You might also see a formula labeled as ​​”kajal,” which celebrity makeup artist Jamie Greenberg notes is essentially the same as kohl. The two terms are used interchangeably to indicate that the pencil in question has the silky, easy-to-smudge texture you're after. Kohl is known by various names in South Asian languages, like surma in Punjabi, Sylheti and Urdu, raanji in Pashto, kajal in Hindi, aanjan in Gujarati, kajol in Bengali, kajalh in Marathi, kanmashi in Malayalam, kaadige in Kannada, kaatuka in Telugu, and kan mai in Tamil. In India, it is commonly used by women as a type of eyeliner that is put around the edge of the eyes. In many parts of India, especially in Southern India, Karnataka in particular, women of the household prepare the kajal. This homemade kajal is used even for infants. Local tradition considers it to be a very good coolant for the eyes and believes that it protects the eyesight and vision from the sun. In Punjabi culture, surma is a traditional ceremonial dye, which predominantly men of the Punjab wear around their eyes on special social or religious occasions. It is usually applied by the wife or the mother of the person.

Another tip is to use a cool brown eyeshadow to map out where you want your winged liner to go whilst keeping your eyes open. For a more natural look, you can just keep it like this and add mascara,' she adds. Although the addition of lead to cosmetics may seem absurd due to its known toxicity, with some pitying the “devastation” kohl must have cause in ancient Egypt, these compounds were not harmful and did actually provide beneficial medicinal roles (Hallmann 2009, 71-2). A biomedical study, which made the news in 2010, ended controversy over the harmful effects of kohl. By analysing various samples found in Egyptian tombs and recreating ancient recipes, reported by Greco-Roman authors, scientists were able to test the effects of these led compounds on skin cells. Amazingly instead of causing lead poisoning, these lead compounds instead triggered an overproduction of nitrogen monoxide (NO o), which stimulates nonspecific immunological defences. This data suggests that the daily wearing of kohl made Egyptian eyes almost immediately resistant to bacterial infections due to the spontaneous response of immune cells. Although concerns about the toxicity of lead, overshadowed its benefits, this study proves that the lead compounds found in kohl did in fact serve a significant medicinal function. Tapsoba therefore argues that these compounds were deliberately manufactured and used in cosmetics to prevent and treat eye diseases (Tapsoba et al. 2010, 457-60). Galena and these other lead sulphides also provide protection from Egypt’s harsh sun by providing a shield from its glare and harmful UV rays (Pak 2009, 109). The addition of these various ingredients to kohl supports the magical protective beliefs of Egyptians and shows an understanding of ancient physicians of the many benefits this cosmetic possessed.

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Though it will depend on the aesthetic you want to achieve, there a few basic rules to follow if you're new to liquid eyeliner application. 'First up, always look straight on into the mirror with your eyes open when mapping out liner. This way, you can see what the final liner will look like rather than the look being distorted,' says Jamie Genevieve, founder of Vieve.

Denika Bedrossian is a celebrity makeup artist behind some of Hailey Bieber’s, Jenna Dewan’s, and Sarah Hyland’s most infamous looks. Katheryne S. Loughran, Somalia in word and image, (Foundation for Cross Cultural Understanding: 1986), p.166. Al-Saleh I, Nester M, DeVol E, Shinwari N, Al-Shahria S (April–June 1999). "Determinants of blood lead levels in Saudi Arabian schoolgirls". International Journal of Environmental Health. 5 (2): 107–114. doi: 10.1179/oeh.1999.5.2.107. PMID 10330510. Intirapālā, Kārttikēcu (2005). The evolution of an ethnic identity: the Tamils in Sri Lanka c. 300 BCE to c. 1200 CE. M.V. Publications for the South Asian Studies Centre, Sydney. p.63. ISBN 9780646425467. Alkhawajah AM (October 1992). "Alkohl use in Saudi Arabia: Extent of use and possible lead toxicity". Tropical Geographical Medicine. 44 (4): 373–377. PMID 1295151.All the ingredients used in this preparation (sandalwood/Manjal karsilanganni, castor oil, ghee) are believed to have medicinal properties. They are still used in Indian therapies like ayurveda and Siddha medicines.

Though these magical benefits of kohl may seem irrational to us today, these protective qualities are fully supported by recent studies of the various ingredients found in kohl. Egyptians faced many health issues that effected the eyes; from dust from the desert, to insects and bacteria from the flooding of the Nile, diseases such as conjunctivitis, cataract, trachoma and trichiasis played the population. The proscription of kohl to treat and prevent these illnesses can be found extremely early on in the Ebers papyrus, but were ancient physicians correct to think kohl could heal them?a b c d Hardy AD, Vaishnav R, Al-Kharusi SS, Sutherland HH, Worthing MA (April 1998). "Composition of eye cosmetics (kohls) used in Oman". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 60 (3): 223–34. doi: 10.1016/S0378-8741(97)00156-6. PMID 9613836. Brand, Chad; Mitchell, Eric; Staff, Holman Reference Editorial (2015). Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary. B&H Publishing Group. p.351. ISBN 9780805499353 . Retrieved 22 June 2019. Liz Castellanos is a professional makeup artist who has worked with Vanessa Lachey, Olivia Culpo, and Morgan Stewart McGraw. Janice Daoud is a Los Angeles-based makeup artist whose clients include Miley Cyrus, Ellie Goulding, and Quannah Chasinghorse. Pencil: Typically creamier and easier to blend, pencil eyeliners work wonders when it comes to creating a smokey eye or blending out at the crease of the eye. You can also use pencils on your waterline to create more definition.