CLE Cosmetics

CLE Cosmetics is a minimalist makeup and skincare brand founded in 2015 by Lauren Jin [7]. Its name is pronounced "clay," a reference to the idea that beauty should be fluid and able to mold to the person wearing it [8]. The company is Korean-American in character: its corporate base and founder sit in the United States, while its research, development and manufacturing are tied to Korea. CLE positions itself around what it calls modern beauty "fueled by Korean innovation," pairing a small product line with formulas drawn from Korean cosmetic technology. The brand remains active, selling directly to consumers and through retail partners internationally.

CLE was created by Lauren Jin, who began her career in fashion before moving into beauty. According to the company, Jin came to see beauty as "a more expansive medium to work with" than clothing, and wanted to carry fashion's emotional, story-telling quality into makeup and skincare. The brand summarizes her starting point as the belief that "there is no one-way to feel beautiful, and no right way to get there."

The brand's about page does not state a founding year, but two independent editorial profiles place the launch in 2015: the founder feature by FUTURE LYNN, which described the company as nine years in business as of March 2024 [7], and an Ohlolly founder profile [11]. Jin is described in editorial coverage as both female-founded and BIPOC-founded [8].

CLE's stated philosophy is that "beauty is innate, fluid & subjective, and that makeup & skincare should exist to enhance the natural self" [2]. The company frames its products as tools for ritual and self-care rather than transformation, describing its mission as to "nurture our most natural state through ritual and self-care." Its tagline — "Fewer products. Smarter formulas. Modern beauty, fueled by Korean innovation." — captures a deliberately minimalist approach built on three pillars the brand names as modern thinking, Korean innovation and responsible ingredients.

Inclusivity is central to how the brand presents itself. Editorial coverage notes that CLE caters to "real womxn" and aims to "blur the idea of specific gendered products," describing its audience as women "constantly in transit" [8]. The company says its formulas are designed to be flexible and adaptable, intended to "work with any products, on any skin, in any environment."

The line spans makeup and skincare, often blurring the two through "hybrid" products. Its best known item is the CCC Cream, a tinted base combining BB and CC cream functions with broad-spectrum SPF 45+ and pigments described as adapting to skin tone [9]. The brand labels it a "Cult Favorite" and credits coverage from Allure, Vogue and Glamour [1]. Other signature products include the Melting Lip Powder and Barely Said Lipstick on the makeup side, and the Serumide and Vitamin C Elixir serums in skincare.

CLE attributes its formulation approach to "the latest Korean skincare innovation," and its research, development and innovation are based in Seoul [2]. Hero ingredients highlighted across the range include hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, ceramides and snow mushroom, alongside more unusual botanicals such as natto gum, a fermented soybean extract, and snow lotus flower extract. The company states its products are made in Korea, vegan and gluten-free.

CLE describes its products as vegan, non-toxic and cruelty-free, and lists Leaping Bunny certification for cruelty-free status [3]. The company says all its products are packaged in FSC-certified cartons and that it offers plastic-free shipping on website orders.

In 2022 the brand began a partnership with CleanHub to collect ocean-bound plastic in India, working toward what it frames as plastic neutrality [3]. According to the company, thousands of pounds of ocean-bound plastic were recovered by local waste workers in its first year of the program, and it set a target of incorporating recovered ocean-bound plastic into its packaging through 2024 and 2025.

CLE's press page lists features across roughly two dozen publications, including Allure, Vogue, Elle, Forbes, Byrdie, Refinery29 and Teen Vogue [4]. Recurring themes in that coverage include CC and BB creams, Korean and Asian-owned beauty brands, clean and vegan makeup, and founder profiles of Lauren Jin. The specific headlines are presented as images on the brand's page rather than text, so individual article details cannot be cited.

CLE Cosmetics remains active. Its direct-to-consumer site carries a 2026 copyright and a current product launch, the Barely Said Lipstick, and its Instagram account is active with around 32,000 followers [1]. The brand sells internationally and operates a separate wholesale channel.

The brand's national identity is mixed. Its corporate headquarters and founder are based in the United States — recorded as Los Angeles, with founder events held in the San Francisco Bay Area [10] — while its product origin, manufacturing ("Made in Korea") and research base in Seoul are Korean [1]. CLE leads with its Korean innovation positioning, and is commonly described as a Korean-American beauty brand.