Traditional kohl eyeliner is not safe. The core problem is lead: laboratory analysis of 21 kohl specimens found that two-thirds contained significant lead levels ranging from 2.9% to 100%, with an average of 48.5%. Ten of those samples had lead concentrations above 84%. The FDA has classified kohl, kajal, surma, and similar traditional eye cosmetics as illegal color additives in the United States, and an active import alert blocks products labeled with these names from entering the country.
What Traditional Kohl Actually Contains
Kohl has been used for centuries across South Asia, the Middle East, and parts of Africa. Its primary pigment is historically lead sulfide, a compound that gives kohl its intense black color. Other elements found in kohl preparations include aluminum, carbon, iron, titanium, calcium, magnesium, antimony, and sulfur, but lead dominates the composition in most traditional formulations.
Not every kohl product is identical. In laboratory testing, seven out of 21 specimens were completely lead-free, relying instead on carbon (some containing over 60% carbon) or other minerals for color. But there is no reliable way to tell a lead-free kohl from a dangerous one by appearance alone. The powder looks the same whether it contains 0% lead or 84%.
How Lead From Kohl Enters Your Body
Kohl is traditionally applied directly to the waterline, the inner rim of the eyelid, placing it in direct contact with the eye’s moist tissue. Lead enters the bloodstream through a combination of routes: absorption through the skin and the conjunctiva (the membrane lining the inner eyelid), and ingestion from hand-to-mouth transfer after touching the eyes. This second pathway is especially concerning for young children, who touch their faces constantly and absorb ingested lead more efficiently than adults.
A CDC investigation in New Mexico documented just how quickly this exposure adds up. Two young children in a refugee family from Afghanistan were found with blood lead levels of 27.0 and 33.5 micrograms per deciliter, both far exceeding the CDC reference value of 5.0. The kajal used by the family tested at 54% lead by weight. Similar traditional eye cosmetics have been documented as sources of childhood lead poisoning for over 30 years, with lead concentrations as high as 70%.
Health Effects of Lead Exposure
Lead is a toxic metal that damages blood cells, kidneys, the cardiovascular system, and the developing nervous system. Symptoms of lead poisoning include headaches, stomach pain, vomiting, weakness, paleness, weight loss, slowed speech development, memory loss, and learning difficulties. These symptoms can develop gradually, making them easy to overlook or attribute to other causes.
Children are at the highest risk. Even small amounts of lead can cause behavioral and learning problems in infants and toddlers, and in severe cases, lead poisoning can be fatal. For pregnant women, lead exposure increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, and preterm delivery. It can also reduce male fertility.
The damage from lead is cumulative and, in the case of neurological harm to children, largely irreversible. There is no safe threshold of lead exposure for a developing brain.
Risks of Applying Any Eyeliner to the Waterline
Even setting lead aside, applying any product to the inner rim of the eyelid (a technique called tightlining) carries its own risks. Eyeliner particles can flake or migrate into the tear film, potentially scratching the cornea or introducing bacteria. Makeup applicators are a documented cause of corneal abrasions, and if a scratch becomes infected, it can cause more serious damage to the eye.
If you do apply eyeliner along the waterline, sharpen pencils before each use or wipe the tip with a clean tissue to reduce contamination. If you notice redness, irritation, or blurred vision, stop tightlining entirely.
What About “Kohl-Style” Eyeliners From Major Brands
Many commercial cosmetics brands sell products labeled as “kohl eyeliner” or “kajal pencil.” These are not the same thing as traditional kohl. Commercially manufactured eyeliners sold by established brands in the U.S. and Europe typically use FDA-approved color additives like carbon black and iron oxides to achieve a dark, smudgy finish. The word “kohl” on these products refers to the look, not the ingredient.
The distinction matters. A kohl-style pencil from a regulated brand that lists approved color additives on its ingredient label is a fundamentally different product from a traditional kohl powder brought from overseas or purchased from an unregulated source. The risk lies in the traditional preparations, homemade versions, and imported products that bypass regulatory screening.
How to Tell if a Kohl Product Is Unsafe
You cannot determine lead content by looking at, smelling, or tasting kohl. Color and texture give no reliable clues. Instead, focus on the source:
- Imported loose powders sold in small containers without standardized ingredient labels are the highest-risk category. Products brought back from travel or purchased at informal markets have not been screened.
- Labels listing kohl, kajal, or surma as an ingredient rather than as a product name are a red flag. The FDA’s import alert specifically targets eye cosmetics that declare these materials on their labels.
- Homemade or family-prepared kohl made from traditional recipes often uses lead sulfide as a base, even when the person making it does not realize the ingredient is a lead compound.
- Commercially manufactured eyeliners from regulated brands that list specific, approved color additives (like iron oxides or carbon black) on an ingredients panel are the safer choice.
Risks to Children Are Especially Serious
In many cultures, kohl is applied to infants’ and young children’s eyes as a tradition believed to strengthen eyesight or ward off harm. This practice places the most vulnerable population in direct contact with a potent source of lead. Toddlers absorb a higher percentage of ingested lead than adults, and their hand-to-mouth behavior means lead deposited near the eyes readily ends up being swallowed.
The New Mexico cases illustrate how dangerous this can be. The younger child, just four months old, had a blood lead level of 33.5 micrograms per deciliter, nearly seven times the CDC reference value. At that age, the developing nervous system is especially sensitive to lead’s effects on cognition and behavior. If traditional kohl is part of your family’s practice, switching to a lead-free, commercially manufactured alternative eliminates the primary danger while preserving the cultural tradition.