Featured Silver Indo-Persian kohl bottle

In most cases you pull the applicator horizontally while holding it in between your closed eyelids. (Don't try this at home ) So you only get the kohl on the inner rim of your eyelids.
For raccoon eyes, put some powder on your finger and smear away.



People are generally uninformed about kohl containers.

 

I remember this look back in the 1980's. I never wore my eyeliner this way because I've always worn contacts. And also because the black stuff would collect in the corner of your eye. Yuk!

 

Years a go my father , a geologist/ history buff, told me that Kohl and ground Lapis were used around the eyes to protect against eye infections caused by flies in ancient Egypt. When we lived in the middle east they had what we called "sticky flies" that would land on the corner of your eyes and had to be brushed off only to come back again. There were many blinded by these flies just like cattle here in on the farm can be. Not sure how he came by this info but he was well read.

 

Wow, that's really interesting. When you think about it, there had to be a good reason to put black around the eyes.

 

That is also why many Indians put kohl in their children's eyes:


Dabs of kohl under the eyes is said to protect the eyes against sun damage. Research has found that it does lessen the reflection of the sun from the skin under the eyes:


Although some doctors warn against using kohl, others have found more benefits. It all depends on the composition of the kohl, of course.

I personally use kohl (pencil) at night against itchy eyes, otherwise the itching would keep me awake. If I don't use it, my eyelids get so swollen that in the morning it looks like I have caterpillars around my eyes.