Clinique products are normally well out of my budget so I was delighted when Glamour magazine were giving away Clinique products the other month, and grabbed several copies to take full advantage of the offer! Amongst my haul (and my favourite of my Clinique goodies by far) was a 30ml tube of Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief. This is essentially a moisturising treatment that can be applied both under and over make up although it can also be used as a 'five minute moisture mask' according to my tube. I don't wear much in the way of make up so I have only applied this to a clean face in the traditional way and have yet to try this as a mask.

This stuff normally retails at around £30 per 50ml from the usual Clinique stockists such as Boots and Debenhams, so I got a real bargain here and feel incredibly extravagant and pampered every time I use it! My smaller 30ml tube is quite often featured as a complimentary gift from Clinique counters, as part of their regular Bonus Time offer. This smaller size can also be picked up via Ebay, which is handy if you want to give this a try without forking out £30 for the privilege.

The Moisture Surge is a moisturiser but, unusually, it has the appearance and consistency of a gel, rather than a cream. It is a lovely peachy colour which can be appreciated fully through the transparent tube and the gel comes out evenly and easily when the tube is squeezed gently. This is described as being 100% fragrance free and, for once, this is totally accurate as there is absolutely no scent of any sort detectable at all. As I have dry, sensitive skin, I also usually unfragranced products but most actually have a distinctive, rather unpleasant smell so this product makes a pleasant change.

I absolutely love the texture of this stuff and the feel of it against my skin when I apply it to my face. It feels incredibly cooling and soothing and really does offer an instant blast of moisture but in a really gentle way. I just love applying it and can get a little carried away constantly reapplying it, particularly when we had unseasonably hot weather the other week! The gel seems to sit on the skin and refreshes it initially but then gets quickly absorbed by my skin. The beauty of this product is that it doesn't leave any residue or any feeling of stickiness or greasiness whatsoever. The effects are very short-lived, however, which is why I think the product name is entirely accurate as this really does provide an instant boost or 'surge' of moisture.

The longer term impact is less dramatic, however. I don't get the impression that this is heavy enough to really address the needs of my dry skin and I do still have a stubborn patch of dry skin under my nose that this hasn't really treated. My skin does (for the most part) feel wonderfully soft and smooth after using this so I still feel it is well worth using although I would recommend using a heavier cream as a more intensive moisturiser overnight, particularly if your skin is very dry as mine is.

My only issue with this product is the price tag. It is totally different to any moisturising product that I've used before and, although it is still well out of my budget for a moisturiser, I can totally understand why women are happy to fork out £30 a time for this stuff. If I could afford it, I would buy this on a regular basis! I would recommend this for anybody looking for a very light, non-greasy product that gives an instant boost of freshness and moisture.