Question:
Assalāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuh,
I would like to ask about the ruling on a cosmetic procedure called ombré powder brows for a woman who has a scar in her eyebrow area where hair no longer grows.
This procedure is not for beautification of the entire eyebrow, but specifically to cover the scar and give the appearance of a natural, fuller brow in that small area. It is intended to restore a normal appearance, not to enhance or reshape the whole brow.
Ombré powder brows is a semi-permanent cosmetic tattooing technique done with a machine that deposits pigment into the upper layers of the skin. Unlike microblading (which mimics hair strokes), this method gives a soft shaded or powdered look—like eyebrow makeup. It fades gradually over time and may require touch-ups every 1–2 years.
Given that this is for the purpose of correcting a disfigurement or covering a noticeable scar, and not vanity, is this permissible in Islam?
Jazākum Allāhu khayran for your guidance.
Answer:
Wa ʿalaykum as-salām wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuh,
Thank you for your important question. May Allah reward you for seeking to stay within the boundaries of what pleases Him.
When it comes to procedures like ombré powder brows—which involve semi-permanent tattooing in the eyebrow area—even if the intention is to cover a scar, there are Islamic rulings we must consider.
1. Tattooing is strictly forbidden in Islam, with a clear and strong warning.
The Prophet ﷺ clearly prohibited tattooing. In an authentic hadith:
“Allah has cursed those women who do tattoos and those who have themselves tattooed, and those who remove their facial hair and those who create a space between their teeth for beauty, altering the creation of Allah.”
— Sahih al-Bukhari (5931), Sahih Muslim (2125)
Tattooing, even if done with a machine and called “semi-permanent,” still involves inserting pigment into the skin. This falls under the same category as tattooing. The curse mentioned in the hadith shows how serious this matter is in Islam.
The term “curse” (laʿnah) means that such an act leads a person far from the mercy of Allah unless they repent. So even if the goal is to cover a scar, this method (since it involves tattooing) would still be not permissible.
2. Altering the eyebrows specifically is also clearly forbidden.
There’s a separate and direct ruling about plucking or altering the eyebrows.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Allah has cursed the one who plucks eyebrows and the one who has them plucked.”
— Sahih al-Bukhari (5931), Sahih Muslim (2125)
This includes shaping, thinning, or changing the appearance of the eyebrows. Scholars have said this also applies to procedures like microblading, permanent or semi-permanent makeup, or anything that changes the natural form of the eyebrows—even if it’s just part of it.
Even if someone has a scar, the eyebrow is a visible and clear part of the face, and applying artificial pigment here will be noticed. It becomes a form of beautification, which the Prophet ﷺ strictly prohibited, especially in this area.