Moist.

A word so many people love to hate.  I like using it, and I won’t lie, a lot of the reason is that it gives some people the heebie jeebies!  I get to chuckle like an evil villain every time I use it.

But when it comes to skin – you really need that word to be involved.

For me, this is where Clinique comes in.  They have such a wonderful range of moisturisers that there truly is something for everybody!  You already know I’m a huge fan of their Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm.  It removes every last bit of my makeup without irritating my skin or stinging my eyes.  I’ve also mentioned several times over the past year, that I’m addicted to their Moisture Surge™ Extended Thirst Relief gel-cream.  It truly helped save my skin in the run up to my wedding last year.

So, when Clinique very kindly sent me a press drop of their ‘Hydration Bar‘, I was thrilled!  Not only was I receiving products from a brand I enjoyed, but I was already in love with one of the products included.

I was lucky enough to be sent three of their moisturisers – all for different skin needs – the Moisture Surge™ Extended Thirst Relief (for dewy skin), the Pep-Start™ HydroBlur (for matte perfection) and the Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+™ (for a healthy glow).

I’ll give you a basic run down of all three, now that I’ve given them a try!

Moisture Surge™ Extended Thirst Relief

I’ve already mentioned this product in my Currently #5 post and it made it into my Best of Skincare 2017 post as Best Day Cream.

It’s an oil-free gel-cream consistency, so it’s incredibly light, but it packs such a hydrating punch.  It sinks into my skin super fast, yet my problem areas don’t feel tight afterwards, as they still do with a lot of other ‘hydrating’ moisturisers.  Containing specially charged activated aloe water, it also enhances natural hyaluronic acid, which draws water into your skin.

I’ve found that my skin around my nose and on my chin feels a lot more comfortable when using this.  This is to my skin, what an ice cold glass of water is to someone who’s just walked through a desert.  Any redness is reduced as it hydrates, and any fine, dehydration lines are plumped up.

What I really like, is that you can use it as a moisture boost for your skin either under or over makeup, and you can also use it as a 5 minute mask for an added boost of hydration.  I usually spritz my skin with some of my trusty Avene Thermal Water spray, and then pop this on top.

**Clinique have recently reformulated their Moisture Surge™, so it’s now the new Moisture Surge™ 72-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator.  It delivers 152% instant moisture boost to the skin, and continues to hydrate your skin for 72 hours – longer than the original!**

Available from Clinique for R290 for 30ml and R545 for 50ml.

Pep-Start™ HydroBlur Moisturizer

Just before my wedding, one of the kind ladies at the Clinique counter in a Foschini store gave me a little sample pot of this, just to try, as I’d been raving about how much I loved the Moisture Surge™.  I said to her that I was battling with an oily T-zone – partly due to hormone changes having gone off the contraceptive pill, and partly due to the fact that because my skin was dehydrated, it was producing more oil to try and self-soothe.

She suggested I give the Pep-Start™ HydroBlur a try, as it hydrates your skin, but also controls oil for up to 6 hours.  Something that hydrates but also mattifies?  Sounded too good to be true!

It’s amazing though, and what I love the most, is that I get to use a hydrating moisturiser and a mattifying, perfecting primer in ONE PRODUCT.  It blurs out my pores subtly but very well, and leaves my skin looking super smooth and feeling silky.

I’ve tried it with all of my foundations now, and it really does hold oil at bay.  In fact, I no longer keep this in my bathroom cabinet – it stays on my vanity.

One thing to note though – the first couple of times I used this, I added one of my pore minimising primers on top.  It then either pilled slightly, or made my skin look dry.  As soon as I used this and only this – no additional primers – the problem was solved.  You genuinely do NOT NEED a primer alongside this product.

Available from Clinique for R415 for 50ml.

Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+™

I’m sure that most people have seen this moisturiser at some point in their lives.  I remember my mom used it once, and my sister did too.  I never did though – I think when I was in high school, my mom was too concerned it would be too rich for my acne-riddled skin.

This product has a cult following, and the formula has been improved over the years.  This latest offering delivers skin-strengthening hydration – in fact, a 54% improvement in the strength of your skin’s moisture barrier.  This means that it keeps your skin stronger and stops it losing moisture – it doesn’t just hydrate the surface (although it also provides surface hydration for up to 8 hours).  Pretty impressive!  Clinique also claims that it has been clinically proven to improve the texture of your skin within the first week of use.

Now, I haven’t used the product too much yet – it’s quite rich, and will be VERY much more suited to my skin once winter hits.  I use it at night when my skin is feeling a bit parched, or when I’ve used my retinol.  Hubby, on the other hand, has been using this and really enjoying it.  He has a more normal skin-type compared to my combo one.  His skin has been looking pretty damned good too!  I can’t wait until winter truly kicks in and I can put this baby to the test fully.

Another bonus?  You get a LOT more product when buying the pump bottle instead of the cap.  A little goes a long way, so getting 125ml with the pump bottle will last you a long time.  More bang for your buck!

Available from Clinique for R545 for 125ml with a pump, but you can also get a 50ml bottle with a cap instead, for R275.

Clinique have some other great moisturisers in their ranges too:

The Dramatically Different range includes a Moisturizing Gel (for oily skin types) and a Moisturizing Cream (for dry/very dry skin types).

The Pep-Start range also has a Hydrorush SPF20 Moisturizer (so you get the added benefit of sun protection).

The Moisture Surge range also includes an Intense Skin Fortifying Hydrator (slightly richer and with daily use it strengthens your skin’s barrier).

There is a Superdefence™ range, packed with antioxidants to help with the first signs of ageing.

The Repairwear™ range helps to defy gravity, by tightening, lifting and firming.

The Even Better™ range helps improve and correct your skin tone, by erasing past damage and preventing further damage.

The Smart™ Custom-Repair range targets all major signs of ageing.

There is even a range specifically for men – the Clinique For Men™ range, which hydrates, firms and minimises fine lines.

**DISCLAIMER – while these products were part of a PR package from Clinique, all opinions are honest and my own.  This post was not sponsored, and I purely wanted to inform you of the wonderful offerings from Clinique.**