Merry Cliniquemas! We recently went to the brand’s Holiday Preview in SM Mega Fashion Hall, and were dazzled by the numerous skincare, makeup, body, and fragrance sets curated for seemingly everyone. It’s like Oprah saying, “You get a set! You get a set! You get a set!”

Here we summarize just some of the things Clinique offers this season, but there are so many more that visiting a store is almost imperative.

Plus! We recount some first impressions of the Great Skin Anywhere for Oily Skin Set and Clinique Happy™ Hints of Happy Holiday Fragrance Gift Set to give you a picture of just how sulit one set is. But first:

For your super Mom (and you)

These sets include 3 full size products and 3 travel size products, so y’all can decide who gets what!

Great Skin Anywhere for Oily Skin, P4,950 (~P6,875 value)

16.5oz / 487mL Clarifying Lotion Twice A Day Exfoliator 3 with Pump
2oz / 60mL Clarifying Lotion Twice A Day Exfoliator 3
1oz / 30mL Liquid Facial Soap Oily Skin Formula
6.7oz / 200mL Liquid Facial Soap Oily Skin Formula
4.2oz / 125mL Dramatically Different Oil-Control Gel
1oz / 30mL Dramatically Different Oil-Control Gel

Great Skin Anywhere for Dry Skin, P4,950 (~P6,875 value)

16.5oz / 487mL Clarifying Lotion Twice A Day Exfoliator 2 with Pump
2oz / 60mL Clarifying Lotion Twice A Day Exfoliator 2
6.7oz / 200mL Liquid Facial Soap Mild
1oz / 30mL Liquid Facial Soap Mild
4.2oz / 125mL Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+
1oz / 30mL Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+

Great Skin Anywhere for Combination Skin, P4,950 (~P6,875 value)

6.7oz / 200mL Liquid Facial Soap Oily Skin Formula
16.5oz / 487mL Clarifying Lotion Twice A Day Exfoliator 3 with Pump
4.2oz / 125mL Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly
1oz / 30mL Liquid Facial Soap Oily Skin Formula
2oz / 60mL Clarifying Lotion Twice A Day Exfoliator 3
1oz / 30mL Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly
Travel bag

For your favorite officemate who wants to dip into skincare

What better way to introduce someone to skincare than through curated minis?

Super Smooth Skin Your Way, P2,795 (~P4,051 value)

3.9oz / 115mL Clinique iD Base Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly
1oz / 30mL Foaming Sonic Facial Soap
0.34oz / 10mL Clinique iD Active Cartridge Concentrate For Lines & Wrinkles
0.17oz / 5mL Clinique Smart Custom-Repair Eye Treatment

Moisture Overload, P2,795 (~P4,712 value)

1.7oz / 50mL Moisture Surge 72-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator (reviewed here)
1floz / 30mL Moisture Surge Overnight Mask
0.17oz / 5mL Moisture Surge Eye 96-Hour Hydro-Filler Concentrate
Bag

Cleansing By Clinique, P1,950 (~P2,600 value)

4.2oz / 124mL Take The Day Off Makeup Remover For Lids, Lashes & Lips
1oz / 30mL Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm
1oz / 30mL City Block Purifying Charcoal Clay Mask + Scrub
Clinique headband
Bag

For your best girlfriends

Distribute the pieces among your barkada for stocking stuffing, or gift a set to your makeup junkie friend!

Clinique Kisses, P3,295 (~P5,991 value)

0.01oz / .3 g Dramatically Different Lipstick Shaping Lip Colour in Canoodle
0.01oz / .3 g Dramatically Different Lipstick Shaping Lip Colour in Red Alert
0.01oz / .3 g Dramatically Different Lipstick Shaping Lip Colour in Raspberry Glace
0.01oz / .3 g Dramatically Different Lipstick Shaping Lip Colour in Crush
0.01oz / .3 g Dramatically Different Lipstick Shaping Lip Colour in A Different Grape

Cheek Pop Palette in Warm Up, P2,450 (~P5,000 value)

Chubby Colour Set, P2,395 (~P2,575 value)

0.1oz / 3g Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in Whole Lotta Honey (formula review here)
0.1oz / 3g Chubby Stick Intense Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in Broadest Berry (formula review here)
0.1oz / 3g Chubby Stick Intense Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in Roomiest Rose

For your parents and significant others

Say goodbye to lotions and perfumes that will be re-gifted, and send a pack that someone will actually use.

Have a Little Happy, P2,695 (~P3,287 value)

2.5floz / 75mL Clinique Happy Body Cream
1floz / 30mL Clinique Happy Perfume Spray

Happy for Him, P4,395 (~P5,939 value)

3.4floz / 100mL Clinique Happy For Men Cologne Spray
3.4oz / 100mL Clinique For Men Face Scrub
1.7floz / 50mL Clinique Happy For Men Body and Hair Wash

Wear It and Be Happy, P3,395 (~P4,782 value)

2.5floz / 75mL Clinique Happy Body Cream
1.7floz / 50mL Clinique Happy Perfume Spray
0.34floz / 10mL Clinique Happy Perfume Spray

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Great Skin Anywhere for Oily Skin Set

I cracked into the full sizes as I’m reserving the minis for, what else, travel. Here’s how they worked for my formerly combination and currently oily skin:

Liquid Facial Soap Oily Skin Formula

I was skeptical about this one because I’m wary of for-oily facial washes that strip the skin of all moisture and make the face even oilier. Fortunately, the Liquid Facial Soap Oily Skin Formula didn’t have too much of a lather and left my cleansed skin matte but not squeaky. Just half a pump is enough for the face and neck, and it never formed flakes or breakouts either. I’d be happy to keep using this!

Clarifying Lotion Twice A Day Exfoliator 3 with Pump

Okay, I’m generally excited about exfoliation, and the Twice A Day Exfoliator is kind of my new best friend? It’s mild enough not to cause any burns but effective enough that it causes micro peeling within 2 to 3 days. It also reminds me to apply skincare to my neck, which is always welcome. It stings a little when applied, which signals that it works, at least for me!

Dramatically Different Oil-Control Gel

The Oil-Control Gel is kinda perfect. It creates a smooth canvas without making everything too slippery. It absorbs fully with little blending, which is great for Philippine weather. I just wish it was a sunscreen so I didn’t have to add an extra step to my routine, but hey, it’s meant to work overnight as well.

Overall, I’m super pleased with the set since it did its job of creating a less oily surface. I used to wake up very oily pretty much all over, but it’s lessened now (to a point that I actually noticed without nitpicking). The best part is that both the full and travel sizes don’t skimp on volume, you can really utilize what you bought.

Clinique Happy™ Hints of Happy Holiday Fragrance Gift Set (~P1,508)

The Hints of Happy Set is perfect for people like me who just want to dabble in fragrances. 7mL is a sweet spot for the occasional spritz, and the whole set is a nice combination of “bright” scents. Happy is fruity, Happy Heart (my favorite among the four) is a nice combination of fruit and flower, Happy in Bloom is (obviously) floral without being dizzying, and Happy A Hint of Citrus is very orangey.

What do you think of beauty sets? Anything worth a cop? Let’s discuss.

Product photography by Samantha Gonzales

Select photos from Clinique, Graphics by Samantha Gonzales, Select backgrounds by Freepik