The Best Clinique Products by Skin Type and Concern

The best Clinique products are Moisture Surge 100H ($31) as a light gel moisturizer, Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+ ($34) for dry skin, Take The Day Off Cleansing Oil ($37) for removing makeup and sunscreen, and UV Solutions Hydrating Sunscreen SPF 50 ($39) for daily protection. For targeted care, Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Clearing Serum ($65) is the pick for dark spots and Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum ($80) the pick for lines.

Before you buy, you can scan a bottle's barcode or label with the ingredient scanner in Pori to check the formula against your skin type. Every Clinique product is labeled fragrance free, so with this brand the label check is mostly about alcohol, dyes and actives. Pori reads ingredients; it does not diagnose skin conditions.

Quick picks

• Best overall: Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator ($31 for 1.0 oz, Ulta): an oil-free, fragrance-free gel-cream for most skin types.
• Best for dry skin: Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+ ($34 for 4.2 oz, Ulta): mineral oil, petrolatum, glycerin and urea at about $8 an ounce.
• Best makeup remover: Take The Day Off Cleansing Oil ($37 for 6.7 oz, Ulta): a short, fragrance-free list that rinses clean.
• Best sunscreen: UV Solutions Hydrating Sunscreen SPF 50 ($39 for 1.35 oz, Ulta): fragrance-free, non-acnegenic, for every skin type.
• Best for dark spots: Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Clearing Serum ($65 for 1.0 oz, Ulta): niacinamide, two vitamin C derivatives and UP302.
• Best for lines: Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum ($80 for 1.0 oz, Ulta): a gentle retinoid ester with three peptides.
• Best for breakouts: Acne Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel ($34 for 1.0 oz, Ulta): 1% salicylic acid in a fast-drying gel.

We compared published ingredient lists, Drug Facts, brand claims and listed prices; we did not test these products on skin. Prices are Ulta list prices as of November 2026; two of the serums were on sale when we checked. This page ranks products. For Clinique's history, the 3-Step system and what "allergy tested" means, see our Clinique skincare guide.

How do the best Clinique products compare?

Which Clinique moisturizer is best?

Moisture Surge 100H: best overall

Moisture Surge is the Clinique product that suits the most people. The Ulta listing calls it oil-free, 100% fragrance free and safe for sensitive skin, and the list opens with water, dimethicone, butylene glycol, glycerin, trehalose and sucrose, with sodium hyaluronate lower down. It is $31 for 1.0 oz.

Who it suits: oily, combination and dehydrated skin that wants hydration without oil. Who should skip it: very dry skin, which needs something heavier on top. The catch: the "100 hours" claim has no published method, and the gel is tinted with Red 4 and Yellow 5. Our Moisture Surge review goes through the claims.

Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+: best for dry skin

The yellow lotion from the 3-Step system is Clinique's best value. Its ingredient list starts with water, mineral oil, glycerin and petrolatum, followed by urea, and Clinique pitches it at very dry to dry combination skin. It is $34 for 4.2 oz, about $8 an ounce.

Who it suits: dry and flaky skin, and skin that feels tight after cleansing. Who should skip it: oily skin, which Clinique steers to the oil-free Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel ($34 for 4.2 oz). The catch: it contains three dyes and lanolin alcohol, which matters if you have a lanolin allergy. Our guide to mineral oil in skincare covers why the heavy base works.

Which Clinique cleanser is best?

Take The Day Off Cleansing Oil: best makeup remover

If you wear long-wear makeup or water-resistant sunscreen, start here. The ingredient list has about a dozen ingredients: synthetic esters, PEG emulsifiers that let it rinse off with water, a little glycerin and vitamin E. There are no plant or essential oils. It is $37 for 6.7 oz.

Who it suits: every skin type, as a first cleanse at night. Who should skip it: people who wear little makeup and no water-resistant SPF; a single gentle wash is enough. The catch: Clinique's own answer on Ulta says not to use it in the eye area. Our double cleansing guide explains the routine.

All About Clean Liquid Facial Soap: the 3-Step wash

The facial soap comes in Extra Mild, Mild and Oily formulas matched to Clinique's skin types. The Mild version is $29 for 6.7 oz, and its list leads with sodium laureth sulfate, a sulfate surfactant, softened by betaines, aloe and sucrose.

Who it suits: normal and combination skin that likes a real lather. Who should skip it: very dry or easily irritated skin, which should pick the Extra Mild version or a non-foaming wash. The catch: Ulta's "formulated without" list names SLS; it does not cover the SLES that is in the formula.

What is the best Clinique sunscreen?

UV Solutions Hydrating Sunscreen SPF 50: best sunscreen

This is Clinique's everyday face sunscreen. The Ulta listing gives homosalate 7%, octocrylene 7%, octisalate 4.5% and avobenzone 3%, and describes it as fragrance free, non-acnegenic and photo-allergy tested, for every skin type from very dry to oily. It is $39 for 1.35 oz.

Who it suits: anyone who wants a light SPF 50 under makeup. Who should skip it: people who react to chemical filters, who will do better with a mineral sunscreen. The catch: 1.35 oz goes quickly at a full dose, and the listing makes no water-resistance claim; the American Academy of Dermatology recommends a water-resistant formula for swimming or sweating. Clinique says to reapply every 2 hours. See how much sunscreen to use.

What is the best Clinique serum?

Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Clearing Serum: best for dark spots

Clinique's fourth-generation brightening serum combines niacinamide, two vitamin C derivatives (ascorbyl glucoside and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate), acetyl glucosamine, a little salicylic acid and UP302, which the list names as dimethoxytolyl propylresorcinol. The Ulta listing calls it fragrance free and safe for sensitive skin. It lists at $65 for 1.0 oz.

Who it suits: sun spots and post-acne marks on any skin tone. Who should skip it: anyone expecting fast results; Clinique's testing ran 12 weeks. The catch: the headline 49% and 56% figures are for top responders. The averages across all panelists were 34% and 37%, which is still a fair result for a cosmetic serum. Pair it with daily sunscreen; our guide on how to fade dark spots explains why.

Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum: best for lines

This serum uses hydroxypinacolone retinoate, a retinoid ester, with palmitoyl tripeptide-1, acetyl hexapeptide-8 and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7 in a silicone base. Clinique says to use it morning and night, wear sunscreen daily and skip other retinol products. It lists at $80 for 1.0 oz.

Who it suits: people who want a retinoid that is easy to tolerate twice a day. Who should skip it: anyone pregnant, since the AAD says retinoids should not be used during pregnancy, and anyone on a budget. The catch: the "as effective as one laser treatment" line comes from Clinique's own 16-week study, and the retinoid strength is not disclosed. Our retinol for beginners guide covers cheaper starting points.

What is the best Clinique product for acne?

Acne Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel: best for breakouts

The gel is an over-the-counter acne drug with 1.0% salicylic acid as its active, which the AAD lists among acne ingredients you can buy without a prescription. Clinique says to use a thin layer twice a day or as a spot treatment. It is $34 for 1.0 oz at Ulta.

Who it suits: oily skin with blackheads and small breakouts. Who should skip it: dry or sensitive skin. The catch: alcohol denat. is the first inactive ingredient, followed by witch hazel, so it can dry skin out; Clinique says to drop to every other day if peeling starts.

Which Clinique products are best for each skin type?

Not sure which row you are? Our guide on how to find your skin type walks through a simple test.

Which Clinique products should you skip?

• Clarifying Lotion on dry or reactive skin. The toners list alcohol denat. high up; our guide to alcohol in skincare explains when it matters.
• The acne gel and the Smart serum on the same night. Start one active, wait a few weeks, then add another; see how to introduce new products.
• Moisture Surge alone on very dry skin. Layer Lotion+ over it or choose Lotion+ instead.
• Dye-free shoppers. Moisture Surge, Lotion+ and the Gel all contain synthetic dyes.

Comparing brands? Our Clinique vs Kiehl's comparison sets the two side by side, and fragrance-free skincare brands lists others with the same policy.

How we chose

We picked one Clinique product for each common need and ranked them by how many people they suit, giving weight to published actives and honest claim footnotes. We read each Ulta listing in November 2026 for price, size, skin type, full ingredients, Drug Facts and the panel behind each claim, and checked sunscreen, retinoid and acne advice against the AAD. Since Clinique is fragrance free across the board, we flagged alcohol, dyes and sulfates instead. We did not wear-test anything and took no payment from Clinique or Estée Lauder. Browse more in our moisturizer, serum and sunscreen catalogues.