Clinique

Is Clinique an ethical brand?

The Good Shopping Guide gives Estée Lauder Companies Inc., which owns numerous subsidiary brands, including Clinique, a poor ethical rating. Sadly, as evidenced by its bad Good Shopping Guide ethical rating in our Ethical Skincare Ratings Table, this brand currently disregards our fundamental ethical principles.

Find out more about the ethical issues faced by the skincare industry in our comprehensive editorial on Ethical Skincare.

Where does Clinique score well for its ethics?

Estée Lauder’s latest Environmental Report discusses the company’s sustainability commitments, including goals for improving in certain areas, such as carbon emissions and packaging. This reflects that the company is working towards environmental progress, leading to a top rating in the Environmental Report criterion.

Where does Clinique score poorly for its ethics? 

Clinique is not vegan. Its parent firm, Estée Lauder, obtains a low Good Shopping Guide rating in this research category since it does not manufacture or market any vegan or vegetarian items. Cosmetics made by Clinique contain substances like lanolin, a waxy material made by sheep.

The promotion of skin-lightening cosmetics and skincare by well-known cosmetics corporations like Estée Lauder, L’Oréal, Unilever, Johnson & Johnson, and Beiersdorf has drawn criticism; these practises foster colourism. Estée Lauder has reviewed its own whitening products in light of criticism during 2020.

As a result, Clinique receives a bottom rating for Irresponsible Marketing, since its parent company has previously promoted products that are not only harmful to the skin, but also encourages racist beauty standards.

How can Clinique improve its ethical rating?

Based on 15 ethical standards, The Good Shopping Guide calculates Clinique’s score. Clinique needs to clarify and address a number of ethical issues, such as its lack of vegan products and its parent company’s promotion of skin lightening products.