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My husband had beautiful eyes permanently lined in black. He said the stuff is called sheesham - is this from the sheesham tree? He said his mother did it to him and all his relatives were done when babies and it stays for life. Now we have been asked by my brothers wife - egyptian/english - if we can get this for her. I asked a friend to bring me some and he said he got it, but he thinks it is very dangerous to the eyes and egyptian government banning people from using it! I cant find anything on the web, so, has anyone here heard of this problem? I dont want to give my SIL something which could harm her.
Posts: 160 | Registered: Feb 2007
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I have never heard of it. I would be interested to know what others say about it though. Is it a type of ink I wonder?
Posts: 13440 | Registered: Feb 2006
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If you noticed, lots of egyptians have dark colour inside the rim of the eyes. I always thought it was natural because they have darker skin, and never asked about it. one day my sister in law asked my husband how come he had such lovely dark lines in his eyes as she has 2 put kohl pencil in every day. as I said, shes an english egyptian, so if it was natural she would have had it too. then he explained in lots of families the mother does this when the babies are born and it lasts for life. he said its a powder that you mix and gently put a small amount in the inner eyes. he had never heard of any problems with it, and never thought to mention it to me because its a natural thing to have done. so, now my sister in law wants it. it is arriving today, but my friend is really hassling me about how dangerous it is! i cant find a thing about it on the net, but had nightmare last night i gave it to her and she went blind.
Posts: 160 | Registered: Feb 2007
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Ohhh wow, you know I've heard something about this somewhere, some women that did this to the babies, but I can't remember where or what context. I'll ask my husband and see what he knows. I hope it isn't dangerous.
Posts: 13440 | Registered: Feb 2006
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You might want to repost your question in the Ancient Egypt forum. Maybe it's an old forgotten tradition to do permanent make-up.
Posts: 30135 | From: The owner of this website killed ES....... | Registered: Feb 2004
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If its the same thing as sheshney then indeed it is very dangerous for the eyes. Its old fashioned and not used anymore.
Posts: 3809 | From: Paradise | Registered: Mar 2003
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I have seen it before on a baby just days old on webcam 3 years ago. I didnt know why it was there nor did i ask. Coptic baby, had both eyes smeared with it and a cross put in the middle of her head. I thought it was horrible.
I am curious if someone indeed knows more about it.
Black Dahlia, also consider to post your question on other Egypt related forums. Good luck and perhaps you let us know! Posts: 30135 | From: The owner of this website killed ES....... | Registered: Feb 2004
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I asked my better half who said it is something he heard that they used to do a long time ago but he didn't know of anyone who still did it. Why is it dangerous I wonder, perhaps causes blindness? Posts: 13440 | Registered: Feb 2006
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Well, ive looked so much for reports - only thing I found was a reference about herbalists in punjab use it to CURE conjunctivitis ! it apparently makes the tears in the eyes flow, hence clearing the ducts.
If it is dangerous and can cause blindness, why would this be used in this way? I dont know. If it isnt dangerous, I for one would like permanently dyed eye line so I didnt have to keep using the old pencil, or cleaning my eyes when a weepy movie is on! It looks fantastic on my husband. he has had it all his life, its very feint, very subtle, but enhances the eyes beautifully. I have now had it delivered. My friend went to great pains to tell me about all the people in Alex who told him it can cause blindness, and he told me about a famous author who went blind in one eye and blamed this stuff. But then, lots of Egyptians will attribute certain medical conditions to all sorts of things (no offence meant). For instance I know of an old woman who is blind in one eye and she says its because her son left to live in another country, he dont care about her anymore, and she has cried so much over the years she went blind from the tears. I know a few men who considered their badly upset stomaches ( probably from contaminated chicken they d been eating) was attributed to some "dirty" women they had recently slept with, who may have been starting or finishing a period, and the "worms" from their blood must have crawled up their pee holes and infected them with stomach blood worms!!! arrrgh. So, what to do? I dont know. Give it to my SIL or not? I promised my friend I wont do this until I have spent lots of time researching it.
Posts: 160 | Registered: Feb 2007
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I have never heard of it. ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
I would be interested to know what others say about it though. Is it a type of ink I wonder?
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