Short answer
Yes. It is encouraged for a wife to adorn herself for her husband and for a husband to groom himself for his wife. Within marriage, perfume, makeup, attractive clothing and playful affection are halal and can be rewarded, as long as nothing haram is used. The four schools agree.
Adornment for one's spouse is mustahabb for both, and a wife may wear for her husband what she may not show others. Means that are haram in themselves, such as tattoos, stay haram even for a spouse.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
Islam treats attraction within marriage as something to look after, not something to be shy of. Ibn Abbas said he liked to adorn himself for his wife just as he liked her to adorn herself for him, and read the ayah, "due to the wives is similar to what is expected of them" (2:228). The Prophet ﷺ described the best wife as one who pleases her husband when he looks at her.
For wives.
- Beautiful clothes, colours, perfume, makeup, henna and jewellery at home, including what she would not wear in front of non-mahram men. See makeup.
- Telling him what she likes and what she needs. Intimacy is a right of both.
- Playfulness and affection. The Prophet ﷺ asked Jabir why he had not married a young woman "so you could play with her and she with you".
For husbands. Cleanliness, a fresh mouth, perfume, a trimmed beard and clean clothes. Aisha said that when the Prophet ﷺ entered his house the first thing he did was use the siwak. A man who expects his wife to make an effort should make one too.
Limits. Things that are haram in themselves stay haram, such as tattoos (see tattoos), and nothing should harm either spouse. Everything else between them is a private matter of taste. On the few things forbidden in intimacy, see what is forbidden in intimacy.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:228
وَٱلْمُطَلَّقَٰتُ يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنفُسِهِنَّ ثَلَٰثَةَ قُرُوٓءٍۢ ۚ وَلَا يَحِلُّ لَهُنَّ أَن يَكْتُمْنَ مَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ فِىٓ أَرْحَامِهِنَّ إِن كُنَّ يُؤْمِنَّ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْءَاخِرِ ۚ وَبُعُولَتُهُنَّ أَحَقُّ بِرَدِّهِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ إِنْ أَرَادُوٓا۟ إِصْلَٰحًۭا ۚ وَلَهُنَّ مِثْلُ ٱلَّذِى عَلَيْهِنَّ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۚ وَلِلرِّجَالِ عَلَيْهِنَّ دَرَجَةٌۭ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ ﴿٢٢٨﴾
Divorced women remain in waiting for three periods, and it is not lawful for them to conceal what Allah has created in their wombs if they believe in Allah and the Last Day. And their husbands have more right to take them back in this [period] if they want reconciliation. And due to the wives is similar to what is expected of them, according to what is reasonable. But the men have a degree over them [in responsibility and authority]. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.
Ibn Abbas used it to show husbands should also make an effort for their wives.
Quran, Surah Al-A'raaf 7:32
قُلْ مَنْ حَرَّمَ زِينَةَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَخْرَجَ لِعِبَادِهِۦ وَٱلطَّيِّبَٰتِ مِنَ ٱلرِّزْقِ ۚ قُلْ هِىَ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا خَالِصَةًۭ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ ٱلْءَايَٰتِ لِقَوْمٍۢ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٣٢﴾
Say, "Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah which He has produced for His servants and the good [lawful] things of provision?" Say, "They are for those who believe during the worldly life [but] exclusively for them on the Day of Resurrection." Thus do We detail the verses for a people who know.
Lawful adornment is a blessing, not something to avoid.
Sunan an-Nasa'i 3231
Grading to be checked... التي تسره إذا نظر وتطيعه إذا أمر ...
"The one who pleases him when he looks at her and obeys him when he asks."
Pleasing one's spouse by appearance is praised.
Sahih al-Bukhari 5367
Sahih... فهلا جارية تلاعبها وتلاعبك ...
"Why not a young woman, so you could play with her and she with you?"
Playfulness between spouses is approved.
Sahih Muslim 253
Sahih... كان إذا دخل بيته بدأ بالسواك ...
"When he entered his house, he began with the siwak."
The Prophet freshened himself for his family.
Where the ruling is recorded
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Hazr wa al-Ibahah, on adornment. A woman's adornment for her husband is allowed and rewarded.
- al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya, Kitab al-Karahiyya, chapter on adornment. What adornment is permitted for men and women.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.