Lancome vs Clinique 2024 (The Definitive Guide)

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

Previously, we took a look at Clinique vs Estee Lauder; today, we will be comparing Lancome vs Clinique to help you figure out which of the two better suits you!

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Lancome vs Clinique Foundation

Gone are the days where the core purpose of applying makeup foundation was just to even skin texture and cover blemishes. With the current rise of the “Skinification of Makeup”, consumers are looking for cosmetic products that combine the world of makeup and skincare into one.

Now the real question is, what foundation is right for you? Let’s do a deep dive into two luxury makeup brands, Lancôme and Clinique, and see which foundation measures up to this new age of beauty.

When it comes to oil-free foundation, Lancôme’s Teint Idole Ultra and Clinique’s Superbalanced Makeup both offer long wear coverage that is completely free of harmful oils. But where do they differ? Our Lancôme vs Clinique makeup study will help you make the call.

It is important to draw attention to the price differences in these two foundations. Lancôme’s Teint Idole retails for essentially double Clinique’s Superbalanced Makeup more attainable ~$30 USD price point. This could be due in part to the packaging of both products. While Lancôme’s Teint Idole offers a sleek precision pump, Clinique’s Superbalanced Makeup is a hand pour bottle.

Clinique’s design can lead to foundation waste and an excess of product on your sponge or makeup brush. For ease of use and less mess, we’d recommend Lancôme’s Teint Idole.

Now, getting down to formula, both formulas are suited for oily and combination skin and are dermatologist tested. While both foundations are humidity resistant, Clinique’s foundation is also sweat and waterproof resistant.

In terms of long wear, Lancôme’s foundation boasts 24-hour mattifying results, but Clinique’s formula focuses more on adding hydration and removing oils. It is important to note that for all the beneficial ingredients Clinique offers, Lancôme’s foundation includes SPF 15, which is a prime example of the skinification of makeup.

Lancôme also offers its foundation in 50 shades, compared to Clinique’s 17, expanding its demographic and opportunity for a perfect color match.

If you’re looking for a full coverage foundation that also contains skin protectant benefits, we recommend Lancôme’s Teint Idole. If you’re looking for moderate coverage that helps hydrate your skin at a lower price point, then Clinique’s Superbalanced Makeup might be best for you.

It's a tight call, but on balance we prefer Clinique's Superbalanced Makeup Foundation.

Lancome vs Clinique Moisturizer

With the consistent stream of new brands and formulas entering the skincare marketplace, it can be a daunting task to choose your daily moisturizer. The most important factor to consider when choosing a daily moisturizer, is the number of added protective benefits the product has in addition to hydration.

Lancôme and Clinique both offer hydrating daily moisturizers with key protectant ingredients, but which of these two luxury brands have more protective benefits for your skin? Let’s take a deeper look together and find out.

When you apply your moisturizer, you’re giving your skin the shield it needs to be protected. But should you arm yourself with Lancôme’s Bienfait Multi-Vital Day Cream or Clinique’s Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel?

2024 update: We have some good news and bad news. The Bienfait Multi-Vital Moisturizer has gone the way of discontinuation... BUT, there's a shiny new moisturizer from Lancome that fills the void nicely: the UV Expert Primer & Moisturizer with SPF50.

Fortunately, the comparison is just about as straight-forward as before. Of course we still love the Dramatically Different range, but the Lancome moisturizer is a bit of a unicorn: a 3-in-1 primer, moisturizer, and sunscreen - excelling in every category. If what you're mainly looking for is a moisturizer that'll quench your parched skin, then the Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion might be the way forward. But, if you're wanting better sun protection and something that will sit beautifully under makeup, then Lancome is the one.

Clinique’s formula does includes hyaluronic acid—which is a vital ingredient to help increase the natural production of moisture in the skin as you age—but even without this additional benefit, Lancôme is still the better option because it contains SPF 30, which is essential to the overall protection of skin.

Lancome vs Clinique Eye Cream

The eyes are the windows to the soul, so it's imperative we keep the skin around them protected and nourished. Eye creams help slow down signs of aging by decreasing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and dark circles.

While these are all fantastic benefits for adopting eye cream into your daily regiment, one common misconception is that eye cream is meant to be used mainly as a corrective treatment vs. a preventative one.

So what eye cream is best for you? Let’s look into the benefits of Lancôme’s Advanced Genifique Eye Cream and the Clinique All About Eyes Cream.

If you’re in your 20s or 30s and looking for a daily eye cream that will brighten your eyes and reduce puffiness, to present a more “awake” appearance, then the Clinique All About Eyes Cream is the right choice for you.

This eye cream is hydrating, and the gel texture also acts as a primer to help hold your makeup in place. The price point is also more attainable at ~$20 USD compared to Lancôme’s ~$45 USD retail value.

Now, if you’re looking for an eye cream that will help to correct and repair your fine lines, wrinkles, and dark circles, then Lancôme’s Advanced Genifique Eye Cream is the best option.

This clinically tested formula has shown noticeable results in decreasing the appearance of crow’s feet, under eye circles, and wrinkles. 92% of participants in a recent study agreed that after using the Advanced Genifique Eye Cream their eyes appeared more radiant and looked smoother.

The formula contains Bifidus Prebiotic and Hyaluronic Acid, which are essential ingredients to help regain the skin’s natural moisture (which helps reduce the appearance of fine lines). So, if you’re wishing you could turn back time…this might be the next best thing.

Lancome vs Clinique 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 Lancome is that Lancome 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 Lancome vs Clinique skin care matchups, but fortunately this actually makes it pleasantly straightforward to decide between the two, as ultimately it just comes down to your personal 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 and ranges that Lancome and Clinique offer.

Other Lancome Products

For defined lashes:
Try Definicils

For cleansing:
Try Creme Radiance

For ageing skin:
Try Advanced Skin Corrector

Other Clinique Products

For the eyes:
Try All About Eyes

For redness:
Try Redness Solutions

For extra moisture:
Try Moisture Surge

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 Lancome vs Clinique guide!

This article was originally published on January 28th 2022, but it has been reviewed and updated with the latest available information on January 26th 2024 by Sara Mckay, MA.