Clinique vs Estee Lauder 2024 (The Definitive Guide)

We're positive you've seen Clinique and Estee Lauder on the shelves at your local drugstore before. But which one should you choose?

Previously, we took a look at two luxury skincare titans: La Mer vs Sisley; today, we will be comparing Clinique vs Estee Lauder to help you figure out which brand better suits you!

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Clinique vs Estee Lauder Foundation

When it comes to achieving that filterless-filter look, you need a great foundation. Something that's not too heavy, is easy to apply, has amazing coverage, and actually lasts the full span of a day (or night). Clinique and Estee Lauder overperform on all fronts, offering some of the best and most popular foundation options on the market that you *need* to start using.

Clinique Beyond Perfecting vs Estee Lauder Double Wear

Our first comparison is between the cult-status Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation and Clinique’s Beyond Perfecting Foundation. Double Wear is a best-selling foundation that’s available in over 60 shades, offering 24-hour staying power. Clinique’s Beyond Perfecting Foundation offers a natural finish also with up to 24-hours of staying power.

Double Wear is the #1 foundation in the US, according to The NPD Group. This super long-wearing foundation has medium-to-full coverage and is buildable for a matte flawless finish. This foundation is designed to survive anything the day throws at you – with its sweat and humidity-resistant formula that works to control your oils to stay matte all day long.

By comparison, Clinique’s Beyond Perfecting Foundation is an all-in-one foundation and concealer that uses a ‘magic wand’ applicator for a flawless finish. You can use this innovative applicator for an all-over or targeted application for a full coverage look as it creates an airbrushed illusion.

While Clinique offers more foundation shades than most brands – with almost 30 for this particular one – it still falls short of the shade range of Double Wear. You’ll pay a little extra for Double Wear, but its versatility makes it worth the splurge.

As an everyday foundation, the buildable coverage of Estee Lauder’s Double Wear makes it a clear winner, but don’t overlook Clinique if you prefer a *full* coverage finish and appreciate a ‘magic wand’ applicator.

Estee Lauder Double Wear vs Clinique Stay Matte

While Double Wear may appear to be the foundation to end all foundations, it’s not without competition. If you prefer a foundation that offers medium coverage and targets dry and combination oily skin types, you may have found your match with Clinique. Keep scrolling to see our Estee Lauder Double Wear vs Clinique Stay Matte foundation comparison.

Another lightweight foundation you might be considering is Clinique’s Stay Matte foundation. It has a patent-pending formula that works to absorb shine and control oils to give your skin a natural matte finish. While Double Wear is suitable for all skin types, it primarily caters to oily and combination skin thanks to its oil-free formulation.

When in doubt, we still recommend Double Wear. Estee Lauder’s Double Wear Foundation is amongst the best-selling in the beauty industry, and it’s the foundation you can pick up in a rush without any second-guessing. To play devil's advocate, though, Clinique’s Stay Matte works great for those who have particularly oily skin, and it is also slightly more affordable.

Clinique vs Estee Lauder Moisturizer

Your moisturizer is one of the most important steps in your skincare routine, and it’s no surprise that Estee Lauder and Clinique offer two of the best on the market. These multi-tasking formulas offer everything from advanced protection to all-day hydration.

Estee Lauder’s Daywear moisturizer offers 24-hour hydration and has an SPF15 formulation. It has a lightweight and soft texture that feels like a cloud passing over your skin. Massaging this smooth moisturizer into your skin offers it an instant boost of hydration with added sun protection. It’s the perfect final step for your morning skincare routine as it helps to target pollution and free radical damage.

While Estee Lauder’s moisturizer targets anti-ageing, Clinique’s Dramatically Different moisturiser is an all-in-one. It’s formulated for very dry to dry combination skin within their type 1 and 2 categories. As a dermatologist-developed moisturizer, it softens and smooths your skin with a texture that absorbs quickly into your skin.

If you have dry skin, no moisturiser will beat Clinique’s. If anti-ageing is your primary concern, you’ll want to incorporate the Estee Lauder moisturiser instead for its antioxidant-rich formula. Also, while Estee Lauder’s moisturizer is primarily for daytime use, you can use Clinique’s moisturiser for both your morning and night-time routine.

Clinique vs Estee Lauder Conclusion

In this article we took a quick look at the two brands' most popular makeup and skincare offerings, but what have we learned about the brands as a whole? The main difference between Clinique and Estee Lauder is that Estee Lauder evidently caters more towards ageing skin types, whereas Clinique caters more towards combination skin (and more specific skin concerns). This is particularly apparent in the Estee Lauder vs Clinique makeup matchups, but fortunately this actually makes it pleasantly straightforward to decide between the two, as ultimately it just comes down to your skin type.

So as not to ramble on forever, this article comprised comparisons of the most popular, best-selling products from the two brands. To round off our review, though, here are our recommendations for the alternative skincare products that Clinique and Estee Lauder offer.

Other Clinique Products

For the eyes:
Try All About Eyes

For redness:
Try Redness Solutions

For extra moisture:
Try Moisture Surge

Other Estee Lauder Products

For ageing skin:
Try Advanced Night Repair

For cleansing:
Try Soft Clean Cleanser

For the eyes:
Try Advanced Night Repair

Work in progress

You have been reading a post that we are constantly updating. Be sure to bookmark this page, subscribe, and come back later to see additions to the definitive Clinique vs Estee Lauder guide!

This article was originally published on January 27th 2022, but it has been reviewed and updated with the latest available information on January 26th 2024 by Sara Mckay, MA.