CLINIQUE

Few beauty brands can claim a dermatologist’s office as their origin story, but Clinique has never been interested in business as usual. The brand was born in 1968 when Vogue beauty editor Carol Phillips sat down with dermatologist Dr. Norman Orentreich to ask a simple question: Can great skin be created? The answer came in the form of Clinique’s now-iconic 3-Step System—cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize—designed to be as routine as brushing your teeth. It was a radical idea at the time: fragrance-free, allergy-tested skincare formulated with dermatologists, not just for luxury but for results.

From the moment it launched at Saks Fifth Avenue, Clinique looked different. The white coats worn by beauty advisors signaled a more clinical approach to skincare, a sharp contrast to the glamorous, scent-heavy brands that filled department store counters. And while the industry has since caught up to the idea of science-backed beauty, Clinique was an early blueprint, proving that skincare didn’t need to be mysterious or complicated—it just had to work.

Over the decades, the brand has stayed true to that original philosophy, balancing legacy with innovation. Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion, first bottled in 1968, remains a bestseller, while newer launches—like the Moisture Surge line and Even Better foundation range—show how the brand continues to evolve with skin’s changing needs. And though Clinique has expanded well beyond its original trio of products, that first principle still holds: great skin isn’t just a matter of genetics, but of good habits—and the right formulas.