Kayal (kajal, kajal, khôl, the term can be understood as “eye outline” or “cosmetics”) is a mega-popular eye make-up product for makeup artists and individual users. It is a thick bold pencil that performs several functions.
Kayal as a representative of cosmetics originated in the time of Cleopatra. It was with such a pencil that the famous last queen of Hellenistic Egypt drew her legendary chic arrows. At that time, the remedy was used not only by noble women but even by men and children. Kajal is famous both in Africa and Asia, where it is used not only to create spectacular make-up but also to protect the mucous membranes of the eyes from the harmful effects of weather factors such as wind, ubiquitous sand, and hot sun. Additional features of the kayala:
Since Kayal was made from components of natural origin with medicinal properties, it was used to protect the mucous membrane of the eyes from the penetration of infectious agents, and to treat and prevent inflammatory ophthalmic diseases. The composition of the cosmetic product included natural vegetable oils and extracts, as well as tree resin, useful minerals, and crushed charcoal.
It was believed that kajal effectively protects a person from the evil eye, so parents often used this remedy when painting the eyes of newborn babies and young children.
The use of kayala made it possible to characterize the social status of a person.
Kayal was used to performing special drawings that had ritual significance.
Kayal found its use in the days of silent films, it was used by the famous Charlie Chaplin. Nowadays, women and girls all over the world acquire this tool to create spectacular and unforgettable eye makeup.
Kajal and classic eyeliner
To understand what kajal is for, as well as how and why to use it, let’s look at how this tool differs from a classic decorative eye pencil:
- Texture and consistency. Unlike the usual contour pencil, the core of which can be just soft, medium soft, and fairly hard, kajal is very soft and oily. Its tip glides over the skin and even the mucous membrane of the eye without any problems does not scratch and does not cause any discomfort. To get a wide and rich line, you do not even have to press on the rod. However, the tip of the kajal often breaks off, as it is very soft, so it must be handled delicately.
- Purpose and scope of Kayal. Despite the fact that the manufacturer makes the tip of the pencil as pointed as possible, it is difficult to use it to draw fine lines. Therefore, kajal is usually purchased to create thick arrows, for a solid stroke, and for painting over the entire surface of the upper eyelid. The peculiarity of kajal is that it keeps well on the mucous surface of the eyes, therefore it is often used to make a circular stroke not along the outer, but along the inner edge of the eyelids. If you need to make the lines thinner, you can put the kajal in the freezer 25-30 minutes before the start of the make-up. After heat treatment, you can try to sharpen the tip with a sharpener for contour pencils.
- The composition of the Kayal rod. Like several thousand years ago, Kayal is produced mainly from natural ingredients. If you are not allergic to the substances included in the formula of a cosmetic product, its use will only benefit you.
- Release form, marking. Kayal usually comes in the form of a thick cylinder or a tube with a thick stem inside, but you can find options on the market that are indistinguishable from ordinary contour pencils. But on the packaging, it will be indicated that it is kajal. Marking for different manufacturers may differ, the inscription may look like this – kajal, khôl.
- The specifics of Kayal pencils. Such a cosmetic product is quite difficult to use in makeup if the girl has small, deep-set eyes, or vice versa, her eyes are “bulging”. In this case, Kayal emphasizes these features of appearance, which is not always appropriate.
Kayal is considered a popular cosmetic product not only among ordinary consumers but also among professional makeup artists. In the assortment of specialized stores, you can find many color options for this beauty product. For example, a white bold pencil – it is used for various purposes, it can replace a primer for the eyelids, it acts as a good base for make-up, on which the shade of the shadows looks deeper and richer, and the shadows themselves last longer on the eyelids, do not roll into skin folds. Also, white kajal can be applied near the eyelash growth line on the lower eyelid, on the area in the corners of the eyes, so that they look larger and more expressive, the look becomes fresh, cheerful, and attractive.
The second classic color of the kayala is black. This is just a godsend for those who like to do makeup in the style of smokey ice or cat eyes, and who often do chic retro-style arrows. The second use of black kayala is a solid shading of the upper eyelid to create a dramatic look or an evening, festive make-up. If the kajal does not contain glitter or shimmer, it does not reflect light and does not create glare. Therefore, photos from a celebration or photo shoot will be successful.
In addition to black and white kajal, you can find many other color options for sale for every taste – champagne shades, blue, olive, orange, yellow, purple, blue, brown, etc. There are both matte and shimmery textures – you can bring to life any, the most unusual eye makeup idea.
How to use kajal in eye makeup
Kayal is a universal beauty tool that will help you accentuate the eye area, emphasize beauty and make your look more attractive and sexy. You can use a bold pencil in several ways:
- Smokey ice with kajal of any bright or dark color. To make up your eyes, just run the tip of the rod along the lash line on the upper and lower eyelids, make a small straight arrow. And then, with a special applicator or a cotton swab, blend the pigments so that they form a haze around the cut of the eyes. Also, within the framework of this technique, you can use not one, but several colors (2 or 3) of kayala – similar in type or contrasting. Color transitions can be sharp or smooth. The haze can be shaded not only on the moving eyelid, but also a little higher, going beyond the crease, but not reaching the eyebrow growth line.
- The usual stroke along the outer contour of the eyelids. In this case, you need to circle the upper and lower eyelids, creating a smooth and continuous line. To draw the tip of the arrow or not – decide for yourself, if you have large open eyes, the arrow will help narrow them slightly and give your eyes a mysterious and languid expression. It is not necessary to shade the pigments.
- Ordinary mucosal eyeliner. On the upper eyelid, the arrow is drawn directly near the line of growth of the ciliary row, and in the corners of the eyes and on the lower eyelid, the line is drawn directly along the mucous membrane, only slightly affecting the skin of the eyelids and clogging between the cilia.
- A lone arrow on the upper eyelid, including this may be a retro version. Start drawing a line at the inner corner of the eye above the lash line. Closer to the middle, make the arrow a little thicker. And having reached the outer corner of the eye, paint over a few more millimeters, lifting the line up and trying to sharpen it as much as possible. Then the line can be blurred a little. But if you want to make a retro-style arrow, you should not do feathering, the line should be clear.
- The use of kayala in the nude technique. In this case, you will need a pencil of some natural muted shade with a matte finish. It can be chocolate, coffee, flesh, beige, light gray, graphite, the color of wet asphalt. Draw a line on the upper and lower eyelids (or only on the upper) as close as possible to the border of the growth of the ciliary row. Then, with a cotton swab or applicator, drive the pigments between the cilia. This way you can make a slight accent on the eyes, and at the same time get the effect of makeup without makeup.
These are far from all eye make-up techniques in which you can successfully apply kajal and get a striking effect that transforms your appearance. For example, you can emphasize the lower eyelid with one color, and completely paint over the upper movable eyelid with another. There are a lot of options, experiment in your free time, evaluate the result – the main thing is that the makeup suits you and is appropriate in a given situation.
How to use kajal for eyes of a light shade in makeup of other areas of the face
Makeup artists love to experiment with cosmetics, look for non-standard ways to use different cosmetics. Therefore, it is not surprising that alternative methods of use were found for kajal for the eyes. For example, if you apply a matte or satin flesh-colored kayal along the contour of the lips and shade well, the lips will appear more voluminous, plump. At the same time, the natural pink tone of the skin in the center will give the impression that the lips are kissed – this effect is very popular at this time. And if you apply the same matte light kayal to the area under the eyebrows, you can make them clearer and more expressive, visually enlarge your eyes, and your eyes will look wide open.
Bold and easy to carefully blend, kayal is also used in contouring facial features. White, flesh and just a light shade of a pencil can be used to accentuate, visually increase the length / width / volume of the desired areas. For example, by applying pigments to the back of the nose, you can make it more refined. And if you use a light kayal near the hairline on the forehead, you can visually make a small forehead higher.
Attention!This material is subjective, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a guide to the purchase. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.
