Clinique has quickly opened up its offline stores in India over the last few months. In March 2024, they came to our city, Kolkata, where we got to test the products firsthand!
If you’ve been following any skincare community online, you must have heard about Clinique’s revolutionary moisturizer, or as they like to call it the “Moisture Surge 100-hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator”.
While the prices made our hearts skip a beat, we powered through it and got our hands on the largest size, the 125 ml variant. Yes, it was over INR 6,000. Yes, we did cry after spending that much on a moisturizer. Spoiler alert: It was kinda worth it.
Clinique Moisture Surge Claims
One of their biggest claims is also included in the product’s name, that is, a promise to keep your skin hydrated for 100 hours. The Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator is also suitable for the following skin types: oily, oily combination, dry combination, and dry to very dry.
The moisturizer is also supposed to soothe the skin, but it is unclear what type of soothing they are talking about, maybe they’re talking about a faint cooling sensation. They also claim that 100% of those who tried the product reported seeing a glow on their faces.
Finally, since the products by Clinique are curated by dermatologists, all their products, including the moisture surge, are 100% fragrance-free.
Clinique Moisture Surge Ingredients
Following is the complete ingredient list of the Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator:
Water\Aqua\Eau, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Trisiloxane, Trehalose, Sucrose, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Silybum Marianum (Lady’S Thistle) Extract, Betula Alba (Birch) Bark Extract, Saccharomyces Lysate Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Thermus thermophilus ferment, Caffeine, Sorbitol, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylyl Glycol, Oleth-10, Sodium Polyaspartate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Polysaccharides, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Saccharide Isomerate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer , Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Tromethamine , Peg-8, Hexylene Glycol, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Citric Acid, Bht, Disodium Edta, Sodium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Red 4 (Ci 14700), Yellow 5 (Ci 19140)
As you may have noticed, the percentages of the key ingredients are not mentioned anywhere. Also, I noticed it had caffeine too which probably helps the skin look tighter and brighter.
From the list, I don’t see any sulfates or parabens in the formulation, but if you have an allergy risk, it’s best to call up Clinique’s customer support for advice.
Physical Appearance and Application
The Clinique Moisture Surge moisturizer comes in five size variants: 15 ml, 30 ml, 50 ml, 75 ml, and 125 ml. The prices range from INR 1050 for the 15 ml variant to a whopping INR 6200 for the 125 ml variant. The 15 ml variant comes in a plastic jar while the bigger ones come in completely recyclable glass jars.
Clinique’s products are priced like luxury skincare, but their packaging is very minimalistic. The glass jar does give it an expensive feel but that’s about it. Everything else is just printed on the jar directly in silver, which complements its silver cap.
The product has a light pink tint. It has a gel texture that feels like water when you spread it over your skin. This moisturizer is extremely lightweight but it doesn’t really dry out completely. It is not sticky to touch at all even though it leaves a glossy finish.
Review and Results
Four members (22-30F) of our team tried this moisturizer daily for two weeks. We all have different skin types from oily, to combination and dry. We live in a very humid city and still, the moisturizer powered through all the pollution, humidity, and heat throughout the day.
The glow naturally starts to go away after a couple of hours as the product settles down. It works as a great base under makeup and makes your application so easy and seamless.
If you have clear skin with minimal texture, you will also love the glossy finish that ranges from glass skin to glazed donuts. Otherwise, you can just put some loose powder over it, and your skin will still feel hydrated with a matt finish.
Pros
Here’s why we loved this Clinique moisturizer:
- Super lightweight and suitable for humid climates.
- Gives you an instant glow that lasts for a while.
- Gives your skin a slight glass-skin-like appearance.
- The skin feels plump and tight.
- An excellent base for applying makeup. It keeps the skin hydrated and prevents your foundation from cracking.
- It is non-sticky, hypoallergenic, and fragrance-free.
- The moisturizing and hydrating effects last all day long.
- The glass jar is recyclable.
- Might make your skin look slightly brighter.
Cons
Our Clinique Moisture Surge review unfortunately isn’t all positive. Here are some dealbreakers:
- You have to use a lot of the product to cover your entire face.
- No mention of the concentration or percentages of HA, Vitamin C and E, or aloe vera.
- It is not affordable.
Star Review
✭✭✭✭ (4 out of 5 Stars)
We Would Recommend Purchasing (WRP) this product!
We unanimously rated this moisturizer 4 stars, because even though it is one of the best moisturizers we have tried, it is unaffordable. It would probably be cheaper if you got separate serums for all the key ingredients and built a complete skincare routine from scratch. So, is it worth the price? Yes, if you’ve got the money and love convenience.
If you’re interested in using this product and seeing whether it works for you, here are the links to buy:
Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator (125ml) (Tira)
Moisture Surge™ 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator – (Official Clinique Website)
Before You Go
While the Clinique moisture surge comes close to the “suitable for all skin types” dream, it does have its fair share of negative reviews. Like all skincare products, there’s no one-size-fits-all for moisturizers either.
Interested in skincare backed by results? Stay tuned, and take care of your skin.
