Homemade Kohl

Kohl is basically a blend of soot along with other ingredients. This was chiefly used by females of south Asia, mid east and Africa. In some parts it is even used by males. The word kohl has been derived from Arabic word “kuhl” pronounced kol or kehal or kohal. In southern Asia it is termed as kajal or surma. While in the West Africa it is known as kwalli. The Egyptians prepared it with malachite and ochre oil.

Kohl was used even far back in the Bronze Age and could be seen in the remains and paintings of the Egyptian culture. It was basically used as protection of the eye against sun damage. It was fundamentally a kind of cosmetic in those times. In south asia it is called as sirma, surma, kajal, kaatuka, kan mai, kaadige etc. it is a kind of eyeliner that is applied around the eyes. In fact in the southern part of India it is prepared at home from the soot and is used in infants too. It is believed to be a natural coolant for eyes and protects the vision and eye sight.

Home made kohl is prepared by dipping muslin cloth in sandal wood paste and then dried. A wick is made of the cloth and lit in lamp of castor oil. A brass vessel is placed over the lamp and the lamp is kept overnight. The next day few drops of castor oil are added to the soot and the kohl is stored in clean dry box. The ingredients used are believed to have medicinal properties and are used in Ayurveda. But one should be careful as the home made one that is prepared from “galena” can lead to major health problems.

One can achieve smoky look for the eyes. Kohl is the best option for those well defined eyes. There are numerous kohl products available in the market. It is a best coolant for the eyes and has all the goodness of antibacterial properties.