Unlisted Brand • Hashmi - Kajal Stick - Black • Eyeliner

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toronto27 on 4/8/2013 10:12:00 PM more reviews by toronto27

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Tan   Hair: Brunette, Wavy   Eyes: Brown    

I've used this stuff since I was about 16 (I'm 20). I absolutely love it. I use it every single day and it glides on quickly and effortlessly. It lasts all day, even in extreme heat, and washes off easily with water. It's so much better than other eye pencils or liquid eyeliners, which always irritate my sensitive eyes.

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ILovePickles on 1/8/2013 12:38:00 AM more reviews by ILovePickles

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

According to Health Canada, Consumer Product Safety, Hashmi Kohl Aswad from Pakistan contains high levels of lead. And it is recommended to not use this product.

"Lead is a metal which accumulates in the body and is therefore toxic even at low levels of exposure. Lead poisoning is not always easy to recognize. Symptoms of lead poisoning can include: headaches, irritability, abdominal pain, vomiting, general weakness, paleness, weight loss, poor attention span, noticeable learning difficulty, slowed speech development and hyperactivity.

Lead is especially harmful to children. Exposure to even small amounts of lead in the womb, during infancy or early childhood can result in lower birth weight, behavioural problems, learning disabilities and reduced intelligence. Lead can increase the risk of miscarriages, stillbirths and premature deliveries in pregnant women, and can also affect male fertility."

This information is worth looking at before continuing to use this eyeliner. Is a black, smudge proof liner truly worth the possible consequences?

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piccolamandorla on 10/2/2012 2:48:00 PM more reviews by piccolamandorla

Age: 36-43   Skin: Oily, Olive, Warm   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

Controversy, controversy...

Kajals (including Hashmi) are hard to find in the USA since they're restricted for import into the USA due to some of the traditional ayurvedic formulas containing lead. I got mine in a swap. I wanted to try it because nothing I've ever tried would stick to my waterline. Kajals DO, and once they're "set", they don't really travel. It just fades off instead of going somewhere else on your face.

Back in 2007, the NYC Health Department reported that kajal or surma samples they took contained lead. Now, one may argue that lots of products contain lead...and they do (check out this list http://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/lead/sources.htm), but are you intentionally sticking most of those products in your eye? Probably not.

Since that report came out, the company that makes Hashmi Kohl, Kajal, Surma has apparently been reformulated and gone out of their way to get the word out that the product does not contain lead. You can check their site for toxicology reports conducted in the US in 2009 and 2011 at www.hashmisurma.com. and ISO certificates. The lead report from NYC was dated 2007; The kajal stick I have was manufactured in 2011 and is labeled Pb 0.00%

If that's not good enough, you can always get a lead detection kit and test it yourself. It costs about $15 USD for 8 tests. They're good to have around if you live in an old house or have small children who put toys in their mouths.

Bottom line: Buy one with a manufacture date later than 2009, test it yourself, and if all checks out good, sanitize it (wipe the probe with a dry tissue and then an alcohol swab and let dry) and line to your heart's content.

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greenie106 on 1/18/2012 5:19:00 PM more reviews by greenie106

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I am very satisfied with this eyeliner especially considering how cheap it is! It's easy kohl eyeliner to apply, the applicator makes it glide on effortlessly, however, make sure the one you buy is "fresh" so that it is not hardened as it will not work. It will last most of the day, but doesn't get as messy as others I have used. I will defintely buy this product again :)

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yuyu122 on 12/15/2011 6:28:00 PM more reviews by yuyu122

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

This product is a great eyeliner and smudges less than the cream version. The packaging is awful, but it is so cheap... There are many people concerned about the lead content (myself a few hours ago), but there are serious studies that prove this product to be safe. That link corresponds to a serious paper released within a medical journal. Hashmi makes a powder eyeliner wich is 50% lead sulfide(the less poisonous form of lead), but the cream and stick presentations are made of amorphous carbon and are safe for health.

A.D. Hardy, H.H. Sutherland, R. Vaishnav, A study of the composition of some eye cosmetics (kohls) used in the United Arab Emirates, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Volume 80, Issues 2-3, May 2002, Pages 137-145, ISSN 0378-8741, 10.1016/S0378-8741(02)00006-5.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378874102000065)
Keywords: Traditional medicine; Kohl; X-ray diffraction; Scanning electron microscopy

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*TOP REVIEWER* kathrynb23 on 11/21/2010 11:41:00 PM more reviews by kathrynb23

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Medium, Neutral   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I brought this after seeing SJP using it in SATC 2 movie, and also all the rave review about it made it more impossible to hold back from buying it.
To me, I'm sorry, but this is absolute rubbish. It was hard and dry, the packaging was flimsy. In the Middle Eastern grocery store, they wont let you swatch it, so as soon as I got home, I was hyped to try it. A second after I swatched it on my hands, I threw it in the bin. I wasn't going to put anything that hard and dry on my eyes. At first I thought maybe if I keep swatching and try to wear off the top layer of the product, the rest should be soft and smooth....Didnt happen, swatch 1/3 of the product and it was still the same hard and dry texture.
It was cheap, thank goodness, being a makeup fanatics I tend to always keep everything I buy regardless if its good or not, this was the first product ever that I threw out.

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joujou22 on 8/27/2010 10:34:00 PM more reviews by joujou22

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Brown    

This product contains toxic LEAD. Lead can damage your nervous system and brain. Please don't use it's been banned by NYC HElat Department. http://nyc.gov/html/doh/html/pr2007/pr027-07.shtml

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froglet on 8/19/2010 4:00:00 PM more reviews by froglet

Age: 36-43   Skin: Dry, Olive, Cool   Hair: Brown, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

I'm a bit bummed as I had high hopes for this product. I have yet to find a kohl which doesn't irritate and stays on my waterline instead of ending up underneath my eyes. Unfortunately, this kohl lasted on my waterline for about 30 minutes before migrating to the under eye area where I had to clean it up with a q-tip. It also caused my eyes to feel irritated and look slightly red. I'm disappointed to say this kohl isn't going to be the answer. I have also tried Colorstay eyeliner in black (which turned my eyes bloodshot) and Shahnaz Husain Herbal Kohl (which was greasy, smeared immediately, and irritated my eyes). I do have very sensitive eyes, but I'm not quite ready yet to give up yet. Until I find the next thing to try I am going to continue to stick with my homemade powder kohl (lampblack/Kerala style), which also smears some underneath the eye, but lasts all day.

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Sim_Arik on 8/2/2010 10:41:00 PM more reviews by Sim_Arik

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

I'm really hooked up on those kajal eyeliners now, I don't leave my house without underlining my waterline. I've tried two brands so far- Hashmi and Blue Heaven. Hashmi is less creamy, a bit more difficult to apply (I have to breath on it for a few seconds or hold it longer between the lids for it to soften a little) but the color is very nice dark black and it lasts longer then Blue Heaven. Would I repurchase? yes, if I don't find anything better. The possibility of it containing lead concerns me a bit. I'll try Shahnaz Hussein first and if it's not good get Hashmi. The price is excellent and it does nice job.

The reason why i took a lippie away is because it gives a tingling sensation to my eyes during the first few minutes after application.

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3niR on 5/14/2010 1:17:00 PM more reviews by 3niR

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I bought two of this product. It does not irritate my eyes like the Lakme one do and it is dirt cheap. It goes smoothly when applying which I really like. Sometimes, I just want to line my waterline and this works good.

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meelkhou on 2/17/2010 11:30:00 PM more reviews by meelkhou

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Olive   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this eyeliner! My staple item! I have been using it since I was 13 and used it almost every day since then, and I am completely healthy :) Swipe on in the morning and stays on allllll day. I can NEVER leave the house without it. I have 40+ of this eyeliner, brought them from my country Lebanon, and will expire 11/2013. Let me know if you are interested in swapping with me :)

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korosho on 12/30/2009 1:41:00 AM more reviews by korosho

Age: 19-24   Skin: Very Oily, Olive   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

This is the blackest eyeliner available. I use it on my waterline and it doesn't smudge and stays all day. It only costs about $2 and lasts very long. I had one that I used daily for about two years and only quit using it, because I had dropped it on the ground. My only complaint is that the packaging is easy to break. The top to the tube will come loose and this stuff will get everywhere. Also, quality varies. It will be great one time, but a stick I purchased at the same time will be very dry.

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*TOP REVIEWER* sunshine824 on 8/20/2009 8:16:00 PM more reviews by sunshine824

Age: Unknown   Skin: Combination, Tan   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

I recently bought this(again) and I LOVE IT!!! I forgot all about it and didn't use it for a few years, but now I'm back to it and love it all over again.



I've read about the possible benefits and precautions of using this product and for me, the benefits outweight the precautions. Here's why:

1) There is lead in other FDA approved cosmetics. Look it up.
2) The "Food and DRUG Administration" seems to have a history of only approving products that fill their pockets while banning/sidelining natural or foreign products that don't.
3) There has been no scientific proof that:
a. The lead in this product can be absorbed through the rim of the eyelid
b. That this product ALONE can cause lead poisoning in its user
4) The list of ingredients is very short and all natural - zinc oxide, waxes, amorphous black(also known as "antimony" which is supposed to be healing to the eye), butter oil, cinamomum camphora(also supposed to be healing). There's no way I would compare these ingredients to the ingredients in some Revlon, MAC, or Chanel eyeliner and find the long chemical list preferrable to the short natural one.
5) It's been used for years in Asian and Middle Eastern cultures without the FDA's approval thankyouverymuch.
6) I can find it locally for $1 and it works great. :-D



Will repurchase.

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anshu7 on 7/4/2009 2:38:00 PM more reviews by anshu7

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Black    

HG! I have been using this product for the past four or five years! I have tried Mac feline, Urban Decay zero and many others all of which smudged on me so I always ended up falling back upon this. This product is super easy to apply on ur waterline (I am a big dufus when it comes to applying e/l) Its very pigmented so u just need to swipe it on once. Staying power is good, no smudging at all (even when I cried buckets). And I wear contacts, so those of u who are concerned about that, I face no problems at all.
I take it off with a dry q-tip.
I have read and heard that this has lead but I still use it because I have still not found anything at par (forget better) with this. So far I have faced no problems and I have been using it a long time.
The cap of the stick comes loose over time. The product itself lasts a longtime. I doubt anyone has finished a tube of this.

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huka07 on 6/6/2009 1:17:00 AM more reviews by huka07

Age: 30-35   Skin: Oily, Olive   Hair: Black, Curly, Coarse   Eyes: Black    

This smudges soo bad...just used it for 2/3 times..and writting this review reminding me to throw it away since I've been having it useless for more than 4 month

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malika on 6/5/2009 11:03:00 PM more reviews by malika

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Dark   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Love, love this product. Unfortunately, every time that I use this product the bullet cap breaks and product gets everywhere. Not to worry, it's dirt cheap and is easily replaced. Would pay extra for better packaging.

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lailaayub on 5/17/2009 12:18:00 PM more reviews by lailaayub

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

i love love love kajal. it smudges in to give a smokey look and its so cheap and easy to use. no other eyeliner beats traditional kajal!

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drummagirl65 on 3/31/2009 9:15:00 PM more reviews by drummagirl65

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Medium   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Love this! Best eyeliner for the waterline, stays on FOREVER. Cheap and easy to use.

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SanjediMasta on 3/30/2009 5:37:00 PM more reviews by SanjediMasta

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Dark   Hair: Black, Medium   Eyes: Black    

I'd been using these eyeliners for a few years now cos they're so asy to use, lining top and bottom lashes thickly takes upto a minute and that's it!
Then i heard there was led in the product which is very damaging, onthe packaging it tells you that there is 0g of led PER APPLICATION which could suggest that there a minute amount of led in the entire stick but not a lot in one application?? But still, the more you use this the more it adds up. I stil use the product occasionaly tho neway because its soo good and so cheap but im not sure thats worth damaging my eyes??

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*TOP REVIEWER* genica on 3/28/2009 2:14:00 PM more reviews by genica

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Green    

The NYC Dept. of Health has tested this product and found that it "contains high levels of lead". Why is lead dangerous? "Lead is a poisonous metal that can damage the brain, nervous system, reproductive system, kidneys, and other parts of the body". I'm not someone who has an axe to grind about this product/brand/whatever. I simply saw this product listed on MUAs new reviews one day, did a little research, and learned that this product is apparently quite dangerous. I think it's important to share this information so that others can be informed. Here is the link to the NYC Dept. of Health page that goes into more detail: http://nyc.gov/html/doh/html/lead/lead-import-eyecos.shtml

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