Clinique Lid Smoothie Antioxidant 8-Hour Eye Colour — Should You Drink Up?

Over the past few seasons, we’ve seen a resurgence in the popularity of cream eye shadows and, this fall, Clinique has thrown its hat into the velvety, liquid-like, molten color territory with the release of Clinique Lid Smoothie Antioxidant 8-Hour Eye Colour ($19.50 each at Clinique.com), a 12-shade collection of cream shadows. To distinguish itself from its competitors, Clinique focused on developing a formula that would address both cosmetic and skincare concerns, envisioning a range of frosty pigments and integrating hydrating, smoothing, and brightening plant extracts and vitamin ingredients.

To that end, the Lid Smoothie colors contains such nutrient-rich ingredients as: broccoli extract, which is rich in glucosinolates that promote detoxification and which has been shown to reduce redness and swelling; carrot extract, which boasts a high concentration of vitamins A and C and which brightens the complexion; antioxidant-rich blueberry extract, a well-known superfood that can fend off visible aging signs, accelerate the healing of wounds, and revitalize skin; and spinach extract, which contains beta-carotene, co-enzyme Q10, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin E, polyphenols, and Omega 3, nutrients that protect the skin from sun damage, boost luminosity, help fight acne, and delay the aging process. A dose of vitamin E further protects the skin from free radical damage, while a mixture of cooling aloe vera and cucumber extract soothe the skin and reduce inflammation and puffiness and a hint of caffeine tightens and firms the skin. The formula also includes collagen-boosting peptides that help the surface of the skin appear smoother, making for an easier application.

One of the coolest aspects of this new product (literally speaking) is the metal applicator, which cools the skin upon contact for a refreshing, massage-like sensation, as you glide it over your lids. The squeeze tubes allow you to dispense just a bit of color and then apply with the metal applicator tip or, if preferred, smooth onto lids using an eye shadow brush or even your fingertips. I personally like using the built-in applicator and then blending in the color by patting the skin on my lids gingerly using my fingertips, until the color looks like a sheer wash with just a hint of shimmer.

The colors themselves have a frosty quality to them that makes them enchanting, but they’re not too richly pigmented so they are best suited for women who prefer the dewy quality of cream shadows but prefer barely there tints that are practically imperceptible.

In terms of performance, the Clinique Lid Smoothie shadows don’t crease, dry out, or flake, but they also don’t stay put as effectively as, say, the Make Up For Ever Aqua Cream shades. Hours into the day, if you swipe your finger across your eye, you will likely disturb your makeup look, so make sure to avoid any such gestures when you wear these colors.

That being said, if you prefer understated makeup and you’re looking for makeup that looks natural and feels comfortable, never irritating your delicate skin, you’ll appreciate these smooth operators.

Below, you’ll find swatches of, from left to right, Born Freesia, Pinko Bilboa, Currant Affair, Cute-cumber, and Bit O’Honey. As you can see the shades look really icy and frosty when first applied but notice how they transform when blended (as shown in the next photo).

Here, you can see how the colors diffuse when blended into the skin. The Born Freesia shade is particularly lovely — a soft, almost silvery lavender shade with this wet-looking, stain-like finish. We also love the Cute-cucumber color, a sage-like green with grayish undertones that make it feel more mysterious than other forest greens.

When you wear these, the finished look is very natural and unfussy, but that’s part of the Lid Smoothie charm!