyelashes and skin through these substances? Can you please give some advice about whether we need to fully remove these substances to make our wudu' valid?

Jazaakum Allah khair.

Generally speaking, it is always preferred for a Muslim woman to keep herself on the safe side by removing whatever would prevent water from reaching her skin, remembering that the use of these beauty supplies is only allowed in her house, where removing them as needed should be a fairly simple task.