Did you get coal in your Christmas stocking? Then you were a bad girl! Or, did you say you got kohl? Well, that's quite a different matter. If you got kohl, then you were either a good girl or a very good bad girl! Here are some interesting facts and history regarding this ancient cosmetic.
Literally, kohl means, "to brighten the eyes". We can see depictions of kohl eye make-up in hieroglyphs of ancient Egypt. Kohl was liberally applied all around the eye, sometimes extending outwards at the corners. This so-called cosmetic line (an exaggerated extension) that many people associate with ancient Egypt was primarily from the time of the Old Kingdom (2700 BC to 2200 BC) and was reserved for depictions of royalty or gods. A delicately elongated inner corner extension was also in vogue during that time. Later, the line was drawn from the outer corners of the eyes and eyebrows toward the front of the earlobes, where the lines met.
Actually, the Egyptians called this eyeliner "mesdemet", and it was much later called "kohl" from the Arabic.
Eyes were considered the most important part of the body to be emphasized with cosmetics. Kohl enlarges the eyes and makes them appear more beautiful. Egyptian women discovered that the whites of the eye appeared whiter and the large dark pupils appeared like black pools in their midst, creating a very striking effect.
Yet, decorating oneself cosmetically was not the original reason for wearing kohl. Kohl was used as protection against eye ailments. It prevented eye disease, be repelling tiny flies which transmit disease and inflammation. It was an anti-poison component that protected against harmful radiation. It kept the delicate skin around the eyes from becoming dry and cracked. It protected against the intense heat of the sun, the bitter cold of the nights and the blinding glare of the water. For medical purposes, kohl was even worn by men and children.
What is it made from? The main component of kohl was galena, a dark sulfur and lead compound extracted by the Egyptians from a mine near the Red Sea. Sometimes they lightened the galena by mixing in cerussite, a white carbonate of lead obtained from the same place. While such prolonged use of lead may have had unhealthy side effects, the Egyptians believed in the benefits of kohl and wore it diligently. Later, the Egyptians also used blue eyeliner made from powdered lapis lazuli (a semi-precious stone). Also used were dark ochre, black oxide of copper and carbon, mixing in other materials such as animal fat.
Actually, chemists at the Louvre Museum in Paris recently analyzed kohl residues dating back to 2000 BC. They discovered that the kohl contained compounds that are nearly non-existent in nature. What does this mean? It seems that the Egyptians went to the trouble of inventing chemistry in order to produce kohl. Ancient chemists painstakingly synthesized the substances.
Today kohl is made out of pulverized antimony or olive stones (Morocco) lead (India), and the soot from various nuts, seeds and gum resins. Powdered antimony is a brittle metallic element, bright bluish-white in color, with a flaky, crystalline texture. In the Egyptian countryside, kohl is made by combining sunflower soot and charred almond shells perfumed with frankincense.
Originally, kohl was kept in shells. Then, small containers were manmade of ivory, alabaster, porcelain, glass, silver or wood. It is still possible to find ornate silver "makhallas", kohl containers stoppered with beautiful applicators fashioned into the shape of palm trees and other natural forms. A short stick made of wood, bone, silver, ivory or stone, with a flattened end accompanies the kohl pot. The Arabs call such a stick the "needle" of the kohl pot, and it is often stored in a leather case. The stick is moistened with water, rosewater or olive oil before being dipped into a kohl pot. The kohl is then applied right inside the eye by taking the stick from the inner point of the eye, running it between the eyelids from the nose outwards, and closing the eye over it as it is drawn towards the outer eye in a straight line. Yes, it actually touches the eye. No, it doesn't hurt. It is in the correct location when the eyelids are nicely black around the roots of the eyelashes with no white skin showing. If you try to wear kohl while wearing contact lenses, please apply kohl before inserting your lenses.
Kohl is still popularly used today. It is waterproof but not "spit proof", a great attribute in hot climates. A tiny amount of powder will last a long time, and it is much healthier for your eye than commercial cosmetics. It is also much less artificial looking than painting a line outside the lids with commercial eyeliners. Please be aware, the kohl pencils used in modern make up are a completely different product from actual kohl, and should not be applied in the same manner.
In Shakespeare's "Antony and Cleopatra", the Egyptian glamour queen says to her lover, "Eternity was in our lips and eyes". It is, in part, their eye for beauty that keeps the ancient people of Egypt vivid in our imaginations.
So, if you got kohl for Christmas, you are not only a good girl, but one who is as beautiful as Cleopatra and Nefertiti. Quite a compliment!
(back)
©2001Jasmin Jahal