Kayal

“Kayal” (kohl, khol, kol, kajal) in the ancient Akkadian language means “cosmetics”. Kayal is known from antiquity in South Asia, northern Africa and the Middle East. The composition of the antique kayal was ground galena , antimony ( lead sulfide ), and malachite . The use of kayal began about 4-3 thousand years BC in the prehistoric period - the tombs of the Tasian culture and the 0 dynasty of Egypt have images with their eyes closed. Initially, kayal was used by noble women, and then - by men to protect their eyes from the harmful effects of the sun - the belief that the black color attracts all the sun's rays, still exists. Even newborn babies began to color their eyes - from the evil eye. In other cultures, kayal drawings have also acquired ritual significance.

The composition was mixed and stored on the so-called cosmetic pallets - metal plates with relief images and placed in various elongated containers.

North Africa

The Egyptians painted the entire upper eyelid with black galena, and the lower one was emphasized with dark green malachite ^[1] . In January 2010, chemist Philippe Walter analyzed the composition of the kayal stored in the Louvre's collection and found two lead chlorides that are not synthesized under natural conditions. In his opinion, lead was added by the Egyptians specifically for the prevention of eye infectious diseases ^{[2] [3]} .

Women from the Berber and Bedouin tribes drew a vertical line from the lower lip to the chin and through the wings of the nose.

Women from Somalia and Ethiopia applied kayal to protect against sand, sun, evil eye ^{[4] [5]} .

West Africa

The peoples of the house and fulbe also knew the kayal ^[6] . It was also used by the Tuareg , Wolof , Mandinka , Soninke , Dagomb , Canuri , and Muslim peoples in the Sahel and Sahara deserts .

Men, children, elderly people were painted, especially at weddings, a kurban-bayram or a juma-namaz .

Women drew the same vertical lines from the lower lip to the chin.

South Asia

In India, kayal is known as antimony, it is prepared at home and is used by women and children for continuous eyeliner in a circle to cool and protect from the sun (these representations exist at the level of belief and have no physical basis).

In the Punjabi culture , antimony is used in a ceremonial function to characterize social status during holidays or religious events by men. Makeup is done by brother's wife or mother.

Women put dots on the forehead ( bindi ) to themselves and children from the evil eye. Bharatanatyam dance performers use kayal for eyeliner and eyebrow to give expression to expressions.

Modern ingredients and methods for preparing kayal vary. In North Africa and the Middle East , lead sulfide is still used at home, in the west in manufacturing - charcoal, amorphous carbon (soot). Vegetable oils and oils of seeds, nuts, resins are often binders.

There is a lot of data on the dangers of ^{[8] [9] [10] [11]} prolonged use of cosmetics with lead sulfide ( anemia , high blood pressure, cataracts ) and evidence that lead sulfide in cosmetics is not absorbed into the blood and therefore harmless ^[12] .

Chinese researchers were looking for scientific evidence that lead sulfide around the eyes protects eyesight from exposure to the sun ^[13] . They found that a film coated with lead sulfide has a high degree of absorption and low conductivity of ultraviolet radiation.

In the 1990s, large-scale analyzes of Asian cosmetics were carried out - almost all pencils contained up to 84% lead. ^{[14] [15] [16]} Samples from Oman and Cairo contained galena ^[14] .

A decade later, in Egypt and India, lead was found in thirds of the samples in the kayal produced for sale, and the remaining two thirds - coal, zincite ^[14] cuprite , goethite , silicones or talc , hematite , red lead ^[14] and vegetable oils.

Eyeliners of Western cosmetics manufacturers, marked with kohl , have nothing to do with traditional Asian kayals - they do not contain lead, soot (some companies still include it in their composition), vegetable oils. If the marking indicates the admissibility of getting on the mucous membrane of the eye, a kayal can be drawn along the line of eyelash growth on the lower eyelid from its inside. Kayal powder, which only imitates Asian powders, is converted into a persistent cream when it comes into contact with the moist eyelid line.

Although kayal visually reduces the eyes, it adds expressiveness to the look. Softer than a contour pencil, it gives a less stable and unusually thick shaded line, which can be mistaken for poor quality goods. Available in various shades, sometimes two colors on different sides of the pencil.

• Gorned to the word "alcohol" - comes from the Arabic الكحل (al-kuħl) "powdered antimony." Since the XVII century, the meaning of the word in European languages ​​has expanded - they began to denote all products of sublimation.
• Silent movie actress Teda Bara has always used kayal on set.
• Jack Sparrow , the main character in the Pirates of the Caribbean movie, used kayal since Johnny Depp associated the wandering life of Bedouins and pirates.
• U2's Miss Sarajevo song mentions the kayal “Is there a time for kohl and lipstick?” / a time for curling hair / is there a time for High Street shopping? / to find the right dress to wear. "