Nova, yes I wear an abaya. But what is the topic here, hijab or abaya? We are talking about covering of the head/hair right? Secondly, some women wear hijab not only as a form of modesty but also to show their identity. They wear it because it's what they are used to & simply because they want to. The fact they "adorn" their face with makeup as Mario states just proves that they wear the hijab out of choice as surely someone who is forced to wear it would not be allowed to wear makeup. The fact that Mario points that he has seen so many women with hijab and makeup just proves that hijab is not something that is forced upon Muslim women as suggested or perceived by the western world.