Where it's printed
Clinique codes aren't all the same length, so the mark you find may be short or fairly long. Where the mark sits varies by product; the batch code guide covers where to look.
Type the whole mark as printed. The app reads the first three characters and ignores the rest, letters included.
How the code is built
Clinique shares its rule with Estée Lauder. The first character is ignored, the second is the month and the third is the last digit of the year. Letters can stand for months, as they do on Estée Lauder codes.
Worked example
A74. The 7 is July and the 4 is 2024, so the product was made in July 2024. The app uses 30 months for Clinique, which puts the best before date at January 2027. In November 2026 that leaves about 2 months.
The same three characters on an Estée Lauder pack would give the same date but a different shelf life: 60 months there, 30 here.
Variants and edge cases
The app handles the variants and edge cases for you. Some codes the rule can't date; the app says so instead of guessing.
Shelf life and the PAO symbol
Clinique is one of the few brands here with a stated figure behind the app's number. The app uses 30 months, based on the brand saying that sealed products last at least 30 months. It is a minimum, not an expiry date.
After you open a product, the PAO symbol on the pack takes over, the open jar with 6M, 12M or 24M next to it.
Cosmetic Checker is independent and isn’t affiliated with Clinique.