The Crusades, King Richard, the Knights Templar, Jerusalem - the film Kingdom of Heaven is as visually bold as you might imagine when covering such subjects. But it is not the historical journey that led me to spend more than two hours of my life in front of a wide screen. Nor was it the prospect of an evening with Orlando Bloom, although that may have been a miscalculation on my part.
No, what led me to the film was make-up. Not special effects, blood, guts, or anything drastic, but rather something more serenely dramatic: kohl, and lots of it. I could easily have been enraptured by other style pointers, such as that saffron was the navy blue of the Crusades (for princesses, anyway), that turbans are incredibly soignée, and that gold jewellery really does look good against pale skin. But it is the kohl that really had people talking.
One colleague came back from a screening completely enraptured with Sibylla's mesmeric eyes and "all that kohl". And jewellery designer Francesca Amfitheatrof, busy relaunching her own jewellery line later this year, has become a Sibylla devotee. "I would love to make those gorgeous kohl eyes but with my big dark eyebrows it is difficult. But that does not mean I won't try it. So if you see me walking around looking like I have a drug problem and a violent husband it is my Kingdom of Heaven Look."
Amfitheatrof is not alone, getting kohl right is tricky. Make-up artist Kay Montano offers unbiased advice (she is not affiliated to a cosmetic company). "If your eyes are small, keep the emphasis of kohl on the top lids and use a soft smudge of dark grey or brown/taupe underneath, avoiding a thin line. This will open up eyes. Larger eyes can go for the rock 'n' roll kohl, all around the eyes. The key to making this work [and not 'close up' the eye] is to really smudge in with a brush to soften." Montano says "black is pretty strong for most women - try browns, taupes, greys - even aubergine is surprisingly flattering, especially on brunettes."
For finishing touches "open up the eyes with Shu Uemura eyelash curlers and use a coat of their latest mascara, which is my new favourite product".
I have found Guerlain's Terracotta Loose Powder Kohl works well. It comes with a hard dipstick that you draw across the lid but the effect is very dramatic - especially in the unusual turquoise shade. "It is based on the original design of kohl powder worn in North African and Middle Eastern cultures," says Richard Hawkins, Guerlain's training manager and a fully-fledged make-up artist. "It was originally worn to protect the inner lash line from being burnt by the heat of the sun. The formulas used then and the Guerlain formula today are both anti-bacterial and help protect the eye from infection."
Other honourable mentions include Chanel's Automatic Liquid Eyeliner. Even their black somehow isn't too heavy even against my pale skin and green eyes and is so easy to apply in a concealer-style pen form that it would almost be a sin not to try. Estée Lauder's Pure Color eyeliner is excellent and comes in a pot and brush complete with a long handle to keep control when applying (try the khaki shade for dramatic distinction).
And don't imagine that this is all about Crusade chic. As Montano says, "Kohl is a perennial and I've never known it not to be in style. The other elements of make-up change but kohl is always there and the most iconic of cosmetics. What other cosmetic goes from Biblical to rock 'n' roll, from the singing Sixties to the catwalks of modern day Gucci? And it's the perfect alternative to the onslaught of the prairie/gypsy trend."
