Q: Are Clinique lipsticks paraben-free?

Claire, via email

A: A few days ago I've been lured to Clinique counter by a clever promotion that promised an airport-security friendly makeup bag with mini clippers, hair brushes, and other cute travel accessories. Just out of a sheer curiosity (and to earn the bag!) I made an honest attempt to choose a Clinique lipstick.

To my surprise, Clinique lipsticks are not as horrible as Estee Lauder or YSL sisters. They are COMPLETELY PARABEN-FREE, to begin with. Many are free from aluminum. And since they are unscented, there are no phthalates in fragrance.

And while Clinique lipsticks do contain some petrochemicals such as silicones, they are also loaded with vitamins, natural pigments, and even acai berry (at least, the gloss). There are some traces of chemical ugliness, though, such as questionable sunscreens in half of the shades (why won't they use zinc oxide, it can be perfectly masked by color pigments!) but overall, Clinique lippies suddently became if not the greenest, then certainly healthiest choice on the department store's beauty floor.

So I did buy one shade, my old-time favourite Black Honey. And then I decided to go for the brighter pink, but it was too late, and I was leaving the next day, so I checked the Clinique counter in Germany. Guess what? All parabens were in place. The formulas were just as toxic as they were when I wrote The Green Beauty Guide back in 2008.

Here's what I think: Clinique started to remove toxic ingredients from their lipsticks such as parabens, but it takes a while to replace Clinique lipsticks stocks in all the countries and all the stores.

So don't shun Clinique lipsticks completely: if you like their shades, chances are that your store already has the newer formulations without some of the most obnoxious chemicals. Just ask for the box to read the ingredients - parabens are usually at the end, easy to spot.

Also watch out for aluminum and BHT (butyl hydroxy toluene) in Clinique lipsticks. You never know.