Vintage Mascara, Historical Kajal, Cake Mascara, Vintage Makeup
1834
Perfumed Solid Kohl
To Blacken the Eyelashes and Eyebrows
A Combined Recipe from 1834
1/4 oz 
Not Waterproof
Natural- Chemical Free
 
 
As many of you know this has been a long time in coming. I have spent a total about about 3 years working on regency kohl.. the debate on whether or not to bring it public raged in my mind for quite some time and many of you said you wanted to try it... so here it is. We have two forms. This form is a solid. It's not lead powder so no worries there. Original recipes for "Real Kohl" and other recipes from the period suggest to either used powdered lead or take a copper pot and build a fire under it. The soot as a result of the flame would then be scraped off and either used as a charcoal or a sort of lampblack or mixed with various fats and used in a semi-liquid paste state. We decided to go the charcoal route because we know it's been used throughout history and we know it's ok for the eyes.
 
This specific recipe was to darken the eyelashes and the eyebrows. In this 1834 recipe book it offered a lot of recipes for this; everything from Hogs Lard,  Cloves ( In the shop), to Elderberries, and Mercury. So what we did was take a little of each recipe and combine it to make it safe and unlike Elderberries ( not so potent). Many recipes talk about a constant use will help permanently dye your lashes and brows we didn't want to do that. So we took the Hogs lard from the 1834 recipe for "The Growth Of Eyelashes" and combined it with bits and pieces of the recipe from the same book titled, "A Black Composition For The Eyebrows". In the end we ended up with a lovely solid black kohl that uses historical ingredients from the period and that is safe. While I think a lot of women will prefer this for eyeliner- even if it was originally meant for the eyebrows and eyelashes- some examples coming the eyelashes with the liner anyway. I use this one a lot. We took the advice of this recipe and did add a little perfumed Eau De Cologne ( also in our shop) its a wonderful scent and smells like that of Neroli. I don't think it's very noticeable though in the final product. 
 
Check it out here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/274204324/civil-war-cologne-eau-de-cologne?ga_search_query=Eau&ref=shop_items_search_10
 
If you use it for eyeliner, like I do for everyday purposes: Historical texts will always tell you that it is a wonderful remedy to help see clearly and to brighten the eyes. Well there is some truth to that. Most of us when we look in the mirror have red eyes. Our eye whites are not clear and white. But using the charcoal - it will clean your eyes and remove impurities which causes the whites to redden and yellow. This is one of the "tricks" that help the eye look blue or give the blueish tint they keep talking about.
 
So what does a 1834 Ladies Manual say about the Eye-brows?
 
" The Eyebrows are a part of the face comparatively, but little noticed, though in disclosing the real sentiments of the mind scarcely and other feature of the face can come in competition. In vain the most prudent female imposes silence on her tongue- in vain she contrives to compose her face and her eyes- a single movement of the eye-brows instantly discloses what is passing in her soul..... It would seem that the eye-brows have a still stronger expression in women than in men... so in them the signals of internal emotions can not but manifest themselves more speedily. "Part of the soul," says Pliny the Elder, "resides in the eye-brows, which move at the command of the will."...The perfect vocabulary might, indeed, be composed of the language of the eye-brows, though this would be leading us to far out of our direct road.  " Ladies beware of your eye-brows; use them discreetly, since very frequently they are either treacherous or imprudent.".... Eye-brows which are too close together give the countenance a sullen and morose appearance: our modern belles accordingly take the greatest pains to destroy the hair at the top of the nose; whereas the Roman ladies stove to imitate it, by art, when it has been refused by nature. Thus the natives of Nicobar Islands, without taking the trouble to discuss the merits of the questions at issues between the Roman ladies and ours, relative to conjoined to separate eye-brows, settle the difficulty by plucking theres up by the roots and going without out- which, no doubt, with them is considered an equal mark of beauty."
 
And what does the 1834 Ladies Manual say about the Eye-lashes?
 
"...That European beauties are quite inattentive to the growth of their eye-lashes; though the Circassian, Georgia, Persia, and Hindustan, it is one of the finest objects of a mothers care to promote the growth of her children's eye-lashes...Ladies may, with little care do the office for themselves.- This secret must be invaluable to those whose eyelashes have been thinned and dwarfed as often happens from the inflammation of the eyes.. The growth of the eye-lashes has been promoted... It is the eye-lashes only over which we possess the greatest powder, so we can bring them to the highest perfection of gloss and thickness by the Circassian method.....Oriental beauties...have practiced the art of darkening the eye-lashes with antimony, which is put both on the hairs, and the skin at the roots, while a small streak of it is often extended outward form the exterior angles of each eye. This has a very imposing effect when artfully performed; and we have seen European ladies, who have visited the East, employ the same method to give lustre and beauty to their eyes, although together inconceivable, making them even the plainest little gray eyes appear full- orbed and piercingly dark..."
 
 
If you are going to use it as eyeliner Historically less is more... refer to our powdered kohl listing for more info on that.
How should you apply it: 
 
The easiest way is to take your kohl powder and:
1- Use a wooden toothpick or match-make sure the ends are not sharp ( round the edge if needed) Historically they used an ivory pin which means that the line it would have produced would have been very very tiny.. the larger your applicator is and the more round it is the thicker your line will be. The best reproduction tools I have found for historical purposes are bone needles and bone awls. I hope to eventually have some reproduced applicators in the shop. Until then these are some options :) 
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2- before applying the Kohl- you many want your applicator to soak in oil. Historically they say breathe on the pin to wet it... You will have to find what works best for you
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3- With the soaked or wetted end, dab your applicator into the powder and be careful not to get to much on the end- remember what I said about number 1 and the difference in size of lines.
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4- This is the part that needs practice: before applying to eye, put kohl end into the inner corner of the eye, closest to your nose, then close your eye that you are applying it to.
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5- with your eye closed ( this is very important)... slowly and firmly drag your applicator across the seam of your closed upper and lower eyelid. Don't poke your eyeball! Once that is finished repeat with he other eye. They say traditional Kohl is applied around 3 times but because we are going for a historical look. Once should do the trick as long as it's even :)