‘The eyeliner is not just an aesthetic tool’

Kathakali artist Balasubramanian explains in Eyeliner: A Cultural History, “We’re transformed into extrahuman characters. The eyeliner is crucial to projecting the eyes onto the audience by enlarging them. Everything is precisely applied, with the intent that the eyes evoke the character’s feelings.”

Eyeliner, kohl, kajal, ithmid, surma, tiro, sormeh, guyliner and more make it to the pages of Lebanese-British journalist Zahra Hankir’s book. Eyeliner moves through centuries past and present in this definitive account of one of the most used makeup products globally. It covers vast ground, from Queen Nefertiti in Egypt to geishas in Japan, from the Wodaabe people in Chad to Amy Winehouse. Kathakali performers set the stage for the chapter on India, with Hankir also drawing on the use of kajal by personalities and everyday women, and on references to ancient texts, folk art and archaeological discoveries.

After editing the anthology Our Women On the Ground: Essays by Arab Women Reporting from the Arab World (2019), Hankir wanted to work on something different. She knew there was something special about kohl from the time she had, as a child, watched her mother draw her eyes: “it wasn't just that it transformed her look. I used to feel like it transformed her whole mood.” Hankir finds commonalities in eyeliner usage among cultures of the Global South, even as she highlights each region’s distinctions and asks readers to “eschew the Western gaze.” Edited excerpts from an interview:

What conversations has the book sparked, or you hope it will?

The book has sparked discussions around representation and diversity in the beauty industry, particularly about who gets credited for certain trends and why. One theme I explore is cultural appropriation… I’m not suggesting that anyone wearing eyeliner is automatically appropriating the culture, but there are cases where eye shapes are manipulated to achieve a particular look, like the “fox eye” trend. It creates an eye shape that many women of colour are naturally born with, a feature they were often mocked for while growing up. It's important for people to understand the origins of the products they use and recognise that wearing certain looks can be culturally insensitive or problematic. Moreover, eyeliner is not just an aesthetic tool. It has deep cultural significance, serving spiritual, religious, and medicinal purposes. It’s tied to heritage and ancestry, and can even be a form of rebellion or self-expression. My goal was to highlight that these multifaceted uses of eyeliner are particularly prominent in the Global South and among communities of colour.

You blend stories of royalty, history, personal experiences, and everyday people. How important was it to balance these different narratives?

I was initially hesitant to include too much personal narrative, but my publisher and editor encouraged me to. Personal connection can be important, especially when you're dedicating an entire book to a subject. And I do have a personal story, having to do with my Arab, Egyptian and Lebanese heritage. I wear eyeliner every day—it’s part of my identity, and without it, something feels missing. It connects me to my Arab heritage while living in the West—this is a sentiment shared by many who wear it as a way to stay connected to their culture, whether in the diaspora or not.

From a storytelling perspective, I approached the book with a journalistic and anthropological lens. I wanted to speak with people who use eyeliner in profound ways, to hear their stories, and to document their personal experiences. The “show, don’t tell” principle guided my approach, and I spent time traveling and observing how eyeliner is applied and what it means to different people.

Historical research was just as important. I delved into archives, magazines, films, and literature—everything from Bollywood to ancient poetry. I couldn’t have achieved this without the help of researchers from countries where I didn’t know the language or cultural nuances. Their input was invaluable in making this book what it is.

How did you approach the chapter in India, starting with a Kathakali performance in Kerala?

I wanted to include one of India’s classical dances because eyeliner and makeup are such integral parts of these performances. In India, eyeliner use goes beyond aesthetics—it has a spiritual dimension. In Kathakali, the makeup is closely tied to the type of character being portrayed, and the eyes play a crucial role in telling the story. I first saw Kathakali at a friend's wedding in Kerala, and it left me mesmerized, which prompted me to return to the area for more research.

Interestingly, more women are now involved in Kathakali, a traditionally male-dominated art form. Eyeliner is a transformative tool not only in Kathakali but in many performance arts, including drag. There's a fascinating parallel between the use of eyeliner in drag queens’ transformations and in classical dance. The theme of transformation is a common thread that ties these different contexts together.

Anything you would have liked to add but couldn’t in the book?

I would’ve loved to explore more regions. For instance, in Nepal, living goddesses use kajal in a very distinct, spiritually significant way. In Palestine, eyeliner has been used as a tool of cultural preservation. I also wanted to visit Yemen or Saudi Arabia, where some of the purest kohl is made, including the kind that the Prophet Muhammad used (known as Ithmid). This has strong religious and cultural roots in the Islamic tradition. South America was another region I would’ve liked to cover. But with limited time and resources, I had to focus on specific cultures. This, however, is a testament to how rich and widespread eyeliner’s history is—so meaningful to many communities outside the West. My aim was to shine a light on these often-overlooked cultures.

Annie Philip is an independent journalist based in Bengaluru.