Clinique
| Company type | Division |
|---|---|
| Industry | Skincare, cosmetics, toiletries, fragrances |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Founder | Evelyn Lauder, Carol Phillips, Norman Orentreich |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Evelyn Lauder (founder and training director) |
| Products | Skincare, cosmetics, toiletries, fragrances |
Number of employees | 22000+ (2019) |
| Parent | Estée Lauder Companies |
Clinique Laboratories, LLC () is a U.S.-based producer of skincare, cosmetics, toiletries, and fragrances, predominantly retailed through upscale department stores. It functions as a division under the Estée Lauder Companies. By 2019, Clinique had a global workforce exceeding 22,000 customer consultants.
History
The inception of Clinique traces back to 1967 when beauty editor Carol Phillips and dermatologist Norman Orentreich authored the Vogue article "Can Great Skin Be Created?", which highlighted the importance of skincare regimens. Evelyn Lauder, daughter-in-law of Estée Lauder, identified the concept’s promise and played a key role in enlisting Phillips and Orentreich to develop the brand. Clinique made its debut in April 1968 at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York, offering 117 products and establishing itself as the pioneering allergy-tested skincare line formulated under dermatological supervision.
Evelyn Lauder not only founded the Clinique brand and its product range but also served as its training director. She notably was the first to don Clinique’s distinctive white lab coat—a uniform now adopted by Clinique Consultants worldwide.
As the third label launched by the Lauder Group, Clinique followed Estée Lauder and Aramis in the company’s brand portfolio.
In 2008, Clinique collaborated with Allergan, renowned for Botox, to introduce Clinique Medical—a line distributed through physicians designed to address skin concerns related to pre- and post-surgical care such as redness and irritation.
Actress Emilia Clarke was appointed as Clinique’s brand ambassador in January 2020.
Advancing into digital realms, Clinique ventured into the Metaverse in 2022 by initiating an NFT campaign.
In 2024, a partnership was formed between Clinique and New York’s Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai to create a dermatological research center.