Cleopatra's Kohl

Ancient Egypt. The mind goes to beautiful painted queens adorned with ornate headdresses and jewels, their faces stunning and immaculate. Before you get too jealous, hear this: they weren’t just born that way. Cleopatra wore makeup!

Unlike some beauty products, which were likely dreamed up in the laboratory of some big cosmetics company and adeptly marketed to the public, eyeliner, or Kohl, as it was commonly known, originated in the Bronze Age (that’s 3500 B.C., ladies!!). Though there was no doubt a decorative aspect to its application, Kohl was also used by Egyptian queens to ward off eye ailments such as poor eyesight and infections. Darkening the perimeter of the eye was also a common device to protect against the sun’s powerful rays. Kohl is made by grinding galena, or lead sulfide, and other ingredients such as oxidized copper, ochre, and malachite—always at the height of style, it is believed that the ancient Egyptians would even add in minerals and semi-precious stones, like malachite or lapus lazuli, to bring some color to the mix!

The use of kohl extended to many regions of Africa and Asia, where it was widely used for various decorative and spiritual purposes. India’s oldest caste, the koli, used kohl to ward off the evil eye: mothers would apply it to their babies soon after birth to deflect terrible curses and strengthen the eyes. In Punjabi culture, kohl is worn on special or social occasions, predominately by men. In the Islamic tradition kohl is sanctioned for use by men and women alike to strengthen vision and cleanse the eye: some sources even claim that it was worn by the Prophet Muhammed himself.

The eyeliner we typically use today is not traditional kohl, which has been warned against by scientists and beauty experts alike because of its toxic lead-based properties. It is believed, in fact, that the use of traditional kohl is behind high rates of lead poisoning among some Middle Eastern, Asian and North African peoples.   

Not to worry, the common eyeliner that you can pick up in the drugstore is safe. Many makeup artists and cosmetics brands now use the term “kohl” just to refer to a soft powder in dark matte shades that applies seamlessly and is easily smudged. No grinding of pigments necessary! You’ll be looking like Cleopatra in no time.

Tibet: Go Goji!

Goji berries are a deceptive little fruit. When fresh, they wear the disguise of slightly elongated cherry tomatoes. When dried, they look like pellet-shaped raisins that somebody has dyed for the Chinese New Year. Despite their strange, otherworldly appearance and even stranger taste-- not to mention the alternate title “wolfberry”, which hardly sounds hospitable or appetizing—certain health experts, and, more recently, celebs like Madonna and Oprah, have recently been championing the belief that that goji berries posses an almost magical ability to rejuvenate the body, both outside and in.

Of course, the magic of goji berries is something that ancient Asian cultures have known about for thousands of years. Purportedly first discovered by the Himalayans, believed by some to be the first natural healers, word of the berry’s restorative powers spread to herbalists in India, Tibet, and China, where it was used to combat a wide range of ailments and to increase life span.

The slew of health benefits assigned to this little berry is, frankly, astounding. It has been claimed to help prevent cancer and heart disease, lower cholesterol, treat diabetes and high blood pressure; improve eyesight, help insomnia and fatigue; support kidney function, boost your immune system, and promote weight loss. Studies that make these claims are in various stages—it’s sometimes hard to tell with these things how much credibility to assign them.

One thing is for sure though: goji is GREAT for your skin. Ancient healers who used the berry for longevity were certainly onto something: Goji berries are packed with all of the essential antioxidants—some say more than any “superfood”-- which slow the aging process by fighting free radicals that damage cells and DNA and impair the body’s ability to repair itself. It’s also rich in l-glutamine and I-arginine, two amino acids that play a vital role in generating protein, one of the key building blocks of skin, hair, and nails that keeps them looking healthy and beautiful. The berries contain Vitamin A-rich compounds, which also have anti-aging benefits, and bioflavonoids that help the body absorb nutrients like Vitamin C that leave the skin healthy and happy. The berry itself, some sources claim, is the third richest source of Vitamin C on the planet: 500 times more of it per gram than oranges! Polysaccharides discovered in the Goji berry also promote production of human growth hormone in the body, which helps repair skin cells-- and build muscle for those looking to get fit for resort season.

You don’t have to scale the Himalayas to get yourself some Goji. Big brands are incorporating it into lotions, body mists, and age defense serums. But you can also buy dried goji berries at your local health food store; if you can get used to the taste, they’re a great snack food! Try a strawberry goji berry smoothie or a fresh goji power soup. Or if you’re really ambitious consider whipping up some goji berry cheesecake for your next romantic night in with that special someone. Did you know goji berries are rumored to be a strong sexual tonic? Those wily things…