Clinique has become a brand synonymous with top-notch skincare and makeup offerings. Now their latest foundation, the Even Better Clinical Serum Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 25, is merging the two categories seamlessly. The first clinical foundation formula for the beauty favorite, the 42-shade range collection is scientifically proven to improve the appearance of bare skin while also offering a moderate to full-coverage finish.

“It’s about wearing the right kind of makeup,” Dr. Michelle Henry, board-certified dermatologist, tells BET.com about optimizing skin health. “So of course, if you’re using something that has lots of oils, it’s more inclined to clog your pores, and if it doesn’t have ingredients that are made to protect or care for your skin, it can do more harm than good.”

That’s why she’s such an advocate for the new Even Better formula. “It was really created with skincare in mind and with ingredients that will actually improve the skin,” Dr. Henry shares. “I often call it the ‘last step in skincare’ because it’s packed with clinical ingredients but also offers such great foundation coverage.” She attributes that to Clinique’s own three serum technology, a potent blend of vitamin C, hyaluronic acid and salicylic acid. “If you look at those ingredients, those are the always ingredients we bring up when we’re discussing how to treat the most prevalent skin concerns,” Dr. Henry says. “After about 12 weeks of using it, over 70 percent of the patients that tried the foundation noticed that their skin looked more radiant, and over 60 percent noticed that their skin tone appeared more even.”

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Another important ingredient included in the oil-free, non-comedogenic foundation, is SPF. “It’s absolutely critical for Black skin to wear SPF,” Dr. Henry says. “We know that we’re going to be a bit less likely to have skin cancers, particularly those that are caused by chronic UV exposure, but we do still see it happen.” She insists that SPF is important for overall health as well as aging. “Our own natural pigment is just not enough,” she says. “We know SPF is important to not only prevent hyperpigmentation, but also to keep the hyperpigmentation that you already have from becoming worse. We really want a little bit more to protect your skin, and this foundation offers that.”

Creating such an effective formulation, in so many shades, was a challenge the team embraced. “We partnered with our clinical testing team in research and development, and collected around 7,000 skin tones from all around the world, placing them in a database that shows how the various skin tones mapped out in color space,” Nicole Huggins, Executive Director, Product Development at Clinique Laboratories says. “Based on that mapping system, we were able to determine the necessary undertones across our Even Better Foundation range.” The resulting undertones were warm neutral, which means more golden or yellow undertones, and cool neutral, which references skin that has more of a red or blue hue. Due to the intricacies of the formula, it took around two years to perfect. “There were about 15 different submissions that we received from our research and development group that we worked with,” Huggins shares.

The long-awaited launch is accompanied by the release of a Clinique metaverse, a digital laboratory that allows consumers to experience the newest foundation in a virtual yet experiential way. Filled with Clinique expert videos, Clinique’s Clinical Reality Shade-Match Science, and virtual Skin School classes, the Skin School x Clinique Laboratories gives an inside look into the scientific expertise of the beloved brand. In each room of the metaverse, virtual interaction with a 360 view is available, along with live chat and tutorial sessions to better exhibit Clinique’s expertise.

If you’re ready to try the formula yourself, or simply want to know more about Clinique’s offerings, visit the virtual Skin School and check it out.