Kohl (cosmetics)

18th century Somali kohl pot.

Kohl is an ancient eye cosmetic. It was made by grinding galena (lead sulfide) and other ingredients. Today the trend is to make it without poisonous ingredients. It is widely used in the Middle East, North Africa, the Horn of Africa and South Asia to darken the eyelids and as mascara for the eyelashes. It is used mostly by women, but also some men and children,

Kohl goes by numerous names: Arabic: كحل‎ kuḥl; Hindi: काजल kājal; Kurdish: کل; Urdu: کاجل kājal; Malayalam: കൺ‌മഷി kaNmashi / സുറുമ suRuma; Kannada: ಕಾಡಿಗೆ ; Somali: kuul; Telugu: కాటుక Katuka; Tamil: கண் மை Kan Mai. It is also known as kol, kehal or kohal in the Arab world, and surma or kajal in South Asia.c

Kohl has been worn traditionally as far back as the Bronze Age (3500 B.C. onward) by the Egyptian queens. It was originally used as protection against eye ailments. There was also a belief that darkening around the eyes would protect one from the harsh rays of the sun. India's oldest caste, the koli, used kohl as a cosmetic. In addition, mothers would apply kohl to their infants' eyes soon after birth. Some did this to "strengthen the child's eyes", and others believed it could prevent the child from being cursed by the evil eye.^[1]

Kohl's ancient importance survives through its use as the etymological root for the English word alcohol.