The Cult Moisturiser You Need On Your Bathroom Shelf

Bouncy. Smooth. Glowy. The triumvirate of happy skin – skin that reflects light, that makeup glides onto, that looks as fresh in the evening as it did in the morning – cannot exist without one simple thing: hydration. Without vital moisture, your skin looks dry, dull and dehydrated, not to mention being more sensitive and reactive. Wherever you are on the spectrum, from super oily to ultra dehydrated, the need for hydration is universal.

For example, if you’re the type to carry blotting sheets and always choose mattifying foundations, don’t be fooled into thinking that you’re all set on the moisture front. Sebum, the oil your skin likes to pump out as if it’s going out of style, won’t provide you with any lasting hydration, despite how slick your face may feel. Conversely, if your skin is perennially parched, you might think you need the richest cream going. It’ll provide some instant relief, but in the long term, it won’t necessarily alleviate the problem, as your skin needs something to help it hold onto hydration all day, not just sit on top of it.

Plus, as we move into the warmer months, the fluctuating temperatures can play havoc with even the most well-behaved of complexions. Sunny spells, mixed with drizzly days and blasting air conditioning mean your skin has a lot to adapt to – and that’s without all the late nights spring and summer bring. The solution? A clever, lightweight formula that delivers an all-day healthy-looking glow, and supports your skin’s internal hydrating functions. Meet Clinique’s Moisture Surge 72-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator. Combining an imperceptibly light texture with a hit of long-lasting hydration, this new gel-cream works to replenish your skin’s internal moisture sources for all-day glow and leaves your skin feeling plumped and dewy for hours and hours (the hint is in the name). Want to know more? Read on…

First of all, the texture is heavenly. If you find thick creams leave too much of a residue, while light lotions don’t really hit the spot, consider this the Goldilocks of hydrators. Airy in texture but immediately cooling and cocooning, Moisture Surge 72-Hour uses a special water-holding matrix to form a mesh even thinner than the breadth of a hair over your skin. This locks in hydration while letting your skin breathe, meaning it’ll feel touchably soft but never sticky.

Then there are the super ingredients: hyaluronic acid, activated aloe water and caffeine. Hyaluronic acid is found naturally in the skin, and binds up to 1,000 times its own weight in water, making it a must-have for moisturised skin. In fact, it gives a moisture boost of 152%, while other water-binding ingredients lock into the skin to keep it looking dewy and fresh.

Activated aloe water and caffeine work in tandem to help your skin reinforce its own natural hydrating sources. They draw water up from the lower layers of the skin, push it to the top and keep your skin auto-rehydrating all day long. Your skin won’t feel tight or dry at any point – instead, it’ll just keeping sipping on this supply. If you feel your makeup goes dry and patchy by 4pm, prepping your skin with this in the morning will help you keep that just-moisturised feeling all day, as your skin will have a rich store of hydration. Likewise, if you feel your complexion is dull and lifeless, a slick of Moisture Surge 72-Hour will turbocharge your skin with vitality, making it better reflect light and look healthy.

There are four ways to make the hydrator work for you, and they’re not all limited to your face…

Turn your bathroom (or the hotel bathroom, the plane, or even the gym changing rooms) into a spa with this clever trick. Apply a generous layer all over your face, and leave to absorb for a few minutes. Either tissue off the excess or massage it in to boost circulation and get your skin perky and glowing.

Nothing says ‘I have my life together’ like neat hands. Don’t be caught out by raggedy nails – at the first sign of dry cuticles, apply a small amount of Moisture Surge 72-Hour to your nail bed and massage in for a conditioning boost. Who needs a mani-pedi?

Humidity taking its toll on your locks? Never fear, Moisture Surge 72-Hour is here. A coin-sized amount, rubbed between the palms of your hands, is all you need. Gently glide over split ends and puffy lengths, avoiding the roots, for a sleeker style.

No time to do a full face before you hit the pub? No problem. Grab your Chubby Stick Sculpting Highlight and scribble some onto the back of your hand, then take a small dollop of Moisture Surge 72-Hour and mix together until fully saturated. Then smooth onto your face wherever you want a hit of radiance. Try the tops of cheekbones, temples and your Cupid’s bow for a lit-from-within look.

Impressed? Us too. This cult moisturiser will be taking pride of place on our bathroom shelf for the foreseeable future.