What is the black that football players wear under their eyes made out of?

Eye Black

Eye black is a grease applied under the eyes to reduce glare. It is often used by baseball and American football players, where sunlight or stadium lights can impair vision of an airborne ball. Traditional grease consists of beeswax, paraffin, and carbon. Patented antiglare stickers that emulate the grease are also manufactured, sometimes with a sports team logo printed on.

A 2003 study by Brian DeBroff and Patricia Pahk tested whether black eye grease actually had anti-glare properties. The subjects of the study were divided into three groups: wearers of eye black, wearers of antiglare stickers, and wearers of petroleum jelly. The subjects' vision was tested using an eye chart while being exposed to natural sunlight. The study concluded that eye black reduced glare of the Sun and improved constrast sensitivity, whereas commercial antiglare stickers and petroleum jelly (the control substance) were found to be ineffective. A further study which set to improve DeBroff's methodology also found eye black to reduce glare from the sun, but less so in blue-eyed individuals and males.

First answer by ID3502260362. Last edit by Ranger22. Contributor trust: 3543 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 11 [recommend question]