Kohl (cosmetics)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kohl (also kol, from Arabic kuḥūl, see alcohol known as Sirma or Kajal in the Subcontinent), is a mixture of soot and other ingredients, used by Egyptian and Asian women, and to a lesser extent, men to darken the eyelids and as mascara for the eyelashes. Kohl has been worn traditionally as far back as the Bronze Age. Kohl was originally used as protection against eye ailments. Darkening around the eyelids also provided relief from the glare of the sun.
Mothers would also 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 an "evil eye".
Contents |
[edit] Different Cultures
Different Cultures have various names for Kohal. In the Arab world it is known as Kohal, while in the Indian subcontinent it is known as Kajal or Sirma particularly in the Punjab.
Kohl was used in Egypt along with lipstick made form ocher oil.
[edit] Punjabi Culture
- Note: Kohal, Sirma and Kajal are the same thing.
Sirma, also spelled Surma. Is a traditional ceremonial dye, which predominantly men of the Punjab apply to their eyes on special social or religious occasions. Usually the wife or the mother (if the boy is young) of the male applies the dye onto the eyes of the male. The equivalent of the dye in western culture would be mascara.
[edit] Hindi Culture
- Note: Kohal, Sirma and Kajal are the same thing.
Kajal (Hindi: काजल, kājal) is a type of black eyelid liner make-up used by Indian women, which is put around the edge of the eyes to make them more conspicuous and appealing.
Even now in Southern Rural India , especially Kerala women of the household prepare the kajal.This home-made Kajal is used even for infants since it is a very good coolant for the eyes and protect the eyesight and vision. The preparation of this kajal is also a very interesting process. A clean, white, thin muslin cloth measuring 4*4 inch is taken.This is repeatedly dipped in sandalwood paste or juice of Manjal karisilanganni(Alstonia scholaris (Linnaeus) R. Brown) and dried in shade. This dip and dry process is done through the whole of the day.After sunset , make a wick out of this cloth and lit a mud lamp with this filled with castor oil. A brass vessel is kept over the lamp , leaving a little gap enough for the oxygen to aid the burning of the lamp.This is left burning overnight. Next day morning add one or two drops of pure ghee(made by melting cow's butter) or castor oil to the soot deposited on the brass vessel and store it in a clean dry box. This can be used on a daily basis as a coolant for the eyes and it adds lovely colour too, without any harm of chemicals. All the ingredients used in this preparation(sandalwood/Manjal karsilanganni , castor oil/Ghee) are supposed to have very good medicinal properties and they are still used in Indian medicinal therapies like ayurveda and Siddha medicines.
Kajal can also be a girls name in India.
Some women also add a dot of kajal on the left side of the foreheads of babies and children, to protect them from 'buri nazar'. 'Buri nazar' literally means 'bad glance', and is comparable to the 'evil eye', although it can be interpreted as ill-wishes of people, or even lustful eyes, in the sense of men ogling women, as is passingly mentioned in 'Devdas', the movie starring Shahrukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Madhuri Dixit and others.
[edit] Health Concerns
[edit] Contents
The content of kohl and the recipes used to make it vary greatly. Some kohl preparations contain a large proportion of galena (lead sulfide) or stibnite (an antimony ore), and the soot from various nuts, seeds and gum resins. Lead and antimony are toxic and would kill bacteria transmitted by flies and contaminated water. However, the toxins can enter the bloodstream of the wearer and cause chronic health problems.
While kohl it is often considered a harmless, "natural" cosmetic, it is a serious public health concern. Several studies have linked kohl use in babies to infant death from lead poisoning.
Kohl samples from India and Arab countries, analysed using X-ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, have found galena, amorphous carbon, zincite, sassolite or aragonite, cuprite, goethite, elemental silicon or talc, hematite, minium, and magnetite.
Studies have found both commercial and non-commercial preparations of khol to contain high levels of contaminants including lead. Lead levels in commercial khol preparations have been as high as 84%. Kajal has been linked to lead poisoning and lead intoxication. Complications of these conditions include anemia, growth retardation, low IQ, convulsions, and in extreme cases, death. Anemia from lead poisoning is of special concern in Middle Eastern and South Asian countries where other forms of anemia are prevalent — including iron deficiency anemia (from malnutrition) and hemoglobinopathy (sickle cell anemia, thalassemia).
New concern has arisen as these cosmetics are being imported and sold in Western countries as well. The FDA issued a warning against all kohl, al-kahl, sirma, kajal products and affirmed that the sale and use of such pigments is illegal in the U.S. The FDA release can be viewed at: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-kohl.html This is different from cosmetics that only use the term "kohl" to describe a shade/color, rather than the actual ingredients.
[edit] Pop Culture
The film actress Theda Bara used kohl to rim her eyes throughout her career.
System of a Down guitarist Daron Malakian uses what appears to be kohl.
The character of Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean uses kohl.
[edit] References
- Application of kohl - Natural Beauty at Taqwa Palace
- Introduction to Harquus: Part 2: Kohl - The Henna Page. Retrieved Apr. 22, 2005.
- Hardy A, Walton R, Vaishnav R., Int J Environ Health Res. 2004 Feb;14(1):83-91. Composition of eye cosmetics (kohls) used in Cairo.
- Al-Ashban RM, Aslam M, Shah AH., Public Health. 2004 Jun;118(4):292-8. Kohl (surma): a toxic traditional eye cosmetic study in Saudi Arabia.
- Hardy AD, Vaishnav R, Al-Kharusi SS, Sutherland HH, Worthing MA., J Ethnopharmacol. 1998 Apr;60(3):223-34. Composition of eye cosmetics (kohls) used in Oman.
- al-Hazzaa SA, Krahn PM., Int Ophthalmol. 1995;19(2):83-8. Kohl: a hazardous eyeliner.
- Nir A, Tamir A, Zelnik N, Iancu TC., Isr J Med Sci. 1992 Jul;28(7):417-21. Is eye cosmetic a source of lead poisoning?
- Abdullah MA., J Trop Med Hyg. 1984 Apr;87(2):67-70. Lead poisoning among children in Saudi Arabia.
- Shaltout A, Yaish SA, Fernando N., Ann Trop Paediatr. 1981 Dec;1(4):209-15. Lead encephalopathy in infants in Kuwait. A study of 20 infants with particular reference to clinical presentation and source of lead poisoning.
- Parry C, Eaton J. , Environ Health Perspect. 1991 Aug;94:121-3. Kohl: a lead-hazardous eye makeup from the Third World to the First World.
- Hardy AD, Walton RI, Myers KA, Vaishnav R., J Cosmet Sci. 2006 Mar-Apr;57(2):107-25. Availability and chemical composition of traditional eye cosmetics ("kohls") used in the United Arab Emirates of Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al-Quwain, Ras Al-Khaimah, and Fujairah.
