Applying hair clay on Shabbat
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Question
Is it permitted on Shabbat to apply hair clay (a hair-styling product, “clay”), or is this prohibited because of the melachot of smoothing (memare’ach), coloring, building, and the like? And if it is forbidden to apply hair clay on Shabbat, but I applied it on Friday before Shabbat – is it permitted to comb the hair on Shabbat (with combing where one is careful not to pull out hairs, and the combing itself is permitted), even if the clay spreads a bit onto the brush, onto the hands, or is transferred from one place in the hair to another?
Answer
Shalom u’vracha
Spreading an ointment (cream) on Shabbat is forbidden because of the melacha of “smoothing” (memare’ach).
Combing that is permitted on Shabbat is only with a brush that has soft bristles, and the brush must be designated specifically for Shabbat.
If through such use the cream (clay) is spread evenly, it is forbidden to comb on Shabbat. If, however, as a result of the combing the cream is not spread, and only the hand or something else becomes soiled by it, it is permitted.
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