"Kohl" ( kuhl, kahal, or kohol) is a black substance used by the women of the Arabian Peninsula as eyeliner and eyeshadow.
Apart from making the eyes look brighter and larger, kohl was once believed to have value as a protection against eye disease.
It's blackness also controls the sun's glare in the desert, and thus it is used by both men and women of the desert.
Kohl is powdered antimony, a brittle metallic elementary body of bright bluish-white colour and flaky crystalline texture. Artemis imports, a belly dance mail-order supply house, sells both light and darker grades of kohl of fine quality.
It can also be found at middle eastern grocery stores, but beware of any powder which does not appear to be very finely and consistently ground.
The "kohl" pencils used in modern makeup are a completely different item and should not be applied in the manner the powder is applied, next to the eye.
HOW TO APPLY THE KOHL
To apply kohl u need:
1) a small stick or large toothpick( if u don't have)which has both ends rounded off.
Place this in olive oil overnight so that it soaks into the wood.
U may also use the olive oil to clean your stick after use.
2). a packet of kohl powder ( as u see up in the picture ).
IMPORTANT: If u wear contact lenses u must apply kohl BEFORE inserting lenses( it might damage ur contact lenses ).
To proceed with application: pick up stick in right hand to apply to right eye.
Dip tip of stick into kohl powder.
Hold stick parallel to eye, and starting at the inner point of the eye, run it between the eyelids ACTUALLY TOUCHING THE EYE. ( just as u see in the below picture). It doesn't hurt, really.
Re-powder stick, pick up in left hand and repeat on the other side.
U may also enhance ur eyebrows, or draw points off the end of your eyes.
U will feel when it is in the correct location, and u will have ur eyelids nicely black around the roots of the eyelashes with no white skin showing. Kohl is water-proof but not "spit-proof", which is a great atribute in hot climates.
A tiny amount of powder will last u a couple of years, and it's much healthier for ur eye than commercial cosmetics which u wouldn't dare put into ur eyes.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT NOT ALL KOHL'S ARE HEALTHY AND TO MAKE IT SURE U MUST BUY GOOD ONE FROM A WELL KNOW COMPANY.Avoid the one made in Pakistan and India, they r very dangerous , but regarding this i will post a different topic with the special warn.
Excess powder will gather at the corner of the eyes and u can remove it. It is much less artificial looking than painting a line outside the lids with commercial eyeliners; people will notice ur eyes, but they won't be quite sure why.
