Clinique Moisture Surge vs Dramatically Different: which moisturiser suits your skin?
Moisture Surge 100H and Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+ are Clinique's two best-known moisturisers, and both are fragrance-free, but they're built for different skin. Moisture Surge is a light, oil-free gel-cream. Dramatically Different, the yellow one, is a richer lotion made with mineral oil and petrolatum to slow moisture loss.
So the choice comes down to your skin type. If it's normal, combination or oily, or it feels tight but gets shiny by lunchtime, Moisture Surge is the better fit. If it's dry or dry-combination and feels rough or flaky, Dramatically Different does more for it.
1For normal, combination or oily skin
Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator 30ml
Clinique Moisture Surge 100H is an oil-free gel-cream: lighter than a cream but more cushioning than a gel. It's built around aloe bio-ferment and hyaluronic acid, which help skin hold on to water, with vitamins C and E. It sits comfortably under make-up, and Clinique says it doubles as a five-minute hydrating mask. Very dry skin may find it too light in winter, but you can layer it under a richer night cream. The link is for the 30ml jar.
2For dry or dry-combination skin
Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+ 125ml
Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+ is the moisturising step of Clinique's 3-Step routine, though you don't need the other two steps to use it. Glycerin and urea help skin attract water, pro-lipids support its barrier, and mineral oil and petrolatum form a light layer that slows moisture loss. It's too rich for oily skin, it has no SPF, and it contains lanolin alcohol and sesame oil, so check the ingredients if you're sensitive or allergic to either. The link is for the 125ml bottle.
How I chose
Both picks have full research-based reviews on this site, written from Clinique's own product information, ingredient lists and UK retailers' listings. I haven't tested either moisturiser myself. Clinique's headline moisture figures for both come from its own tests, so treat them as a guide rather than a promise.
The quick rule: oily or combination skin, Moisture Surge; dry skin, Dramatically Different. If your skin is oily but you like the idea of the yellow lotion, Clinique makes an oil-free Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel.
Neither has sunscreen, so use an SPF in the morning whichever you choose. No brand paid to be included.
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