Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator

I tried Clinique’s Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator. Here are my thoughts.

There’s been a lot of buzz in the beauty world about Clinique’s new moisturiser, the Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator.

It’s an update of a fan favourite, the Moisture Surge Intense 72-Hour Lipid Replenishing Hydrator, giving supposedly a whole extra 28 hours of moisture. I’m by no means immune to the lure of beauty marketing, but I also doubt I’m alone in raising my eyebrows at the 100-hour claim.

With that being said, I definitely joined in the hype surrounding this new-and-improved version, and was pretty excited when it arrived on my doorstep.

It’s a small tub that makes some pretty big claims, and I’m going to put them to the test.

So, what’s in the Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator?

Looking at the ingredient list, we see a lot of the usual skincare suspects, like hyaluronic acid, which helps the skin retain moisture. Activated aloe water and caffeine are also included to provide intense hydration and trigger the skin’s internal hydration system.

The new ingredient in this formula is aloe bio-ferment, which hydrates the skin and breaks large molecules into small molecules, so that it’s better absorbed into your skin.

It’s an oil-free, gel-cream formula that’s suitable for all skin types. On paper, things are looking good, which brings us to our next question…

Does it work?

The 72-Hour Moisture Surge was tested on women in Siberia. During winter. While the updated 100H version didn’t go through the same testing, at least I know that when Clinique talks moisture, they mean it.

A quick note on my skin: it’s a bit all over the place. I’d generally describe it as dry to normal, but some patches are prone to getting oily. So while ideally I’d like a moisturiser that gives me a pretty generous dose of moisture, I don’t want it to look like that’s what I’m getting.

For this moisturiser, it’s all in the name. It’s pretty clearly a surge of moisture. The first few times I used it, I applied it without my usual skincare routine, just to get a feel of what it could do on its own.

I felt the hydration immediately after applying it, and it left behind a nice glow that lasted throughout the day. When I applied it in the evening, I woke up to a smooth, dewy complexion.

So 100 hours you say?

On their website, Clinique says that the Moisture Surge “keeps skin hydrated for 100 hours”. To be clear, Clinique doesn’t recommend only applying the moisturiser every 100 hours; the 100 hour claim means that its hydrating effects will continue to be felt on your face for that long, even after you’ve washed it.

Because I was applying it day and night, it was near impossible to tell whether the hydration of one application did in fact last that long, and to be honest, I didn’t really care. At the end of the day, it hydrated my skin, and did a pretty perfect job at it.

Texture and consistency

It’s a gel-cream consistency, and this gooey, jelly-like texture is extremely satisfying to the touch.

To me, the Moisture Surge 100H seems to be the best of both worlds; it’s lightweightedness means it doesn’t feel like you’ve got much on your skin, but it’s still thick enough to actually give you a good dose of moisture.

It doesn’t leave you feeling oily, sticky, or bogged down with product. And to my surprise, the consistency allowed a little of this moisturiser to actually go a long way. Here’s a photo of my 75ml pot after almost three weeks of using it both day and night.

Finish

This can be used both day and night, which is great news for those of us who want to simplify our skincare routine.

For me, I’m completely fine with my face looking greased-up before bed. Generally, the shinier the better - maybe it’s because I feel like there’s enough product to really sink in and work some magic throughout the night.

But that’s not necessarily the look I want during the day. Still, I was pleasantly surprised at how nicely the product dried on my skin after application. It didn’t look too shiny, but definitely gave me that glow I often have to try way too hard to achieve with a plethora of products.

It also worked well with my usual skincare routine (toner, serums, sunscreen); it didn’t pill or react weirdly with the other products I used.

Because of this, I expected the Moisture Surge to sit pretty nicely under my makeup - and it did. I don’t wear foundation often, but for the sake of this review, I did, a number of times. I found that liquid foundations and concealers (applied for a light to medium coverage) glided on smoothly and evenly.

I’m not sure how well this product would work for someone who prefers full coverage makeup. The one time I did pack it on (it was Mardi Gras, need I say more?), I found that the moisturiser was a little bit too quick-drying for me to have time to put on a few layers of foundation and not feel like it was a bit caked on. If you like full glam, you may need to also use a moisturising makeup primer to make this work.

Smell

Scent isn’t a big deal for me, but I doubt the smell of this Moisture Surge would be off-putting even if it was a dealbreaker for you. Luckily for those with sensitive skin, it’s 100 percent fragrance free, meaning no ingredients were added purely for their aroma.

This moisturiser had a subtle smell that was almost unnoticeable after I put it on. After sticking my nose in the pot for a while, I thought I could catch a whiff of aloe, but I doubt I’d have been able to catch that if I hadn’t already known that aloe was a key ingredient. That’s not to say that this moisturiser is “natural” smelling, but I didn’t think that it was in any way offensive to the senses.

Is it worth buying?

The Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator is available in four sizes: 15ml (RRP $22), 50ml (RRP $68), 75ml (RRP $89), and 125ml (RRP $120).

In other words, for most people, this won’t be an impulse buy by any means.

Is this moisturiser a godsend? Not really. But does it make my skin feel really, really nice? Absolutely. For that reason, as well as the fact that a little really does go a long way, I would definitely buy it again.

Who do I think would like this moisturiser?

• Those who prefer lightweight moisturisers
• Those who want to simplify their skincare routine (it works well both day and night)
• Those who like a dewy - but not overly shiny - finish
• Those who aren’t necessarily looking for anti-ageing properties in their moisturiser