Eyeliner types and the side effects of kohl/kajal (Eyeliner series 1)

I am a huge eyeliner fan and I absolutely think eyeliner must be in every girls/guy make up purse. You can find different types of eye liners in my make up collection*don't judge me* :p 
With or without eyeshadow,foundations or concealer. eyeliners and a quick smudge of lipstick can make the face appear bright and with so many colours out there, one is free to express their style through it.
I will say it’s important to experiment with eyeliner to figure out what suits you, but let’s be real, this stuff isn't exactly cheap especially if you want quality( I strongly advise you go for quality eyeliners,as they are used for a sensitive area of the face). I personally do not mind splurging on eyeliners seeing I am a make up artist and vlogger/youtuber that has to practice make up looks but Lord have I spent on eyeliners!I have spent high and low for good eyeliners and sometimes(not all the time!) I realise the low was better than the high,I will splurge on some acclaimed high end product and it will just dry out :( where as I will use the low budget ones for long but truth be told after I research on the ingredients of what I buy,the high end ones are better off for the health of my eyes.Beauty is pain but not in health sense,no ma'am I had rather be healthy than risk my eye for some cheap stuff. I decided to write this from my own experience and give a little bit of guidance.If you’re new to eyeliner, I hope this will help you save some time and money as you go on your quest.


Liquid:.Liquid liners are perfect for creating perfect wing liner shapes and applies in a smooth and sleek manner.These eyeliners might not be the easiest  to work with for beginners especially but with patience and practice you will find it easier and even reach for it very often.I started using liquid liners from the age of 13 or so and let me tell you the truth,girl's eye game was not on fleek!it was a mess and I end up cleaning it before I even wear it out and my eyes will itch because of the amount of liquid that got into them, my eyes suffered sha o!but as the months went by I mastered it with constant practice.They are great for double application to achieve defined and pronounced looks,it can be used before gel liners to make intense and long lasting eye looks.They dry easily and hardly take off eyeshadow speckles that make one have to reapply eyeshadow after application of eyeliners. I love liquid liners because they reduce accumulation of bacteria, this is because most people use them for the top of their lids and underneath the lashline instead of in the water line.However, if you are one of those who use it in the rim of your eyes or clients eyes then do not transfer use of liquid liners between clients as the transfer of bacteria is easy and this is very dangerous.If you must use liquid liners pour liquid into a pot and use a  make up brush instead. Start from the middle of the lash line on your lids and brush with short strokes till where you want it to stop,then start at the inner part of the eye and repeat short strokes till you connect it to the middle where you started(I might do a pictorial soon).

Pros
creates thin sleek lines
can be used for dramatic eye look,wing liners and arabic make up
one can mix with other type of eyeliners

Cons:
if not carefully applied they can leave streaks on the lids
it is one of the most difficult liners to start with as they are bold and slick, I think newbies should try other liners first before this.
if not covered or held properly it can spill and leave a mess
can easily get into the eyes before it dries

felt/tip liners: This for me is like an improved version of liquid liners with less spilling if I may add.They are like felt/tip pens(e.g correction fluid) or markers hence the name.These liners have a firmer tip making it easy to control and they come with the brush attached to the pen,all you need is to tip it over as you would for a felt/tip pen and the liquid seeps through. If you are struggling with liquid liners you should try this out,it still needs steady hands but you might be better of with these as a beginner.

Pros:
They are easy to control
can be used to achieve thin crisp lines
comes in waterproof version which doesn't smudge
can be found in any drugstore with different brands

cons:
if not properly covered they dry very fast

Pencil: I am sure most girls have encountered a pencil liner when they tried make up for the first time.Most make up newbies find this the easiest to use in terms of application and management.From dual ends pencil liners with different colours to push up and mechanical roll up pencils the eye pencil is an old vintage chap that gets better and advances through time,just like fine wine :). Professionals love them because they are easily workable and very versatile, it can be smudged to create smokey effect on the eyes, layered thinly or thickly to bring out the eyes and also create dramatic eyes. Eye pencils come in so many different colors and are one of the best options to go for when opting for colors to play up the eyes. Pencils are a great attraction to eye bacteria because of the method of application hence one has to be careful with using them, that is why I always opt for the ones with sharpeners so I can sharpen them after every use, its quite a hassle but its worth it, better that than eye problems.I always find myself reaching out for them for my waterline or to create a quick simple and sultry make up look.

:

     
 Pros:
Easy to apply and newbies have control over them
Various colours and types are easily accessible at affordable prices
They are timeless and every make up brand has an eye pencil
Versatile and can be used to create many look
  Cons:
   Easily attracts bacteria
    Application can be time consuming
Unless constantly sharpened, a crisp defined line is hard to achieve

Gel/cream liner: These liners has always been associated with make up professionals, this is because it last longer,dries to a matte finish and can be used as an eyeshadow base to make eyeshadows stand out,when I write base I don't mean for all colours of eyeshadows,take for example you want a thick dark lasting smokey eye;before you start off you can use a black/dark green/dark blue cream liner before applying the eyeshadow.Hope you get my drift. It comes in small pots and a little application brush used to apply the product. Cream liners always comes with intense colour(especially black),they are soft, glides on easily and dries up matte!,they can be smudged to create any look but one has to be quick before it dries up.They are one of my favorites at the moment but if not properly closed or stored they dry up pretty fast and you end up with hard rock in a pot.I have had my share of gel liners.The only ones I have not heard or read reviews about drying up is the inglot(I would have added zaron but I have not used it for long yet,I will keep you updated) I might be wrong about the drying up part for inglot but I heard they are amazing! I have not gotten mine yet as I cannot find it online and I haven't been to Lagos yet.
Pros:
long lasting
can be used as an eyeshadow base
comes with an application brush
smudge proof
pots can be re used for other products e.g loose eyeshadow
transfer of bacteria is minimal to none as brush can be washed and cleaned with alcohol after use

Cons:
Most are expensive although the prices are becoming flexible       now
                                                          can easily dry up if not covered properly
                                                          If one loses the brush, a new brush is needed
                                                          Not portable and application is longer
                                                          Pen liners. can create pretty thin lines

Kohl/Kajal gives depth and intensity and widely recommended to create dramatic eye look. I am not a big fan of kohl, I have never really been but more so since it came to my knowledge that they contain high amount of lead and certain chemicals that can be dangerous for the eyes and the internal parts of one's body. My arousal was actually raised by my lovely aunt after she sought my advice on eyeliners because a friend of hers heard kohl contains lead, yes I agree that various eye products do contain chemical substances as well but I quickly did my research to confirm if it was true or not so I know what advice to give and realized that the importation of kohl is not approved in the US after studies link high usage of kohl and lead in the blood stream of children. If real kohl is found in the US it is either smuggled or illegally imported because it is not FDA approved. 

Kohl/Kajal is believed to have healing effects however, has its side effects leading to eye allergies,eye infections and lead poisoning.Ingredients used to making kohl/kajal/surma(sandalwood,ghee,castor oil,lamp-black etc) are known for its medicinal properties because they are toxic to bacteria hence provide relief from conjunctivitis and eye infection.However,these toxic materials contains high amount of lead with ingredients like lead sulphide(galena) or antimony sulphide(stibnite) which finds its way into the bloodstream causing lead intoxication,anemia,low IQ,learning difficulties,retarded growth and with high usage causes kidney failure,neurological damage which may lead to coma and death. Please always check the ingredient of the kohl you buy for lead or chemical additives and if you are not sure,send the company an email with your concerns.Do not buy unlabelled kohl and be careful of the ones purchased in markets,local stores or gift shops.Traditional kohl should not be confused with modern kohl pencils,Kohl is powdery in its true form and very dark ,modern day kohl labelled pencils/liners have gone through extensive screening and they are labelled kohl not because of its content but as a comparison to the from of the real kohl,that means a kohl labelled pencil can be darker than a normal eye liner.Kohl that has apparently(watchword) been found to contain high lead in it are:Hashmi Surma Special,Pure Kohl from the Waters of ZamZam,Hashmi Kohl Aswad,Hashmi Kajal but on their websites it states otherwise as they have evidence of non toxicity reports, I cannot give an advice on these products if you are satisfied with the reports that is fine,do your research and a lead blood test (if its that serious) might help. I know it can be frustrating to know that one of your favourite eye products contains something that can be harmful to your health but all hope is not lost!Guerlain(here)supplies a good powdered kohl with no lead in it,its a tad bit expensive but if you love your kohl liners then you should go for it,also try known and popular brands but always check and research the ingredients.Remember it will not state this eyeliner contains lead.lol


Eyeshadow: This can be a great substitute for any type of eyeliner, just smudge any colour of eyeshadow underneath the lash line for a subtle but visible smokey look.They are very fun to play around with and great for mix and match.Smudge some black eyeshadow with an angled or small fluffy brush sprayed with make up setting spray(its not necessary if you do not have it)underneath your eyes and stop halfway before your tear duct to create bigger eyes, also highlight your tear duct with some gold or white shimmery eyeshadow to awaken and brighten up the eyes.
       Pros:
                                                                lots of colourto choose from
                                                                can be used for subtle or dark lines
                                                              It can be used to correct uneven eyeliner or get rid of harshlines from eyeliners       
                                                             cost effective and saves time 

 Cons:
cannot be used inside the waterline as it irritates the eyes and will not last(if you have any ideas on how to make eye shadows stick to the waterline please comment below)
it can smudge easily and will not last long

Cake liners: cake liner is a water based highly pigmented eye liner that comes in a compact and can be applied effectively with a wet eyeliner brush. Depending on the intensity you want ,you can adjust the intensity of the line to be natural or very dramatic.
It can be smudged or adjusted easily before it dries,it leaves a smooth line,does not flake and lasts long. I cannot really state any con except maybe the colours to choose from are not that many. I haven't used it yet so I can't be a great judge on the pros and cons,If you have ,please comment below.





Thank you for reading.xoxo

Photocredit:google

Proverbs 3:5-6 :Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. ⁶In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.