I was a sports kid. Still a kid, I’ve replaced sports with a variety of very sweaty activities. Battle ropes, running, yoga, lifting, paddleboarding, skiing, Pilates, burpees, you name it, I’m into it. At 22, my tolerance for boredom has remained that of a small child, and feeling stagnant only serves to amplify my pre-existing anxiety (shocker, I’m one of them). Sweating has become a way to de-gunk my body and my psyche, sweeping away the stick and grime so I can normalize. It’s part of my algorithm, so much so that during the height of my competitive cross-country/track career, I struggled with compulsive exercise, running upwards of 50 miles a week and eating about half the amount I should’ve been. Exercise addiction is the ready companion to a host of eating issues, and it’s pretty much impossible to strike a balance when one or the other is skewed. Since that time, I’ve dialed down and honed into a singular aim: sweat daily. Not to impose order on my body and not to lose weight. No calories, no heart rate metrics – just sweat. The amount varies day-to-day, but the constant remains in the perspiration. 

Considering my sweat predilection, I want an all-day mascara that can keep up. In an effectively nonexistent makeup routine, mascara is one of my few selected face upgrades. This is where the CliniqueFIT mascara comes in. It’s a vision in short fibers attached to a tiny roller shape, with a dreamy gel consistency that enables a thorough and even coating of your lashes. Throw in an ophthalmologist-tested seal of approval (whatever that entails) and a rapid dry-time. It requires absolutely no thought or fuss, and that, dear friends, is a gift. 

Here’s where the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts. Unless I missed a recent update to Maslow’s hierarchy, eyelash paint is a frivolity. As with any quality-of-life purchase, there’s got to be a certain X factor to send chills down your consumerist spine. Maybe this invites the sex appeal of a bow-shaped brush, bringing with it the promise of a perfect curl, or perhaps a wand that you pump to “activate” the formula. As for me, I’ve sought out a unicorn of water resistance. I want a truly “long-wear” formula – no flaking or smudging allowed – but one that doesn’t require rubbing my already irritable eyes raw to remove. 

Founded in New York in 1968 under the Estee Lauder conglomerate, Clinique’s contemporary reputation is one of consistency and heritage. In its heyday, Clinique was the pioneer of 100% fragrance-free, allergy-tested, customizable skincare.  Only in the past year – late to the game, all things considered – has Clinique taken a markedly different tack on its familiar foundation of customization. So, you can understand my surprise, years after that first, fail-safe mascara purchase, in discovering that Clinique is making the most bangin’, tech-y waterproof mascara out there.

CLINIQUE IS MAKING THE MOST BANGIN’, TECH-Y WATERPROOF MASCARA OUT THERE.