Kajal, kohl, soorma. When it comes to black eyeliner, everyone’s got something to say. It’s the first item of makeup Indians try. It’s the last thing we’ll give up from our kits. “I feel naked without it!” says singer Pratichee Mohapatra. There’s no such thing as too black. And the quest for a darker, smoother, longer-wearing, non-smudging, easy-smoking, matte, glossy, wing-making, waterproof liner is the stuff of epics.
Grandmums have mixed lamp soot and ghee to create prized in-house formulas. Bollywood and fashion would fall apart without it. It unites Sufi and rock musicians backstage. And nearly every user – male, female, non-binary – has faced its wrath in the form of raccoon eyes or the imprint of still-wet liner on the upper eyelid.
At HT Brunch, we’re going all out, all black, to honour the beauty product we treasure as much as we take for granted. Memories, recommendations, tips, confessions and more from India’s coolest folks.
ANUSHA DANDEKAR, actor, presenter and entrepreneur
“My first experience with kajal was with my sister, Shibani, putting some on me when I was about eight. I cried then because I thought I’d go blind! I’ve tried pretty much every brand of liner, and I still think Lakmé is best. Kajal is the one product that, with or without makeup, accentuates the eyes. If you’re tired, they add freshness to your look. You can go from light to dramatic and completely change your appearance in no time.
I think kajal on a man is sexy, when worn for the right occasion and done well. So why not!”
ANKUSH BAHUGUNA, digital creator and actor
{{/usCountry}}I think kajal on a man is sexy, when worn for the right occasion and done well. So why not!”
ANKUSH BAHUGUNA, digital creator and actor
{{/usCountry}}“We’ve seen men wear kajal and soorma for ages, so it’s always been accepted. Having said that, more men are getting comfortable wearing makeup, and kajal is usually their first step. I first tried on some after watching Ranveer Singh as Alauddin Khilji in Padmaavat (2018) and trying to recreate his look.
A kajal or liner is a one-step makeup routine, and a staple in everyone’s kit because it’s so timeless. My first was the Lakmé Eyeconic. The Kay by Katrina kajals are also excellent and don’t budge! The Estée Lauder one stays through the day too.”
ZEENAT KULAVOOR, designer and typographer
“I watched my mother put on kajal using her ring finger. She’d slide it across her lower waterline, and her eyes would look deeper like they were trying to say something. It would lift her face instantly… The first time I tried it was an epic fail! I used my finger, but got it all over my waterline and eyelids, which made my eyes water and turn red!
The first brand I used was the sweetest little Jai Kajal. I tried loads of other brands but never liked any until about five years ago, when I started using Colorbar Intensely Rich kajal. I love it! I remember an uncle who wore Firdaus attar and lined his eyes with soorma. The pockets on his white kurta-pyjama would often have smudges of soorma. It’s great that the Indian beauty industry is opening up to men using kajal now, but they are warming up to it particularly late.”
KARMA DHINGRA, digital creator and fashion influencer
“I once steered clear of kajal because of the misconception that it makes your eyes appear smaller. Even though my grandmother and mother both heavily lined their eyes, I kept to mascara. Then, at a shoot, I tried kajal, and it struck a chord in me. It gave me a sense of power, which is something I look for in fashion and beauty.
I love the Chambor Extreme Eyes Kohl in Blackest Black. It was sold out on Nykaa for the longest time, and I remember feeling helpless because I had run out of my stash. The MAC In-Extreme Dimension liner is also amazing.
I seem to have developed a signature look: I rim my waterline and work a gorgeous black close to my lashes. Then, with the same kajal. I line the upper and lower lid, connecting them with a slight flick.”
ISHITA SUDHA YASHVI, entrepreneur and marketer
“I think one of the reasons I was eager to start college was to start applying eye makeup, which for me just meant kajal. My standard technique for close to 20 years is a thick line right under my eye. I smudge it or leave it as it is, depending on my mood. I try new brands often; my current love is the one by Disguise Cosmetics. It’s a deep black that doesn’t smudge all day.
Men in the Banjara community in Rajasthan and Gujarat have always worn kajal. So, if other men want to try it today, why not?”
PERNIA QURESHI GILANI, fashion entrepreneur
“I don’t know whether it’s the classical dancer in me, but I’ve always loved the winged liner technique. It makes my eyes look bigger and more expressive. I just struggle to do it on my own!
Celebrities sport eyeliner now, but it’s been part of our culture. Both my nani and dadi had special containers to store their soorma. One was made from silver and beautifully carved – it’s my first memory of kajal. I believe in supporting homegrown brands and recommend the kajals from Namrata Soni’s brand Simply Nam. Who better than an Indian makeup artist to know what kajal means to Indian women?”
SOPHIE CHOUDRY, singer and host
“Kajal is an intrinsic part of Indian makeup because eyes are a woman’s most beautiful and prized features. We do whatever we can to enhance them.
Growing up in London, I used to watch my mum applying stunning dramatic eye makeup, completely fascinated. People would stop us on the streets and ask her about her eye makeup!
For the longest time, we were obsessed with Hashmi Kajal from Pakistan. I was there to launch MTV Pakistan and had also travelled for a few concerts… Even the makeup artists accompanying me would buy it in bulk for people back home. Currently, I like the ones by Fenty and Valentino. The Tom Ford liquid liner is my all-time favourite. I like Charlotte Tilbury pencil and the gel pots by MAC and Bobbi Brown, but they dry out quickly.”
ELTON FERNANDEZ, makeup artist
Men have been using kajal since antiquity. And the queer community has been using beauty products long before it became mainstream. So welcome to the party!
I think Rimmel was the first brand of kajal I used from my mother’s closet. On myself, I don’t like liner to smudge. I prefer ones that dry quickly, because it’s less effort. But on my clients, for a smoky eye, I prefer a softer kajal. I like Maybelline’s Colossal, the new one by LoveChild by Masaba and the ones from Kay by Katrina.
Nothing contrasts brown skin as beautifully as black liner and kajal. Even in Madhubani paintings, the eyes are pronounced and expressive. We have naturally wide eyes that look even better when highlighted. I think that’s where our obsession with kajal comes from.”
NISHA NARAYANAN, director and COO Red FM and Magic FM
“I don’t remember a day when I might have stepped out without putting on kajal. It’s the signature part of my look.
My favourite look remains the smudged kajal on the lower lash line. It transcends aesthetics. It becomes a shield, concealing dark circles and embracing the tiredness of life with grace.I prefer homemade or ayurvedic kajal. In the absence of these, Himalaya Herbals kajal is my go-to.”
DIIPA BÜLLER-KHOSLA, digital creator and entrepreneur
“As kids, we’d simply just buy our makeup at the local drugstore. Today, I know that the power ingredients in real kajal are ghee, carom seeds, saffron and sandalwood powder. This is how you know it’s 100% organic and authentic.
I love the Maybelline Colossal one because it’s affordable, easy to apply, and long lasting. I also like the Bobbi Brown gel liner; if you want to control the intensity of the black around your eyes, gel is the way to go, not pencil.”
ANU KAUSHIK, makeup artist
“I’ve worked on numerous projects, where the brief was to add kohl in the male models’ makeup. This not only adds a touch of edgy goth to the look but also a hint of mystery.
Growing up, getting ready for school meant braiding my hair and putting on some kohl. Back then, my mother used to make her own with burnt almonds and ghee. We still make it every Diwali. I’ve been hooked on the Sugar Cosmetics kohl pencil in the shade Strokes of Genius for years. It’s the blackest one in the market and glides on smoothly. I’m waiting to get my hands on Nazar Na Lage from LoveChild by Masaba. It’s been out of stock since its launch!”
NAMRATA SONI, makeup and hair artist
“Kajal makes Indian eyes look deeper, more intense and mysterious. It’s a beautiful one-stop shop to change the way you look and feel confident.
Men’s eyes look so beautiful and interesting lined with kajal. It always makes the lash line and the eyes look more intense. But use it sparingly.”
MONICA DOGRA, musician and actor
“It’s ritualistic. I grew up watching women kohl-line their eyes. It was the first makeup I ever tried. It soothed my eyes and made me feel connected to my ancestors. I love good, sultry ‘guy liner’ on men. I think it makes them look royal and brooding.”
ALAYA F, actor
“When I first decided to try out makeup, I remember sneaking one of my mum’s [Pooja Bedi’s] kajals from her drawer and using her thick outline style. It was my signature look for the longest time. Now, I use more dark brown eyeliners because it gives a softer look. It creates definition without being overwhelming.”
SUSHANT DIVGIKR, actor and singer, aka Rani Ko-He-Nur
“I don’t know why people are talking about men using makeup now when Dara Singh, Dharmendra, Jeetendra and Amitabh Bachchan wore kajal in so many movies. In Sholay, Gabbar wore kajal.
Trans people have worn it too. The first time I used kajal, I was in Class 5. I took it from mother’s purse and went to school wearing it. Of course, it garnered a lot of attention. I bought my first kajal in Class 9, a herbal one from Shahnaz Husain. I have yet to see an Indian bride who hasn’t worn kajal at their wedding.”
SHUNALI KHULLAR SHROFF, author, novelist and writer
Traditional kohls smudge on me, and I hardly wish to look like a raccoon. I use a Laura Mercier kohl pencil, and a deep brown one. Black is too stark on my skin. I like Colorbar pencils for their quality.
I think Indian women love kajal because in societies where they aren’t welcome to express themselves, they used their eyes to communicate. I’ve watched my grandmother make soorma on Diwali night. We’d burn a large lamp with almond oil or ghee overnight, covering it with another diya to collect the soot. She was a highly educated woman for her time and believed that surma made with pure ingredients was good to nourish the eyes and keep infections away.
Different eye shapes call for different applications. I have deep-set eyes, so I use kajal sparingly, usually along the waterline and starting midway towards the outer corners.
AISHWARYA NAIR MATTHEW, hotelier and lifestyle consultant
“I appreciate a bold liner at a strong 45-degree angle. This works for my facial structure as I have high cheekbones. I also like the cat eye and thin wing. In my late 20s, I modelled my look after Amy Winehouse. I also use Rekhaji, my most favourite person, as an influence for eye makeup.
Kajal, in Malayalam, is kannmashi or ‘ink for the eyes’. Every woman has a unique way of flaunting their kajal glam. It reflects their personality. I’ve been adventurous with colour too, having tried teal and purple. They beautifully match Indian skin tones.”
ARYAMAN SINGH, musician, aka Sunflower Tape Machine
“The first time I bought and tried on eyeliner was for the Bandland Rock Festival in Bangalore in 2023. It was a rock- and punk-themed event; it just made sense. I ended up loving the symmetry and expression it added to my face. I haven’t looked back since!
Kohl and eyeliner have been associated with the punk movement for as long as I can remember. It stands for freedom and rebellion. It can also be used in over-the-top ways to give male musicians a striking, memorable visual identity. This, I believe, is an extremely important part of marketing yourself today.”
REKHA RODWITTIYA, artist
“To date, kajal is the only makeup I use. It’s just perfume and a hand-drawn black bindi apart from this. I’ve been wearing kajal since I was 13. I use the Colorbar kajal pencil. It’s long lasting, doesn’t smudge and it’s a wonderfully intense black that I absolutely love.”
PRATICHEE MOHAPATRA, singer
“My sisters and I weren’t allowed to use makeup until college, and even then, we only used lipstick. I hadn’t used kajal until I got into the band VIVA in 2002. Now, there isn’t a day I don’t use it! I like Maybelline’s Colossal and the Belora Paris Super Black one. They last long, are deep black and don’t spread too much.”
QUEENIE SINGH, jewellery designer and beauty entrepreneur
“I prefer the classic wing. It adds a captivating element to eye makeup and creates a sense of intrigue and elegance. I apply the liner under my lower lashes and extend it into a subtle wing. The key is to seamlessly blend it to achieve a lifted appearance that enhances the overall eye makeup.
I use the Charlotte Tilbury liner, and make a conscious effort to cleanse it off before bedtime, as my dermatologist warns that the accumulation of dark makeup around the eyes can cause pigmentation.”