Over the weekend, I was talking to someone on Twitter about how long I had been blogging. I go way back to 2005 when I blogged on MSN Spaces about travel. I moved that travel blog to MySpace in 2007 and a couple of years later, it became a lifestyle blog on Blogspot. After being a book blogger for a couple of years, I then moved into beauty in 2013 and that was a culture shock. More on that in another post but there was this thing that beauty bloggers did back then where they would post pictures of their empty bottles and tubes of products they were using or had reviewed. This is quite nice in that it shows you how long since the person started using the product (when they wrote the review initially) it takes until they finish the container. It also proves that it’s such a good product, they used it all beyond the review phase. It’s too late for me to write a first impression blog about this moisturiser today, but I will write a little post about it today, now that I’ve finished my first tub and I’m onto my second one. The moisturiser in question is Clinique Moisture Surge 72-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator.
I am super paranoid about what I put on my skin. I like to go online and research all the ingredients in each product before I purchase, and even then I have had some scary allergy moments. That’s what I did before I bought this product. What appealed to me was:
- The ratio of positive reviews to negative. There seemed to be an overwhelming majority of people singing this product’s praises
- The claims that it will keep moisturising 72 hours after application, even if you wash your skin
- The idea that it can be used as a 5-minute mask as well as a moisturiser
On the August bank holiday last year, I went to Boots and made my purchase. It cost me around £24 for the 30ml tub but that was one of the smallest sizes. There were two larger sizes and one smaller one. It seemed adequate for me because I only wanted to try it and didn’t want to invest too much in something that might not be to my liking. I’ve just finished it last week, so that’s around six months, using it once a day. I’ve been using it as a night cream because it doesn’t have an SPF. Plus, using it twice a day tended to make my skin a little oily. So, I stuck to my usual day cream and introduced this in the evening.
The first thing I would say about this is that it is more of a gel than a cream. It has a very light jelly-like consistency and appearance. It’s peachy coloured and doesn’t have any scent. It feels light when you put it on, but also I would say it’s refreshing. Some days, especially when my skin is dry, it feels cooling and like my skin is getting a drink.
The first time I used it, my skin was very dry. I’d been a bit naughty and not moisturising at night, followed by a period of using cheap and nasty moisturisers that only cost £2.50 a tube and did absolutely nothing but inflame my skin. So, the first time I felt a bit of a nip. I was extra gentle and patted it on in the areas that tingled. It wasn’t painful, but it was clear that this was doing something. I had visions of my skin turning bright beetroot overnight, so I was pleasantly surprised when this didn’t happen.
The main difference I notice in my skin when I use this is the feel of my skin. It’s much softer and more hydrated. I’m not sure if I am imagining this, but it also looks like I have less fine lines around my eyes. I’ve been patting it on at the corners of my eyes instead of buying a separate eye cream. Again, I know. Naughty. But I’m on a budget and if this will work for fine lines, I’ll use it.
I’m not sure about the 72 hour claim. I mean, my skin is definitely less temperamental now, and this winter I’ve only had one eczema outbreak which was minor compared to previous years, so maybe this Clinique Moisture Surge moisturiser is working really hard to keep my skin hydrated even when I wash it? Without detailed scientific testing done by a dermatologist, who can prove this claim is true? I can only tell you that I have noticed a definite difference in how angry my skin feels this year.
Now, the mask claim. Could it really work as a 5-minute mask? I didn’t try it in this way until the end of last year. I’ve gotten out of the habit of using masks and when I did use them weekly, I used ones that targeted spots and then progressed to only using them on my t-zone. When the eczema flared up, I didn’t use a mask at all. I was always too frightened that my temperamental skin couldn’t handle it, but since I was using this as a night cream, I already knew that my skin was happy with it.
I put a thick layer on while I was in the bath and relaxed. My skin felt fine, no dramas. When I tried to wash it off, it had all soaked in, so I’m not sure how it qualifies as a mask if I can’t wash it off? Surely it’s just an intense application of cream?
The other thing I want to say is that it is being touted as a cream you can wear under or over make-up. I tried it over make-up. Not recommended. It definitely affects how my foundation looks and makes it patchy, but that might be the brand I use. Maybe others react better.
Overall, I’d give this Clinique Moisture Surge 72-Hour Auto Replenishing Hydrator 9/10. If it could be improved, I would say add an SPF and then it can be used as a day cream without the need for an additional SPF.
