clinique vitamin c lip smoothie

I feel like I’ve written an overabundance of reviews on Clinique products, but I blame it on the gifts with purchase I’ve accumulated over the years.  The Clinique lip smoothie in came in a GWP from early 2012.  I had tried a lip gloss in similar packaging (twisting the tube to release gloss through a brush applicator) by a different brand in the past and was not very impressed with the mechanics of the design, so I was a little wary of how the Clinique version would compare.

One of the issues with this type of applicator is that the amount of product that actually gets released is quite hard to control.  This is likely due to the fact that there is a significant delay (about 10 seconds, which in makeup time can be a lot, especially when my daily makeup application typically takes about 45 seconds).  In moments of impatience, I will give the tube a couple more twists, hoping to hurry the product along, which inevitably leads to a huge glob of gloss (much more than would be required for a single application) to eventually be dispensed.

Another issue with this type of applicator is that it does not travel well.  Throwing the gloss in my purse does not seem to be a great idea, as gravity causes the gloss to slowly leech out this way or that, resulting in a goopy mess the next time you take the cap off the product to use.

The packaging seems to be the product’s downfall, which is unfortunate, because the gloss itself is actually pretty good.  The gloss does not contain any scent or flavor.  It is moderately pigmented, so it provides a sheer-to-opaque wash of colour that doesn’t overwhelm.  The colour has moderate staying power – a faint tinge of the colour was left after my morning coffee.  While the gloss is slick, it doesn’t have that bubblegum-pop vinyl shine, which I appreciate.  

A quick look on the Clinique US site shows the lip smoothie is no longer among the brand’s lip offerings.  However, this product still seems to be readily available on ebay, for anyone who is interested.

Verdict: The applicator just does not work for me.  I like being able to toss a product in my purse and not have to worry about it making a mess the next time I reach for it.  I will not be making a purchase of this product in the future (even if it’s only $5 off ebay).