[A] deep dive ... Admirable in the breadth and depth of its research, and edifying in presenting groups like the Wodaabe tribe in Chad and Iranian women ... Hankir's personal investment in this sophomore book is tangible, and helps to bring the reader along. Eyeliner is at its best when the author infuses the cultural history with her personal history as a British Lebanese wearer of eyeliner who has spent considerable time perfecting its application ... Engaging profiles ... How should the reader understand the larger story about communicating our identities and desires? How do they reconcile the paradoxical quality of makeup — the way it's simultaneously subversive and mainstream, capitalist and collectivist? Having guided us through an impressive, rigorously researched, winding path through centuries and over continents, Hankir ultimately leaves it up to us to decide what we do with the wealth of knowledge gathered along the way.
The Lebanese-British journalist seamlessly takes her readers on a global investigation of how the cosmetic product is used worldwide. Through intimate narratives with varied characters from different cultures and communities, we learn more about the product’s rise in prominence ... Thoroughly researched ... Packs enough information for readers to walk away with more in-depth knowledge of the staple product sitting idly inside their makeup bag.
Artfully blend a history of the eye cosmetic with an emotive treatment of makeup’s relation to the self ... A thoughtful, unlikely romp across the world, viewing a small but significant part of cultural history, through a keen (and boldly defined) eye. Ms. Hankir is at her best when examining people at close range, interviewing a subject or writing about herself. Her book is very early-millennial in tone; it will be most congenial to those who embrace online popular culture.
Hankir appears to be pointing to how eyeliner impacts culture in different ways. There is commentary on class and race and politics and gender through the lens of eyeliner. Hankir doesn’t always manage to link these ideas together except through Nefertiti who reappears regularly throughout the book to tie the different elements together. She binds the many different elements together, but it’s a rather thin link. I’m still left wondering in some cases how eyeliner came to play such pivotal roles in some many disconnected civilizations. Hankir’s book is easy to read, and draws the reader in through the personal stories of her subjects. In this sense, it’s a book that succeeds in telling, if not one story, then many stories, about a utilitarian, symbolic, and essential practice that transcends cultures around the world.
Hankir focuses on celebrating the role of eyeliner in non-Western history and culture rather than providing a more balanced look at its impact on beauty standards and gender roles. Still, readers interested in beauty culture will be fascinated by this accessible examination of such a versatile and popular beauty product.
A cultural perspective that is eye-opening and surprisingly intimate. Hankir peels back layers of history to reveal how eyeliner became so ingrained in various societies over millennia ... A thorough retrospective of a product that has endured over time and continues to play a significant role for cultures around the globe.
Creative ... Hankir maintains an appealing sense of intimacy as she recounts her own experience of expressing her Lebanese and Egyptian heritage by perfecting the eyeliner essential to her style. This captivating account reveals the complex significance of a seemingly simple adornment.
