• by Christine Bittar , February 23, 2007

Continuing to focus on more advanced skin care products, Estee Lauder's Clinique brand next month launches a new line of moisturizers containing antioxidants.

Marketing plans include sampling, a print campaign starting in April beauty and fashion magazines, and online and out of home ads. Clinique advertising is handled in-house. Last year, according to Nielsen Monitor-Plus, the company spent $3.5 million on advertising for its moisturizers from January to November.

Continuous Rescue Antioxidant Moisturizer will be touted for its ability to stave off future damage, a positioning similar to flagship Estee Lauder brand's Advanced Night.

Clinique says the product contains several time-released antioxidants to negate free-radicals. Other brands that already use the antioxidant-free radical pitch include products from Nars, Lancome, and dermatologist brands like Dr. Perricone.

Clinique--which has built its brand on its basic, hypo-allergenic, three-step skin care line--over the past few years has been introducing more sophisticated, advanced skin care products somewhat more like mother brand Estee Lauder. While still at lower prices than Estee Lauder, some of the newer, scaled-up Clinique products include anti-aging creams like Anti-Gravity Firming Lift Cream, Repairwear Deep Wrinkle Concentrate for Face and Eyes and Total Turnaround Visible Skin Renewer.

Three SKUs are being targeted to females in the 18- to-35-year-old range--although it's likely the younger half of that demo will still be at Clinique counters looking for its oil-control products instead of items to stave off premature aging.

A 1.7-ounce tube of Continuous Rescue will retail for $39.50.