As the skincare innovator arrives on MR PORTER, we show how you can upgrade your morning, shaving, post-workout and bedtime regimes.

Magazine editors with dreams of making it in the world of big business will take heart from the story of Clinique. This cosmetics and skincare giant – one of the biggest and most successful in the world – was originally founded on the strength of an article published in a 1967 edition of US Vogue. 

“Can Great Skin Be Created?” was penned by the magazine’s then-beauty editor, Ms Carol Phillips, and featured an interview with pioneering Manhattan dermatologist Dr Norman Orentreich. This article would serve as the inspiration for a line of products that would embody Dr Orentreich’s philosophy: with a simple daily regime, it’s possible for anyone to achieve good skin. 

The brand would go on to be named Clinique (the French word for “clinic”), and it transformed the cosmetics industry with its scientifically led approach to skincare – something that’s reflected in the white “lab coats” Clinique’s in-store consultants are required to wear. One of its many innovations over the years was to acknowledge the need for different product lines to suit different skin types, ranging from dry (Type 1) to oily (Type 4). Then, in 1976, it took this dermatological “horses for courses” approach one step further, creating a new brand of skincare exclusively for men. Nearly four decades on, Clinique For Men is still going strong – and it’s now available at MR PORTER.

To mark the occasion, we’ve picked out a few of our favourite Clinique products and used them to create four mix-and-match skincare regimes that’ll keep you looking your best all day long. If you’re the kind of guy who shaves daily, just incorporate our shaving guide into your morning or night-time routine.

Clinique launched in 1968 with its daily “3-Step” skincare programme: cleanse, exfoliate, moisturise. It’s still at the heart of the brand’s philosophy today. This simple three-part routine is best done straight after stepping out of the shower in the morning.

Start by removing excess dirt and oil with Clinique For Men Face Wash. Get the best results by applying it with the sonic cleansing brush, as the bristles provide a far deeper and more effective cleanse than you’ll get by using your hands alone. Rinse away with warm water and pat your skin dry with a face cloth.

Next, unclog your pores and remove any excess dirt and dead skin with the Exfoliating Tonic, which you can apply straight to your face with a cotton pad. If you have oily skin, pay particular attention to your T-zone (across the brow, along the nose and centre of your chin).

Finally, apply a moisturiser. Your face is subjected to a great deal of exposure during the day, so make it an intensive one, such as its Maximum Hydrator.

Of all the things we subject our faces to every day, the act of shaving – repeatedly drawing a razor across the surface our skin – is perhaps the most damaging. There really is very little point in a skincare programme that neglects this vital step. But it needn’t be difficult. Your shaving regime can be easily incorporated into any of the others: morning, post-gym or night. Just insert it between exfoliating and moisturising. 

Start with the Face Scrub, which acts to gently lift the beard hairs away from your skin. Wash away any residue, but don’t dry your face. Apply a light layer of Clinique For Men Aloe Shave Gel, which acts as an emollient and a lubricant for the razor. After shaving, calm any irritation with a cooling balm. Clinique For Men Post-Shave Soother is one of Clinique’s most popular products.

It’s highly unlikely that you’re going to be looking your best immediately after stepping off the treadmill, but with a proper post-workout skincare regime, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t leave the gym looking even better than you did when you arrived. Any of Clinique’s 3-Step cleansers and exfoliators will do the job, but we’ve focused on the Acne Solutions range. Excessive sweating can clog pores and lead to breakouts, so it’s especially important to use a targeted treatment after exercise.

Start by applying the Cleansing Foam to your face and neck. Do this either in the shower or straight after getting out of it. Rinse your face and dry with a towel, then use a cotton pad to apply the Clinical Clearing Gel. Finish with the Moisturiser, blending in a tiny amount of Face Bronzer (this is great for adding some colour to washed-out winter skin).

Your night-time regime should not be the same as your morning one. Where moisturiser is applied during the day to protect your skin from exposure to the elements, at night it is applied as a nourishing treatment. As such, night moisturisers can be a little thicker and more intensive, and there’s no need for them to include any SPF protection (unless you’re planning to sleep on a sunbed).

Cleansing also has a slightly different purpose. Where the morning cleanse only has to deal with the sweat and oil that accrues overnight, the evening cleanse has the additional task of removing all of the dust and dirt you’re exposed to over the course of a day.

For these reasons, it pays to take a different approach. Use a more intensive cleanser, such as Clinique For Men Charcoal Face Wash, which uses highly absorbent powdered charcoal to naturally draw out dirt and excess oil from your pores. After applying the Exfoliating Tonic, use the Anti-Age Moisturizer and Anti-Age Eye Cream, which are richer than their day-cream variants, and include a cocktail of peptides and antioxidants that’ll work their magic overnight.