FACTS: 5 Facts About Ancient Egyptian Eyeliner

In ancient Egypt, black eyeliner was called KOHL. (pronounced "cole")

Ancient Egyptian cosmetics jars and tools.
by Jean-Pierre Dalbera

Read on for 5 Fascinating Facts about Khol

1. How it was made: Ancient Egyptians made their traditional eyeliner cosmetic by grinding together a combination of malachite (a bright green mineral), lead, and oil or fat with a mortar and pestle. The liner was then stored in a pretty container.
2. To apply khol eyeliner, the wearer used a small stick. A line was traced around the upper and lower lids, and extended toward the ear. The cat-eye, taken to the extreme.
3. Unisex: Both men and women wore kohl.
4. Special properties: Ancient Egyptians believed khol liner had magical and healing powers.
5. Ancient sun protection: Khol probably helped reduce the sun's glare, the way a football player uses black cheek stripes beneath their eyes. This would've been pretty useful, since sunglasses hadn't been invented yet!