Clinique Story

Why we care
about eye
makeup safety.
(We promise.)

Clinique's dedication to eye safety goes beyond rigor—it's a promise. The Clinique Eye Safety Promise ensure that every single eye makeup product created by the brand is ophthalmologist-tested, safe for sensitive eyes, and safe for contact lens wearers. Its a category-wide commitment to uncompromising science and safety standards.

Products protected by this promise have undergone hundreds of rigorous evaluations, plus ophthalmologist testing, to ensure they are compatible with the delicate eye area. In addition, decades of development experience has produced high-performance allergy tested formulations designed to exclude common allergens, minimizing allergic reactions, such as itching and redness. In order to keep up with best practices and new technologies straight from practitioner, Clinique has partnered with Dr. Ashley Brissette, MD, MSc, FRCSC, a New York City-based ophthalmologist and spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

But even the safest makeup is only the finishing touch to beautiful eyes. See below to delve into common eye concerns, tips on eye safety from Dr. Brissette, and what to look for when choosing the best eye makeup for you.

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Common eye concern

Millions of Americans annually experience common eye conditions such as dry eye, which can result from issues like inadequate tear production or rapid tear evaporation.1 Factors like poor air quality, pollution, increased screen time, and improper hygiene contribute to this rise, explains Dr. Brissette.

Additionally, seasonal allergies can lead to symptoms such as sniffling, sneezing, teary eyes, and even coughing. Triggers like pollen, pet dander, pollutants, or mold may cause eye sensitivity. It's advisable for those prone to allergies to use gentle skincare and makeup products to prevent eye irritation.

Prioritize eye health

Vibrant, sparkling, and healthy eyes require a comprehensive approach to eye safety. By prioritizing hygiene, regular eye check-ups, UV protection, mindful screen time, and a healthy diet, you can help safeguard your eye health.

Practice proper hygiene

Maintaining eye hygiene is key for infection prevention and overall safety. Always wash your hands and remove makeup at the end of each day or before sleeping, even for a quick nap.

"The best way is to use an eye makeup remover," explains Dr. Brissette, who uses Clinique's Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm. This product quickly and gently dissolves makeup, sunscreen and pollutants without any pulling or tugging. "Gently wash over closed eyelids, rinse with warm water, and pat dry with a soft towel." Repeat the process if residual particles remain. "Cleansing the eyelids and lashes daily is essential to maintain the health of your lids, lashes, and eyes," she adds.

Additionally, avoid sharing cosmetics, wash hands before application, check product expiration dates, store cosmetics correctly, and use only eye-approved products.2

Schedule regular eye exams

Eye exams are an essential part of maintaining your vision. Ophthalmologists or optometrists can detect hidden issues. Seek professional help if you experience decreased or double vision, eye pain, or other symptoms.

Shield your eyes from harmful UV rays

Select sunglasses that offer protection against both UVA and UVB rays to prevent sun-induced eye damage.3 These sunglasses also can help reduce exposure to outdoor allergens, which can cause eye irritation.

Practice computer and screen safety

Digital eye strain can occur from excessive use of devices that emit blue light, such as computers, and mobile devices. This can lead to tired eyes, blurry vision, and headaches. Dr. Brissette advises limited screen time, and the CDC suggests the "20-20-20 Rule" —every 20 minutes, take 20 seconds and look at something 20 feet away.4

Stay focused on nutrition

What you eat is crucial for good health, including your eyes. Dr. Brissette suggests including colorful vegetables and Omega 3s, as found in the Mediterranean diet, which is often recommended to boost eye health.

Makeup tips for sensitive (but still stunning) eyes

Eye makeup can take your look from basic to bombshell, with your eyes the star of the show. But you should still be mindful of the products you are using, especially if you have sensitive eyes or wear contact lenses.

As Dr. Brissette explains, many mascara products can be too heavy, weighing down your lashes. "That can lead to breakage and irritation as particles can find their way into the eyes."

Clinique's High Impact High-Full Volume Mascara offers a solution. Non-clumping, non-flaking, smudge-proof, and sweat- and humidity resistant, this mascara was designed not just for sensitive eyes or contact lens wearers, but anyone who's looking for a gentle mascara. It's also dermatologist tested.

The secret starts with the gentle, lightweight formula. "Preventing the heavy, weighed down lashes flaking particles into the eyes," says Dr. Brissette, "is essential to improving wear and comfort." A blend of three nourishing oils (argan, coconut, and moringa) provide additional benefits: "The oil helps the glide function for easy application and helps to condition and nourish the lashes, which is important," explains Dr. Brissette. The formula is even free of alcohol, fragrance, parabens, and SLS.

But this formula isn't afraid to make an impact, delivering 230% more volume, thanks to a precision-tipped brush that coats the hardest-to-reach lashes.5 "The 12-hour-wear claims are a real standout for me," says Dr. Brissette, as is the mascara's fiber-infused technology, which makes removal easier since it minimizes tugging and pulling on the eyelids and lashes.

Ease of application is also important. "When it comes to safely using mascara, the bristle design should help to comb through the lashes without pulling," says Dr. Brissette. "If [the wand] is too large, there is the risk of touching the eyeball, which could cause a scratch, so the design of the wand is essential to safe application."

At Clinique, every lash deserves the same high standard of care and attention. The Clinique Eye Safety Promise serves as a reminder of a decades-long commitment to eye safety, beginning with safety assessments and ophthalmologist testing, but always ending with the ultimate result: bold, beautiful eyes.

1 National Eye Institute, "Dry Eye."
2 U.S. Food & Drug Administration, "Eye Cosmetic Safety."
3 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Sun Safety."
4 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Keep an Eye on Your Vision Health."
5 Clinical testing on 31 women.

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Most eye cosmetics are safe when used properly. However, it’s important to be careful about the risk of infection, injury from the applicator, and use of unapproved color additives.

Keep it clean!

Eye cosmetics are usually safe when you buy them, but misusing them can allow dangerous bacteria or fungi to grow in them. Then, when applied to the eye area, a cosmetic can cause an infection. In rare cases, women have been temporarily or permanently blinded by an infection from an eye cosmetic. See the Safety Checklist below for tips on keeping your eye cosmetics clean and protecting against infections.

Occasionally, contamination can be a problem for some eye cosmetics even when they are new. FDA has an Import Alert in effect for cosmetics -- including eye cosmetics -- contaminated with harmful microorganisms.

Don't share! Don't swap!

Don't share or swap eye cosmetics -- not even with your best friend. Another person's germs may be hazardous to you. The risk of contamination may be even greater with "testers" at retail stores, where a number of people are using the same sample product. If you feel you must sample cosmetics at a store, make sure they are applied with single-use applicators, such as clean cotton swabs.

Hold still!

It may seem like efficient use of your time to apply makeup in the car or on the bus, but resist that temptation, even if you're not in the driver's seat. If you hit a bump, come to a sudden stop, or are hit by another vehicle, you risk injuring your eye (scratching your cornea, for example) with a mascara wand or other applicator. Even a slight scratch can result in a serious infection.

What's in it?

As with any cosmetic product sold on a retail basis to consumers, eye cosmetics are required to have an ingredient declaration on the label, according to regulations implemented under the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act, or FPLA -- an important consumer protection law. If you wish to avoid certain ingredients or compare the ingredients in different brands, you can check the ingredient declaration.

If a cosmetic sold on a retail basis to consumers does not have an ingredient declaration, it is considered misbranded and is illegal in interstate commerce. Very small packages in tightly compartmented display racks may have copies of the ingredient declaration available on tear-off sheets accompanying the display. If neither the package nor the display rack provides the ingredient declaration, you aren't getting the information you're entitled to. Don't hesitate to ask the store manager or the manufacturer why not.

What's that shade you're wearing?

In the United States, the use of color additives is strictly regulated. A number of color additives approved for cosmetic use in general are not approved for use in the area of the eye. An import alert for cosmetics containing illegal colors lists several eye cosmetics.

Keep away from kohl -- and keep kohl away from kids!

One color additive of particular concern is kohl. Also known as al-kahl, kajal, or surma, kohl is used in some parts of the world to enhance the appearance of the eyes, but is unapproved for cosmetic use in the United States. Kohl consists of salts of heavy metals, such as antimony and lead. It may be tempting to think that because kohl has been used traditionally as an eye cosmetic in some parts of the world, it must be safe. However, there have been reports linking the use of kohl to lead poisoning in children.*

An FDA Import Alert cites three main reasons for detaining imports of kohl:

1. For containing an unsafe color additive, which makes the product adulterated.
2. For labeling that describes the product falsely as "FDA Approved."
3. For lack of an ingredient declaration.

Some eye cosmetics may be labeled with the word "kohl" only to indicate the shade, not because they contain true kohl. If the product is properly labeled, you can check to see whether the color additives declared on the label are in FDA's list of color additives approved for use in cosmetics, then make sure they are listed as approved for use in the area of the eye.

Dying to dye your eyelashes?

Permanent eyelash and eyebrow tints and dyes have been known to cause serious eye injuries, including blindness. The FDA has provided for the safe use of silver nitrate as a color additive, in professional-use only cosmetics, to color eyebrows and eyelashes [21 CFR 73.]. Use is restricted to up to 4 percent silver nitrate (by weight) in a viscous gel product. These silver nitrate containing cosmetic products are not intended for use on persons under the age of 16 or for application for longer than 1 minute. Furthermore, these products are not for distribution or direct sale to consumers. FDA has an Import Alert in effect for eyelash and eyebrow dyes containing coal tar colors.

Are you interested in learning more about Eye Cosmetics? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!

Thinking of false eyelashes or extensions?

FDA considers false eyelashes, eyelash extensions, and their adhesives to be cosmetic products, and as such they must adhere to the safety and labeling requirements for cosmetics. False eyelashes and eyelash extensions require adhesives to hold them in place. Remember that the eyelids are delicate, and an allergic reaction, irritation, or other injury in the eye area can be particularly troublesome. Check the ingredients before using these adhesives.

Bad Reaction?

If you have a bad reaction to eye cosmetics, first contact your healthcare provider. FDA also encourages consumers to report any adverse reactions to cosmetics. See Bad Reaction to Cosmetics? Tell FDA and How to Report a Cosmetic Related Complaint.

Safety Checklist

If you use eye cosmetics, FDA urges you to follow these safety tips:

• If any eye cosmetic causes irritation, stop using it immediately. If irritation persists, see a doctor.
• Avoid using eye cosmetics if you have an eye infection or the skin around the eye is inflamed. Wait until the area is healed. Discard any eye cosmetics you were using when you got the infection.
• Be aware that there are bacteria on your hands that, if placed in the eye, could cause infections. Wash your hands before applying eye cosmetics.
• Make sure that any instrument you place in the eye area is clean.
• Don't share your cosmetics. Another person's bacteria may be hazardous to you.
• Don't allow cosmetics to become covered with dust or contaminated with dirt or soil. Keep containers clean.
• Don't use old containers of eye cosmetics. Manufacturers usually recommend discarding mascara two to four months after purchase.
• Discard dried-up mascara. Don't add saliva or water to moisten it. The bacteria from your mouth may grow in the mascara and cause infection. Adding water may introduce bacteria and will dilute the preservative that is intended to protect against microbial growth.
• Don't store cosmetics at temperatures above 85 degrees F. Cosmetics held for long periods in hot cars, for example, are more susceptible to deterioration of the preservative.
• When applying or removing eye cosmetics, be careful not to scratch the eyeball or other sensitive area. Never apply or remove eye cosmetics in a moving vehicle.
• Don't use any cosmetics near your eyes unless they are intended specifically for that use. For instance, don't use a lip liner as an eye liner. You may be exposing your eyes to contamination from your mouth, or to color additives that are not approved for use in the area of the eye.
• Avoid color additives that are not approved for use in the area of the eye, such as "permanent" eyelash tints and kohl. Be especially careful to keep kohl away from children, since reports have linked it to lead poisoning.

August 1, ; Updated December 18,

The August 1, version of this document is available بالعربية (Arabic PDF - 1.1MB).

Al-Ashban RM, Aslam M, Shah AH. Kohl (surma): A toxic traditional eye cosmetic study in Saudi Arabia. Public Health. Jun; 118(4):292-8

Al-Saleh I, Nester M, DeVol E, Shinwari N, Al-Shahria S: "Determinants of blood lead levels in Saudi Arabian schoolgirls." International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health, April-June, 5(2):107-14.

Mojdehi GM, Gurtner J: "Childhood lead poisoning through kohl." American Journal of Public Health, April, 86 (4):587-8.

Al-Hazzaa SA, Krahn PM: "Kohl: A hazardous eyeliner." International Ophthalmology, ; 19(2):83-8.

Alkhawajah AM: "Alkohl use in Saudi Arabia: Extent of use and possible lead toxicity." Tropical Geographical Medicine, October, 44(4):373-7.

Hardy AD, Walton RI, Myers KA, Vaishnav R. Availability and chemical composition of traditional eye cosmetics ("kohls") used in the United Arab Emirates of Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al-Quwain, Ras Al-Khaimah, and Fujairah. J Cosmet Sci. Mar-Apr; 57(2):107-25.

Jallad KN, Hedderich HG. Characterization of a hazardous eyeliner (kohl) by confocal Raman microscopy. J Hazard Mater. Sep 30; 124(1-3):236-40.

Nir A, Tamir A, Zelnik N, Iancu TC: "Is eye cosmetic a source of lead poisoning?" Israel Journal of Medical Science, July; 28(7):417-21.

Parry C, Eaton J: Kohl: "A lead-hazardous eye makeup from the Third World to the First World." Environmental Health Perspectives, Aug; 94:121-3.

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