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| Kajal may be just the thing for Ash’s beautiful eyes, but she doesn’t like applying it |
It has inspired poets, painters and filmmakers down the ages. It is the one ingredient that adds instant mystique like no other. It is kajal. No, not the actress, though we like her too.
The humble, no-frills kohl pencil, the superhero of every woman’s make-up kit.
Why kajal?
It gives instant definition and enhances the appeal of the eyes. “It gives what the human eye wants — focus. By defining the shape of the eyes, it gives a feeling of completeness,” says make-up pro Cory Walia. And guess what Cory compares eyes sans kajal to? “Have you seen some dogs that have pink rims instead of the black ones? They look terrible,” he laughs.
The dark hue of kajal also offers a dramatic contrast to the pale whiteness of the iris. “It helps in highlighting the colour of the eyes,” adds make-up pro and t2 columnist Priscilla Corner.
So now that the absolute must-have status of the kajal has been established, here’s all the other stuff you need to know.
Application
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| Kareena just can’t do withoutit. Her pale skin anddark eyebrows offset bykohl-laden eyes look smouldering. |
The application has to be a careful process. As the eye area is soft and delicate, ensure that while applying the kajal, you don’t rough up the skin around your eyes.
Cory likes it best when it is applied inside the lower lid and the upper lid. “I like to bring the kajal close to the eyelashes, smudge it a bit and put just a little bit of eyeliner to hold the kajal in place,” he says.
Priscilla recommends that you start applying it from the corner of the eye. Smudge it only slightly if you want that smoky look.
Beauty expert Bridgette Jones suggests that instead of pulling down the skin on the lower eyelid, in order to fill it in with kajal, place your index finger very gently on the lower lid till you see the rim pop up. This will ensure that there is no tug or pull. “If you want depth, use a soft kajal pencil on the upper rim. Now, close your eyes and gently direct the pencil from the outer to the inner corner and repeat if required,” she adds.
Shop right
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| Bipasha has thesmouldering lookdown to an art. And itjust wouldn’t workwithout her sexy, sexykajal! |
The kajal has to be of top quality because it will make contact with the eyes. It should not be greasy or runny. Also, be careful about not ending up with a kajal that has lead.
There are other factors to consider, too. “At what time are you going to wear it? What’s the shape of the eyes? One needs to figure these things out before buying the kajal,” advises Cory.
Glam it up
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| It is like her second skin. Nandita Das without kajal would be incomplete. Her dark eyes are made more piercing by their dark rims. |
Prisicilla’s mantra: If you want to go glam, apply just a little dot of metallic silver on the inner and outer corners of the eye.
Cory’s tips to go night-time from day-time: If you want to get dressed up in minutes, your handbag must have the following things: a compact, a lip-liner, a lip balm and kajal. Take the lip pencil and apply it like liner. Blend it in. This will give you a hint of lip colour near the eyes. Apply the kajal and smudge it with a cotton bud for a smoky effect. Line your lip with the liner and fill it up with the lip balm. Rub some of the lip balm on the cheekbones. And you are set.
On him
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| Kajal on another lighteyedbeauty, RaniMukerji, brings out theBong in her. |
“You have to be innately masculine-looking to carry off kajal. Men with soft, fleshy faces look terrible with kajal. The jaw line is extremely important,” feels Cory. For him, a stubble and kajal combo look terrific. “Abhishek Bachchan wears it sometimes. He looks nice. Ranbir (Kapoor) with a stubble or beard, super; Ranbir with kajal but without a beard, terrible. Same goes for Saif. People like Akshay (Kumar) and Sanjay (Dutt) will look bad with kajal because their features aren’t all that refined. There are exceptions though. Someone like Arjun Rampal will look wow without the stubble too. And also Neil Nitin Mukesh,” he adds.
Etc etc
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