Composition of eye cosmetics (kohls) used in Cairo

Abstract

A total of 18 kohl samples were analysed using X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). All the samples were purchased in Cairo and eleven of them originated in Egypt. The main component of six samples was found to be galena (PbS); where four of these samples originated in Egypt and two in India. For a further ten samples the main component was found to be one of the following: amorphous carbon, calcite (CaCO₃), cuprite (Cu₂O), goethite (FeO(OH)), elemental silicon or talc (Mg₃Si₄O₁₀(OH)₂). For the last two samples the main component of each was an unknown amorphous organic compound.

Keywords:

• Traditional medicine
• kohl
• X-ray powder diffraction
• scanning electron microscopy

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the following people for their help in the course of this study: Mr. P. Auchterlonie (Librarian for Middle East Studies, Exeter University, UK) for his help in translating colloquial Arabic and to Prof. P. Pattie and Ms. Marian M. Azmy (faculty member and student respectively at the American University of Cairo, Egypt) for their help in obtaining samples. Also, we would like to thank the staff of the Chemical and Materials Analysis Unit (University of Newcastle, UK) for the experimental SEM work mentioned in this paper.