Kohl

Elizabeth Arden introduced her version of the Arabian makeup staple Kohl in 1955. Women were always looking to the East for new and exciting looks in makeup and Arden knew just what they needed to make their eyes sparkle and delight. Kohl, is a soft cosmetic powder made up of many ingredients from powdered antimony to galena and lead. It has been used for thousands of years in the Middle Eastern, North African and even in parts of Asia such as India. The ancient Egyptians were the first to wear the eye cosmetic which they saw it as both protective and preventative. Protection from the evil eye and flies that would gather around the eyes and prevented the sun from glaring in the desert heat.

A 1955 ad for Elizabeth Arden's kohl reads:

"Elizabeth Arden's now Oriental makeup. ORIENTAL KOHL. From the ancient East the lovely long eyed look of storied Arabia. Kohl is beauty, magic, refined for your use. Miss Nell G. of Elizabeth Arden Cosmetics will be at G. Fox and Company ... Thursday through Saturday to give instructions on now to use "Kohl."

Kohl was still hot in 1963 as this ad attests:

“Pursuing the inclination women have to adopt masculine styles comes as manifesto from Elizabeth Arden stating that women who have seen Columbia’s exciting film “Lawrence of Arabia.”, are now asking to be made up to look like a Sheik. They seek to escape the blanched look of winter, in favor of a sun-warmed complexion tone, rather darker than one’s own skin, in order to get that sun-darkened desert look. This requires that the eyelashes be fringed in a darkish, smoky look with kohl, a soft powdery cosmetic similar to that which Cleopatra is said to have applied to lure her warrior lovers.”

Kohl also was revived as the Elizabeth Taylor blockbuster film Cleopatra was just released as well and women cultivated the queen of the Nile's sensuous style.