Kohl facts for kids
Kohl is a very old type of makeup for the eyes. People traditionally make it by grinding a mineral called stibnite. It is used a lot in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia.
People use kohl as eye liner to make their eyelids darker or to draw lines around their eyes. They also use it like mascara for their eyelashes. Most often, women wear kohl, but some men and children wear it too.
What is Kohl?
Kohl is a special eye makeup that has been around for thousands of years. It was very popular in Ancient Egypt, where important women and goddesses were shown wearing it. In India, people have also used kohl as a cosmetic for a very long time.
How Kohl is Made
The way kohl is made and what it contains can be very different. In North Africa and the Middle East, homemade kohl is often made by grinding another mineral called galena. This mineral is a type of lead sulfide.
In other places, like the West, people might use soot or charcoal instead of lead-based minerals. They often add plant oils and soot from different nuts, seeds, or gum resins to the charcoal powder. These non-lead products do not always give the same dark and smooth look as the older, traditional kinds. Because of this, handmade kohl that uses lead-based ingredients is still very popular.
See also
In Spanish: Kohl (desambiguación) para niños
