The Non Existence of Waterproof Eyeliner

The Non Existence of Waterproof Eyeliner

As I am browsing through March issue of Vogue whilst getting my hair re-tinted in Tony ‘n Guy could not help but notice one article in particular which caught my attention. A piece of writing by journalist Rana Kabbani named ‘Life Line’ tracing the background to the wonderful Kohl eyeliner been used over century’s by women from all around the world. She discussed the power of the substance and how indeed it a huge aspect plays in her life. This piece inspired me to think how kohl eyeliner and all eyeliners for that matter not only play a huge part in feminity, but portray power and courage to women.

The power of Kohl

Walking through the city of London, I see Arabian women who due to religion are covered in material which only reveals their eyes, you can see the thin line of kohl outlining the eye of the beholder. Through just this tiny thin line opens the only part of feminity and control these women have with their body image. Footage of women from Iraq surrounding what was their life now turned to rubble, standing upright yet still eyes gazing wearing kohl, creating a sense of courage. No eyeliner has smudged because no tears have been shredded although ther elife has been torn from the war. An interesting fact I found, it is believed also Bedouins consider Kohl to be used as a medical method in order to fight infection. This meanig kohl's uses are cosmetic yet also medicine related in some countries.  

Rana Kabbani related this image to her own life of when her partner of three years told of his affair with another women. Due to her illness at the time she had no control over her body to get up to chase and possibly hit him, along with the fact she also had no control over her tears.  Devastated her friend came over for support. Normally a friend would whip out of her handbag a box or sympathy chocolates or a bottle of wine, this woman handed out her Rimmel eyeliner. Her words to Rana which is now a quote I intend to live by was ‘Cry one god dam tear over this Bastard, and you’ll look like a stupid raccoon’. This hideious threat of looking like a stupid Raccoon stayed in Rana's head, from that day kept her vow to wear eyeliner to avoid any foolish tears.

This memoir brings me to a flashback of being in my secondary school when the boy I had a crush on had apparently humiliated me in front of the whole class. I wearing eyeliner at the time, when found out cried in the toilets with friends. Eyeliner and crying over stupid idiot did not match very well. When walking past the boy with foolish pride Laurens eyes were replaced with panda eyes-Not a suitable look for moment in time. growing older and wiser I tell myself to gain composure when the eyeliner is on show.

Eyeliner now brings courage and power to women since we cannot shred tears when wearing it, causing us to forge the situation we are in and to just simply breath. It distinguishes between what’s worth crying about and what’s not, and when it comes to guys defiantly would prefer to wear the kohl eyeliner and too look fierce.

However there are times when every girl will go through that one heartache when even the most expensive eyeliner will not cure the pain. For these times waterproof eyeliner is a definite. A sales assistant from Boots counter who has worked with make up for many years casually explains how waterproof eyeliner simply does not exist.

With the non existence of this product shows that women will stay forever composed with the belief inside that whatever situation you are in is not worth looking like a panda, or a 'stupid raccoon for that matter.  Nevertheless for the one heartache though for when a tear needs to wash away the pain as I once read ‘I fear that even at Boots chemist, there is absolutely no cure for a broken heart.’