With spiritual meaning as well as dusky allure, powdered black kohl (kajal, kajol, or tiro) is one of the oldest widespread types of ancient makeup. Kohl is in use by c. 3100 for eye health and beauty.
The first use of cosmetics is in Stone Age Egypt about 5000 BCE. People use rice bran, jasmine or lupine applied to skin as natural sunblock and skin whitener.
Early makeup has special functions, protective or healing as well as decorative. All social classes wear kohl. The deep black powder comes from grinding stibnite, a silvery mineral.
Stibnite is a major source of antimony, an ancient semi-metal often used in alloys. Once the stibnite is ground to a dense, earthy black powder, kohl, it's applied with a small wood tool.
Powdered kohl and application stick are often found by archaeologists packaged together. Ornamental holders for kohl are popular accessories.
All genders use kohl in ancient times. Drawing kohl around the eye is considered to help protect against harmful magic and the evil eye. It's also practical in that it shields the eyes from the brilliant rays of the sun, much as football players put black grease under their eyes.
Kohl use is widespread in Middle East, Caucasus and North Africa, South Asia, West Africa, and the Horn of Africa. Stibnite has been used since proto-dynastic ancient Egypt as medication and a cosmetic.
The Sunan Abi Dawood reports, “prophet Muhammad said: 'Among the best types of collyrium is antimony (ithmid) for it clears the vision and makes the hair sprout.'"
Stibnite and the metalloid antimony and can cause symptoms similar to arsenic poisoning if ingested. Some sources mention it as a treatment for indigestion.
In alchemy, Eirenaeus Philalethes describes stibnite in his alchemical commentary An Exposition upon Sir George Ripley's Epistle in the 17th century. He considers stibnite as a precursor to philosophical mercury, itself a hypothetical precursor to the philosopher's stone.
In ancient Egypt, experimentation with black galena and green malachite creates a look in which the upper eyelids are painted black and the lower lids green. The lustrous green of malachite derives from copper. Black galena is a primary source of lead.
Kohl content and recipes to create kohl vary widely in history. In North Africa and the Middle East, homemade kohl is produced by grinding galena (lead sulfide). Most Western manufacturers today use carbon or organic charcoal to produce kohl.
Plant oils, soot from certain nuts, seeds, and gum resins may be added to the carbon powder. Non-lead products are considered to be inferior to the older, traditional types. Lead is a popular ancient cosmetic, as in lead white.
Recent years see an increase in the use of handmade, lead-based kohl. It's important to be aware of possible side effects and knowledge of ingredients if using home-made kohl.
Exposure to heavy metals like lead cause toxic optic neuropathy. Lead toxicity affects the macula, choroid and retinal nerve fiber layers, leading to visual impairment. Symptoms include a gradual, painless decrease in visual acuity in both eyes; color vision impairment and visual field abnormalities.
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