One of the few makeup skills I've diligently practised, and actually managed to hone to near-perfection, is that of applying eye makeup. Call it dedication or sheer stubbornness, but you have no idea how many total hours I must have clocked in so far, just trying to draw flawless wings on my eyes. And while I do love all my makeup products equally, I have the most amount of fun exploring eye looks (don't tell my lipsticks I said that!). There's just so much room for experimentation under the category, with your choices ranging from dark, heavy and edgy to a barely-there pretty pop of pastels.
That being said, I also abide by a strict full disclosure policy when it comes to talking about makeup. So, I'm just going to admit outright that I have a soft spot for the classics. I'm talking about timeless makeup looks, like the black cat-eye or the heavy Cleopatra Kohl. Even though I love being adventurous with eye looks, if there's a party I have to attend to and I'm running short on both time and confidence, it's safe to assume I'm going to go with the tried and tested blank liner wings.
Due to this reason alone, I was a bit sceptical about being the one to review offbeat eye makeup products. Don't get me wrong, I love them. But if I wouldn't use them on more than a couple of yearly occasions, how can I ask you guys to do exactly that? Well, apparently by stumbling across products that combine the magic of makeup for practical everyday use, and makeup with quirky, colourful glam!
Wait, let me backtrack a bit. I was in the middle of another dull Thursday afternoon full of binge-eating, procrastinating and cursing 2020, when I got a call and heard the most romantic words ever. "There's a package for you." Cut to the next scene, and I'm ripping open the covering to reveal the contents. I unearth a black box with the name "Renee Cosmetics" written in an elegant script. Inside that, I find a lot of shredded paper, along with 3 Kajal Pencils in vibrant shades, namely, Royal Cobalt, Magic Olive and Copper Lust. I think to myself, man do I love my job! And also, that maybe this is a sign from the universe to finally getting around to trying something eccentric with my Kohl, instead of reaching for the basic black variant. So, that's exactly what I did. And here's me, summing up what I thought!
*Disclaimer: Unkempt, pandemic eyebrows coming up. Please excuse.*
1. RENEE Kohlistic Kajal Pen Shade 1 - Copper Lust
Image Courtesy - magicpin
Used this one as a kohl with a simple black liner. Absolutely loved how they made my eyes pop. If you wish to experiment with your makeup, but want to steer clear of being over the top, this sparkling rust shade is perfect for a hint of glam. The kajal was also smudge proof to a reasonable extent, which is always a plus for clutzy people like me.
2. RENEE Kohlistic Kajal Pen Shade 2 - Magic Olive
Image Courtesy - magicpin
As a constant and enthusiastic fan of smokey eyes, this one was definitely my favourite shade of the lot. I used it with a hint of black liner, and was aiming for a slightly messy pair of dark eyes. In all honesty, the pigment of the kajal surprised me pleasantly, for I later realised I didn't even need to apply any additional eye makeup with this one. If you're struggling with creating the perfect smokey eyes with a bunch of different products, this one pen can take care of it solely by itself! Love.
3. RENEE Kohlistic Kajal Pen Shade 3 -Royal Cobalt
Image Courtesy - magicpin
This electric shade of blue looked absolutely fabulous on my eyes. Since I tend to lean towards classic makeup styles like I mentioned earlier, I feel like this Cobalt Kajal opened up an entirely new world of eye-looks for me. And you don't even need pro skills to create a glam face. I used this one with a classic cat-eye stroke of black liquid liner. Again, the quality that stood out for me was the pigmentation. One stroke will give you quite a striking hue along with a sheen of sparkle. I'm going to reserve this one for fancier night-outs!
Final Judgment
So, would I include these Kajal pens in my personal makeup kit? Without a shadow of a doubt, yes. I've tried colourful kajals earlier, but they somehow always ended up looking shabby in an hour or so. These on the other hand, stayed clean with very negligible smudging. Another factor I would give these pens a perfect 10 on, would be that they caused zero irritation to my eyes or the surrounding skin, despite of being applied quite heavily. So, all in all, ladies, if you want to expand your range of eye looks, I'd highly suggest you get a bunch of these pens form Renee Cosmetics. You won't require any other supplement product at all, save perhaps some mascara. In fact, I'm ordering a few more shades as we speak!
