Kajal: a good alternative to the regular eye pencil

Kajal, which is also known as kohl, is a pigment used in the eye area, very popular in the East. The product has been around for approximately 3,000 years and its function originally was to protect the eyes from the sun and some people also believed that it was capable of warding off evil spirits. The importance and popularity of the product are so great in the East that even men and children use it.

The original composition of kajal used heavy metals, but currently it is basically composed of “oils, fats (lipids), waxes and dyes, the most used being iron oxide and titanium”, explains chemical engineer Valdelis Fernandes de Andrade. . “This is practically the same composition as the regular eye pencil, the difference is in the pigmentation, which is greater in the kajal, which makes the product more intensely colored and also has more fat”, completes Valdelis.

The product was popularized and appropriated to Western culture, where it is successful due to its soft texture and strong pigmentation, which makes it easy to mark the waterline and blend it out even for those who don’t have much makeup experience. Check out in this article the different uses that kajal can have, how to make the product at home and where to buy it.

how to use kajal

Basically, kajal and regular eye pencil can be used in the same way, just with some care in the case of kajal. With the help of makeup artist Néia Gomes, from Núcleo K, we list below some practical tips for using kajal, check it out:

• Kajal can be used as an eyeliner or as a common pencil to mark the waterline;
• It is also ideal for artistic makeup because it is well pigmented;
• Because it is softer, it needs to blend a little when applying, as the skin can perspire and with that the product melts and smudges the makeup;
• The ideal is to use the product during the night or cooler days, so it is more difficult for the product to melt;
• Its marked and well-pigmented line is also ideal for night occasions.

Makeup tricks with kajal by Juliana Goes

In the video, blogger Juliana Goes uses Vult’s kajal and demonstrates different ways and tricks to use kajal. The blogger teaches several techniques of outlined, smoky and the traditional line on the waterline with the product.

Step by step: how to make homemade kajal

Industrialized kajal can contain harmful or allergy-causing substances and therefore, many women stop using the product. An alternative to this is to do it at home with natural products, without preservatives and other substances that can cause some damage. Check out a step-by-step guide on how to make homemade kajal below:

You will need:

• 1 lamp;
• 50g of ghee;
• 1 long cotton wick;
• 1 copper plate.

How to make:

1. Put half of the ghee inside the lamp;
2. Wrap the cotton wick in ghee and place it in the lamp together with the ghee;
3. Light the wick;
4. Position the copper plate so that the black smoke touches the plate;
5. Let the flame burn until the ghee is gone;
6. Mix the black residue from the copper plate with the rest of the ghee;
7. Store the mixture in a tightly closed jar and keep it in the fridge.

It is worth remembering that homemade kajal is a little different from the commercial one: “kajal is manufactured using extrusion and compaction techniques, which we cannot reproduce at home, as equipment is needed for this, the strength necessary for the application of kajal is quite compromised without these processes”, comments Valdelis. Therefore, while industrialized kajal is very firm, homemade kajal may be less consistent and require a brush for application.

where to buy kajal

Although kajal is a traditionally oriental cosmetic, you don’t have to go that far to buy it. Many brands, including national ones, offer the product. Check below where to find kajal in online stores:

Kajal is an alternative to the common eye pencil, especially for those who prefer a more pigmented and easy-to-apply product. Due to its composition, it is not a very interesting product to be used in the summer, as it can run off. If you want to use it on hot days, it is important that you use a small amount of product and use brushes to blend it out, so your makeup will remain intact and beautiful even on hot days.