When Glamour released their March issue, I, along with many other women I am sure, snapped up several copies in order to get my hands on a number of Clinique goodies which were being given away free. I got three products in all, one of which was a tube of Moisture Surge moisturiser.


***The Brand***

Clinique was founded by Evelyn Lauder, daughter in law of Estee Lauder, in 1968 as the world's first allergy tested, dermatologist driven line. I find this somewhat ironic, as the one time I tried the 3-step skincare system (some years ago now), it was disastrous for my sensitive skin and I couldn't wait to get back to Simple. However, at only £2 I was willing to give the brand another chance.


***What is Moisture Surge?***

The product's full name is Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief. It is designed to offer up to 12 hours of hydration for dry skin. It is meant to soothe and moisturise, reducing the risk of fine lines. The product contains "new micro-molecules" for more intensive hydration, and is meant to calm skin and protect it from environmental irritants. The moisturiser is supposedly lightweight and it is meant to sink in easily. The product is allergy tested and 100% fragrance free.

It can be used under or over makeup, or as a five minute moisture mask. Ideally you are meant to use it as part of the 3-step skincare regime, but I didn't have any of these other products so I just used it alongside my usual cleanser and toner.


***Price and Availability***

Clinique products are available from retailers including Boots and Debenhams. This particular product costs £30 for 50ml. I got 30ml in my tube for £2 so I reckon I got a bargain!


***Packaging***

My small moisturiser came in a pale orange tube, but the full-size product comes in a glass jar with a silver lid. The name of the product is printed on both the tube and jar in black.


***Use***

I normally have combination skin, however recently I've noticed that my skin seems dryer and I have particularly dry skin around my eyes. I was also about to go on holiday to Iceland, which is notoriously cold, so I wanted something that would help protect my sensitive skin. I decided to use the cream at night only, as I thought it might be too heavy during the day.

When I first squeezed some moisturiser out of the tube, I noticed that it was a pale orange colour - the same colour as the tube in fact, which isn't orange at all but clear - the moisturiser gives it the colour. It seemed more like a gel than a cream really, and on my skin it looked clear. The product sunk into my skin really well and didn't feel greasy.

I found that this product lasted about a month used once a day, which is pretty impressive. I only needed a small amount each time. I found that the lotion didn't irritate my skin, which alleviated any fears I had based on the last time I used Clinique products. My skin felt soft after application and still felt soft when I woke up the next day.

During the time I was using this product, I noticed that the dryness on my skin was largely alleviated, particularly a dry patch on my forehead and some dryness on my cheeks. I did have a slight problem with dryness on my eyelids and a little around my eyes, which seemed to come from nowhere (this was nothing I'd ever experienced before) and the cream helped soothe this, although it didn't get rid of it completely. I used this product twice a day in Iceland, where the temperature was around 4 degrees and the wind was cold and strong, and it definitely helped keep my skin moisturised during this time. The cream didn't give me any spots at all, even on the greasier parts of my face, which I put down to the product's non-greasy nature.

Overall, I was reasonably impressed with this Moisture Surge lotion and it's helped to give me a much more positive impression of the Clinique brand. It's moisturising and non-greasy and helped to keep my skin in good condition even in the cold. However, I have to take off a star for the incredibly high price. I don't mind spending a bit more on high quality toiletries but £30 for a moisturiser is taking the biscuit! If you can afford the high price and have dry skin I do recommend this moisturiser, but personally I won't be repurchasing.