Other forms: kohls
Kohl is a dark powder that's used as eye makeup. When you dress up for a fancy event, you might add a dramatic line of kohl along the top of your eyelid.
Kohl is an especially familiar cosmetic in South Asia, the Middle East, and various parts of Africa. It's commonly associated with India, where it's used by women, as well as some men and children. Kohl is worn in several Indian states as part of religious festivals, and in others it's frequently applied to babies' eyes. Historians have traced kohl back at least as far as 3100 BCE, when it was applied to the eyes of Egyptian queens.