Ashley Brissette, MD, of Kelly Vision in New York City, spoke with Ophthalmology 360 about a new partnership between Johnson & Johnson and Clinique that prioritizes eye health and hygiene in makeup products. The partnership offers contact lens wearers a makeup option that is ophthalmologist-tested.
Question:
Can you talk about the recently announced collaboration between Johnson & Johnson and Clinique?
Ashley Brissette, MD:
This was a really great kind of natural fit for a partnership because we know that Johnson & Johnson is very dedicated to eye safety, high-quality standards for vision correction in terms of their contact lenses and their other products that they create within the ophthalmology and the eye care space. Clinique has really gone all in on what they refer to as the eye safety promise for all of their eye makeup. All of Clinique’s eye makeup has a promise behind it that means that everything has been ophthalmologist-tested, safe for sensitive eyes, and safe for contact lens wearers.
These aren’t just statements. These are true guidelines and practices and safety testing standards that they perform on all of their eye makeup. The collaboration between eye makeup that is safe for contact lens wearers, and then a company that’s producing extremely high-quality contact lenses for vision correction for our patients, seemed like a really natural fit for the partnership.
Question:
Clinique has stated that all eye makeup products itself are ophthalmologist-tested and safe for contact lens wearers. Why is this important? How is this testing done?
Ashley Brissette, MD:
The Eye Safety Promise is something that’s unique to the Clinique brand. Most people are surprised to hear that eye makeup does not actually have to be tested in and around the eye area for it to go to market. What’s something that I think is challenging for our patients is they’re then not sure what to trust. You can pick up any mascara off the shelf, but [that] doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s going to be safe for use in and around the eye.
Especially for our more eye-conscious patients, maybe patients that have dry eye or ocular irritation or sensitivities, we will often then try to refer them to products and brands that have the eye safety, really are taking it seriously, and safety testing their cosmetic products. Clinique is the only brand that has this Eye Safety Promise behind all of their eye makeup products. Whether it be an eyeliner, a mascara, an eye shadow, any of the eye makeup that goes in and around your eyes has been tested if it comes from the Clinique brand. That ocular testing is truly a specific designation of safety testing that goes above and beyond what industry standard is for cosmetics.
They actually have an independent ophthalmologist examine a subset of people that are included in the study before application, and then after application, and then usually after a specific time period. They look at things like ocular surface. They look at the eyelids, the lashes, really do a full comprehensive examination. If there’s any reaction, any sensitivity, Clinique will often then take the makeup back to the drawing board and make changes and adjustments, so that they can really make sure that they’re holding themselves to this high standard of care.
Question:
Why is it important for ophthalmologists to speak with their patients, particularly contact lens wearers about makeup safety and sanitation for optimal eyecare health?
Ashley Brissette, MD:
I really do think that the 2 practices go hand in hand. I think that in the past, the thinking was just don’t wear any eye makeup. That was a lot of kind of the advice that physicians would give their patients. But we know that’s not reality. Right? People want to wear eye makeup. I always say abstinence doesn’t work. We have to find a way to do this in the safest manner possible. Then really having this partnership, I think, between the 2 brands, well, if you’re going to wear contact lenses, make sure that you’re choosing then to use eye makeup that is safe to use if you have contact lenses in.
Some things that you want to be looking out for is that the product’s not flaking off and getting into the eye, that it has long wear, but then it’s easy to remove at the end of the day. All of these safety things that aren’t going to contribute to any ocular irritation, potentially having any particles getting trapped underneath the lenses, anything that could aggravate the ocular surface and the eye health while you’re wearing the lenses additionally.
Question:
How can eyecare providers learn more about this partnership?
Ashley Brissette, MD:
I think a great resource is the Clinique website. They actually really help to describe their Eye Safety Promise. I think knowing that that promise exists behind all of their eye makeup products. It’s not like you have to be picking and choosing which product has the safety promise. It does make it really easy if you are in eye care that you can say, “Just trial anything from the Clinique brand from their eye makeup because that Eye Safety Promise will be there.” It makes it safe and easy for our patients as well.
Another great resource is the acuvue.com website. They have lots of information there about safely wearing contact lenses, especially if you’re more of a new user to the contact lenses and how to wear them safely and appropriately. The American Academy of Ophthalmology is also a great resource. They have a website, EyeSmart.com, which has lots of great information for people looking for anything within the realm of eye care. That can also be a great resource for patients and providers.
I think the last thing that’s just important to know is that this really is a shared vision between eye care and cosmetics. I feel like we’re all just very focused on eye safety and eye-safe habits. Things like wearing contact lenses safely and this kind of hundred percent satisfaction guarantee from the Johnson & Johnson brand with their ACUVUE contact lenses, and then really partnering well with this Clinique Eye Safety Promise to ensure eye safety testing for all of their eye makeup, you don’t really have to compromise having that makeup look that you want. It can still be done in a safe manner, and I think that’s important.
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