How Kulfi’s Underlined Kajal takes the complication out of eyeliner.

By Janvi Sai, Contributor

I may be a makeup fanatic, but eyeliner and I have tangoed together in an on- and off-again “It’s complicated” situation-ship for years. Eyeliner can feel intimidating, time consuming, and challenging, and yet at the same time expressive, enhancing, and for the South Asian diaspora with kajal, a tradition. With Kulfi’s Underlined Kajal Eyeliners, I’ve taken them back for good. It’s no longer complicated. 

Kulfi Beauty’s Underlined Kajal Eyeliners are a contemporary take on a staple in South Asian makeup. Formulated with inspiration from South Asian kajal traditions, they deliver on what makes kajal stand out from other eyeliners: a highly-creamy (I admit to once falling asleep while applying these because it was that relaxing), incredibly opaque, and ultra-pigmented finish with blending playtime before setting to the point of no budging whatsoever. Underlined Kajal Eyeliners take the worries out of eyeliner and return to its fun essence with a foolproof, budge proof, and long-lasting texture.

Wing it (ba dum tss) with precision, and diffuse them for smoky dimension or as a cream eyeshadow. Whether you enjoy an effortless, understated eye or like to take your time with your art, the Kajal and their shades ensure the versatility for both liner moods and all in between. It comes in five rich shades with playful and confidence-evoking names to match Kulfi: Purply Pataka, Tiger Queen, Rain Check, Cheeky Chiku, and Nazar No More. All shades were created to be inclusive and used in harmony with each other (Hello, color blocking!). Read on to learn how Kulfi’s Kajal brings play and ease to eyeliner through its shades and application. 

Janvi wearing all the Kajal & Everyday headband in lavender

The new neutrals: Purply Pataka & Tiger Queen

We need to talk about Purply Pataka. I’ve seriously never been more in love with a shade name. I’d name my future child after it. Okay, okay, it can be their middle name. Pataka translates to firecracker, so whenever I put it on I think to myself, “Heck yeah, I am a firecracker.” 

Eyesmin wearing Purply Pataka (Mauve)

This mauve shade with a slight shimmer is versatile as both a subtle statement and everyday neutral. If you’re testing the waters in playing with color but also have to go on a grocery run, Purply Pataka is here for you.

Bethany wearing Tiger Queen (Terracotta)

The other new neutral is one product I truly feel naked without: Tiger Queen, an everyday terracotta. The softest of all the shades, one swipe of this brightening hue instantly brings life to the face and fakes ten hours of sleep. I never leave the house without wearing it across my lower lash line. This step single handedly is the most helpful with my dark circles and wakes my eyes up by adding warmth. Kulfi Content Lead and Editor Samia Abbasi says Tiger Queen reminds her of the color of mehendi (AKA henna). 

Obsessed? Obsessed. 

The classic and its approachable counterpart: Nazar No More & Cheeky Chiku

Oftentimes for People of Color, finding black eyeliners that work for our complexions is tiring because they can appear gray. Kulfi Beauty’s launch campaign namesake Nazar No More is a brown skin-friendly, warm-toned black that resolves this dilemma. 

Sarennya wearing Nazar No More (Black)

The one discovery that changed how I viewed makeup altogether was brown eyeliner. Its approachability showed me makeup is for everyone. 

Eyesmin wearing Cheeky Chiku (Brown)

Named after the chiku fruit, Cheeky Chiku is a chocolate brown kajal and the most versatile way to achieve easy everyday definition. Brown eyeliner is the sophisticated depth seen worn on red carpets. Concealer can always be used as a magic eraser for eyeliner, though Cheeky Chiku’s brown hue takes even more pressure off from worries of harshness with its ability to be blended from a crisp wing to a neutral soft edge and vice versa.  

Universally Fun: Rain Check

For those with medium to deep skin tones, finding makeup that won’t wash out our skin poses a challenge. The kajal shades were all formulated to complement BIPOC skin tones and undertones, including vibrant Rain Check. This ethereal teal reminds me of a peacock’s feather. With gentle light-catching iridescence and vividness, shade Rain Check brings out the hidden golden flecks in eyes. 

Bethany wearing Rain Check (Teal Blue)

The approachability of applying Underlined Kajal

Samia shared with me that she’s never been much of an eyeliner person, and Kulfi’s Underlined Kajal changed her perspective. She says, “The first eyeliner I used was black liquid eyeliner and I only ever used it for big events in college. I didn’t use it often because it was challenging to get right. A couple of years later, I realized that a different type of eyeliner would suit me better.” Since the Underlined Kajal isn’t liquid or a traditional pencil eyeliner, the creamy formula and twistability revolutionized how Samia thought of eyeliner. She explains, “I don’t have to worry about making ‘a mistake.’ With small strokes, I can fix and sculpt out any rough edges. The tip doesn’t have to be sharpened either. If I attempt a wing and don’t like how it looks, I can easily remove the winged part with micellar water and a Q-tip, and it looks great!”

Samia says that her go-to look with the Kajal is simply lining her eyelid and thickening/slanting the outer edges slightly. Occasionally, she’ll tightline her lower waterline with Purply Pataka or Rain Check. For Samia, eyeliner went from being an occasional use to an everyday part of her makeup routine with Kulfi’s Kajal. 

About — Janvi Sai is a student at Barnard College of Columbia University, who started the So You're Getting into Makeup series on Kulfi Bites. She is passionate about Rooh Afza, soundtracks, and the heated debate over what constitutes as “real” biryani. Janvi can be reached at js5707@barnard.edu or found on Instagram at @janvisai #BigDesiEnergy 

Cover photo credit: Janvi Sai, @janvisai wearing Underlined Kajal in Rain Check & Purply Pataka