I Tried Clinique's New Products—My Sensitive Skin Has Never Felt Calmer

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.

The Verdict: A New Daily Ritual

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.