In India, if there is one beauty routine that most women, even those that don’t usually wear makeup, never go without, it is the application of kohl or kajal, as it is more commonly known. These days, different kinds of kajal sticks are commonly available, but many women still make their own kajal at home. It’s easy to see why the beauty aid is so favored. On application, the kajal instantly lends a dark, attractive allure to one’s eyes and appears to brighten the face.
Did you know that women, and even men and children, in many parts of Asia and Africa, have used kohl to enhance their eyes, since ancient times? The reason for its popularity is that it is not only aesthetic, but is believed to have medicinal properties. In India, kohl is applied to even newborns to strengthen and protect their eyes from the harsh rays of the sun. Putting a kohl dot on the face or behind the ear is also believed to ward off the “evil eye.”
Kohl is also known by other names in South Asian languages – “kajal”, “kan mai”, “kanmashi” and “Surma”.
The preparation of kohl varies from region to region. In India, the preparation is organic and lead free. Most households have their preferred method of making kohl. One such DIY method is described below. It is simple enough, but make sure you try this only under an elder’s supervision.
You will need:
- A lamp
- A plate
- A cotton wick
- Pure castor oil
- A matchbox
- Two bricks or similar structures to balance the plate
- Ghee (clarified butter)
- A small bowl for mixing
- A clean container
Directions:
- Place the lamp in a corner that is not windy.
- Add castor oil.
- Dip the wick in the oil and light it.
- Place two bricks or structures, appropriate to the size of the lamp, on either side of the lamp.
5. Position an inverted plate over the lamp such that the tip of the flame touches the plate. The plate should rest on the two bricks.
6. As the flame burns, a black powdery residue (soot) collects on the plate.
7. When the flame dies down, and the plate is cool to touch, scrape off the soot into a bowl.
8. Add a couple of drops of ghee to make a semi-solid paste.
9. You can add a pinch of camphor for a cooling effect, if you wish. This is optional. Kohl that includes camphor is never applied to infants.
10. Transfer the paste to a clean container. You may refrigerate this for a couple of hours before storing it at room temperature but this isn’t really required.
Application:
1. Wash your hands.
2. Gently touch the kohl with your right index finger.
3. Using your left index finger, gently pull down the lower eyelid of your left eye.
4. Using your right index finger, trace a line on the water line of the left eye from the inner to the outer edge.
5. Repeat the same for the right eye.
6. If you prefer to use a brush, use a fine tipped brush, like an eyeliner brush.
Different theories abound in the type of plate, lamp and wick to use. Traditionally silver plates and brass or bronze lamps were used, but any material, even steel or earthenware can be used to make homemade kohl. Usually a simple cotton wick is used, but some prefer to repeatedly dip and dry a muslin cloth in sandalwood paste or the juice of Alstonia scholaris before using it as a wick in the lamp. This is supposed to provide additional benefits to the kohl.
In rural Bengal, India, kohl is made from the ‘Monosha’ plant, a type of cactus. The leaf of Monosha is covered with oil and is kept above a burning diya (mud lamp). Within minutes, the leaf is covered with creamy soft black soot, considered safe for infants.
Surma, in its purest form, is extracted from the mountain Kohe-Tur in Saudi Arabia. It consists of mica, lead and graphite. The greyish black stone is purified and powdered for sale. Some prefer to keep the purified stone un-powdered and rub it against a hard surface when they need surma. The resultant black powder is then mixed with water and applied to the eyes with the right index finger. Surma holds religious significance for Muslims. While men don’t wear it daily like women, they apply it during their prayers or the holy month of Ramzan. A Muslim man is expected to wear at least 10 grams of surma in his lifetime.
In North Africa and the Middle East, homemade kohl is often prepared by grinding galena (lead sulfide).
In the West, amorphous carbon or organic charcoal is used instead of lead. Plant oils and the soot from various nuts, seeds, and gum resins are often added to the carbon powder.
Concerns of lead poisoning have resulted in lead-contaminated kohl being banned. It is illegal to import into or sell kohl in the United States. An article published in Analytical Chemistry, however, reports that lead based kohl may not be all that bad as the Egyptians may have deliberately included lead compounds in their preparations to prevent and treat eye illnesses by promoting the action of immune cells.
If you prefer to buy kohl, make sure it is from an authentic source and is lead-free. It is always safer to make Kohl at home as you know what goes into it. Homemade kohl tends to be darker than the store-bought ones. Any kohl that is natural and has no additives tends to smudge a little. To combat this, wear it at bedtime. When you wash your face the next morning, the remaining kohl will lend a natural, dark look to your eyes. Homemade kohl has a long shelf life, but it is advisable to make a fresh batch every three to four months.