Whenever someone asks me about my skin type, I hesitate. "It's sensitive," I'll usually say, before immediately qualifying it—"but also oily and congested, and a little dry in places." In truth, after years as a beauty director and a rotation of actives, acids and treatments that would make any dermatologist wince, my skin has become something of a moving target.
It turns out I'm not alone. Whether triggered by an overenthusiastic skincare routine, environmental stressors, or the invisible toll of daily life, sensitivity has become one of the defining skin concerns of our time. More than 71% of adults* now report experiencing some degree of it—sometimes occasionally, sometimes constantly.
It's for this reason that Clinique's new Daily Calm collection feels so timely. The brand's first range to unite skincare and makeup under one brief—to soothe, protect and perform, even on the most reactive skin—it's the thoughtful solution that only a brand with Clinique's dermatological heritage could deliver. Consider it your skin's new safety net.
Introducing Daily Calm
Daily Calm is the first collection from Clinique to unite skincare and makeup in a single range engineered for the full spectrum of sensitive skin. Whether your skin flares unpredictably or exists in a near-constant state of unease, it has been formulated to address visible signs of irritation quickly—and, over time, help prevent them from returning.
Dermatologist-assessed and proven to be safe and effective on very sensitive skin, the range draws on Clinique's more than 55-year heritage of allergy-tested, 100% fragrance-free formulas.
The result is skin that looks healthy, feels resilient, and—at last—calm.
Sensitive vs Sensitised: Knowing the Difference
Understanding what's actually happening in your skin is the first step to addressing it. Sensitive skin is a skin type—an intrinsic predisposition to reactivity, flare-ups and intolerance to ingredients that others handle with ease. It may be self-perceived or diagnosed by a dermatologist, particularly when associated with conditions such as rosacea or eczema.
Sensitised skin, however, can affect any skin type. It describes skin that has become irritated in response to external aggressors: harsh active ingredients, pollution, hormonal changes, extreme temperatures or lifestyle stress. It's a state, not a trait—and crucially, it's one that can be both prevented and reversed.
Clinique's dermatologists go further still, identifying three distinct categories of sensitivity—chronic, acute (occasional flare-ups) and post-procedure—each requiring thoughtful, targeted care. To ensure Daily Calm could genuinely serve even the most reactive skin, the brand drew on The Burden of Sensitive Skin (BoSS) Survey, a clinician-grade tool that assigns a severity score to skin sensitivity. Products within the Daily Calm range have been assessed against a very sensitive skin threshold, making this more than a marketing claim—it's a clinical benchmark.
The Breakthrough Ingredient: Uniflavon™
At the heart of the Daily Calm range lies Uniflavon™—a sophisticated soothing complex derived from flavonoids, the plant compounds celebrated for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and protective properties. What sets Uniflavon™ apart is its ability to intervene at two distinct points within the skin's irritation cascade.
It first works to quell the rapid initial reaction that so many sensitive-skin sufferers know all too well. It then continues working to interrupt the prolonged inflammatory signals that can keep skin in a state of reactivity, even once the initial trigger has passed. The effect is both immediate and cumulative: skin that feels soothed today, and progressively more resilient tomorrow.
A Closer Look at Daily Calm
Available exclusively at Boots and clinique.co.uk from 17th June, Daily Calm launches with four essential products designed to work seamlessly together—or independently, as your skin demands.
Perhaps the most pleasantly surprising entry in the range. This foundation balm, available in eight shades, applies with the fingers—a tactile, intuitive experience that delivers a naturally luminous, skin-like finish. The texture is unlike anything I've tried before: part balm, part serum, it melts into skin rather than sitting on top of it. Coverage is buildable, the finish is flawless, and it coincidentally also happens to care for your skin. Genuinely impressive.
The multi-tasking essential that belongs in every bag. Available in four everyday shades, this flush of calming colour can be used for both lips and cheeks, with the skin-soothing benefits of the full range in a single, effortlessly wearable product.
A lightweight, calming moisturiser formulated to hydrate and strengthen skin's natural defences. Soothing on application, it works continuously to reduce redness and reinforce resilience throughout the day.
A gentle yet thorough cleanse that removes impurities without disrupting the skin barrier. The perfect first step for skin that needs to feel clean without the aftermath of tightness or sensitivity.
The Verdict: A New Daily Ritual
Lottie before and after using Clinique Daily Calm Makeup Balm
What I've come to appreciate about Daily Calm is not just what it does, but the confidence it gives me to do more—to use my actives without guilt, to wear makeup without compromise, and to trust that when my skin is having a difficult day, I have exactly what it needs.
Whether sensitivity is something you navigate daily or only occasionally, Daily Calm offers a considered response to one of beauty's most pressing modern concerns. And if, like me, you've been hesitating when someone asks about your skin type, you might just find that the answer gets a little simpler from here.
Clinique Daily Calm is available exclusively at Boots and clinique.co.uk from 17th June. As with all Clinique products, the range is dermatologist tested, allergy tested and 100% fragrance free.
*Based on a survey of approximately 7,000 adults who self-report as having sensitive skin or related concerns across seven countries (United States, Mexico, United Kingdom, Germany, China, Japan, and Australia), conducted December 2025-January 2026. Results weighted to account for the population size of each country.
-
Love Being a Mother, But I Hate Having to Fight for My Child on a Daily BasisRaising a child with additional needs means constantly fighting battles no one sees. Motherhood is nothing like I imagined—and it’s changed me in ways I never expected.
-
These 3 Belt Styles Are Defining AW26—Here Are the Styles To Choose and What to Wear Them WithIt bags have serious competition in the most-wanted accessories department.
-
2-Minutes Each Morning is All You Need to Boost Your Mood and Improve Your DayAbsolutely everyone has time to incorporate these free and easy time-poor tactics.
-
Beauty Wants to Talk Anti-Consumption. But Can an Industry Built on Selling More Really Change?Hailey Bieber has reignited a debate: will beauty brands ever really encourage us to buy less?
-
Can Oestrogen Really Reverse Skin Ageing? MC Investigates Beauty’s Next Hormonal FrontierTopical oestrogen looks set to become the latest anti-ageing obsession, but does the science support the hype?
-
Grey Blending Is Changing the Way We Colour Our Hair—Here’s Everything You Need to KnowThis clever colour technique offers a more flattering, low-maintenance middle ground
-
I Tried XERF, the Skin-Tightening Treatment Everyone Is Talking About—Here’s My VerdictPromising firmer, lifted skin without needles or downtime, XERF is generating a lot of excitement, but can it really deliver?
-
The Beauty Digest: Jennifer Lawrence’s Unexpected Haircare Launch, Burberry’s Exquisite New Perfumes and Jo Loves Sparks Festive JoyFrom a celebrity beauty launch raising eyebrows to an exceptional new fragrance collection and the first signs of Christmas, here’s what’s caught my attention this week.
-
If You Can’t Smell Your Own Perfume, This Could Be WhyNose blindness is an all-too-familiar phenomenon. But why does it happen—and how can you overcome it?
-
From Dark Circles to Drooping Lids—An Expert Guide to What Really Works for Every Eye ConcernFrom fine lines and puffiness to hooded lids and sunken sockets, we ask the experts which treatments are worth considering—and what they can realistically achieve.
-
I Spent Years Trying to Fix My Hair Loss—Until I Started Investigating My Gut HealthI spent two years treating my hair loss with sprays, serums and supplements. The biggest shift came when I started treating it from the inside.
