This new Clinique serum gave my tired, sensitive skin a glow boost after 4 weeks of testing
If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a mid-forties member of the sandwich generation, it’s this: your skincare better be working overtime, because you sure are. With a full-time job, a teenager in high school, and ageing parents who are becoming more “Grey Gardens” than grey hair, I have neither the time nor patience for a 10-step skincare routine. (For real, there’ve been times when I’ve washed my face with hand soap out of sheer exhaustion…I know. I know.) My days are pure chaos, and by the time I hit the pillow, I need self-care to be simple but effective.
That said, my skin doesn’t get a free pass. Over the years, I’ve noticed the telltale signs that life is happening on my face. Fine lines that used to vanish after a good night’s sleep now linger like uninvited guests. My complexion has taken on a “blah” undertone (a mix of dullness and exhaustion, like a live-action version of the Meh emoji). And hydration? My skin drinks it up faster than a cactus in the Mojave. When I heard about Clinique’s Moisture Surge Active Glow Serum, I figured it might just be the answer to my simple skincare prayers.
Spoiler alert: It so is.
Clinique Moisture Surge Active Glow Serum
What is Clinique Moisture Surge Active Glow Serum?
Clinique’s Moisture Surge line is already a crowd favourite, and this serum takes things up a notch. Powered by 5% lactic acid, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin C, this lightweight serum exfoliates, hydrates, and brightens your skin, promising to leave you with a glow that screams radiance, not 'I’m running on four hours of sleep.' It’s designed to plump up tired skin with a big hydration boost while gently encouraging natural cell turnover. The result? Fresher, smoother, more luminous skin.
Truth be told, historically I haven’t had the best luck with products like this and found they irritated my paler-than-the-underside-of-a-bass combination Sicilian/Irish skin. I was pleasantly surprised. The serum itself has a milky, lightweight texture that absorbs in seconds. There’s no sticky residue or heavy feel—just a refreshing dose of gentle hydration that layers seamlessly under SPF or makeup.
The serum doesn’t just promise results; it’s clinically proven. Take these for starters:
97% showed a boost in hydration after just one use.
94% had smoother-feeling skin, and in 28 days, 90% showed visibly improved skin texture.
It’s also dermatologist and allergy tested, 100% fragrance-free, oil-free, non-acnegenic, and kind to sensitive skin like mine.
Clinique Moisture Surge 100 Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator
Clinique Moisture Surge Lip Hydro-Plump Treatment 10ml
Moisture Surge Overnight Mask
Clinique Moisture Surge SPF25 Sheertint Hydrator
Clinique Moisture Surge Face Spray
Clinique Moisture Surge Eye 96-Hour Hydro-Filler Concentrate
How I worked the Clinique Moisture Surge Active Glow Serum into my routine
Spoiler alert again: True to its promises of simplicity, this product is delightfully easy to incorporate into even the most frantic schedules. After washing my face in the morning, I applied 2-3 drops of the serum, gently pressing it into my skin before following up with my tried-and-true sunscreen. That’s it. No elaborate waiting times, no complicated layering process. At night, I repeated the same steps before bed.
For the sake of this test, I temporarily replaced my usual serums and potions with just this one (besides my must-use SPF during the day). And you know what? It held its own.
My experience with the Clinique Moisture Surge Active Glow Serum
Here’s the thing about having sensitive skin—it doesn’t take much for a product to make things worse, especially in the winter. I’ve been burned (sometimes literally) by fancy formulas in the past. But not this one. Not. At. All.
Sensitive skin gals (and guys!), rejoice. This serum is a dream come true. With ingredients like lactic acid to gently exfoliate dead skin cells, hyaluronic acid to flood your skin with hydration, and vitamin C to brighten and protect against environmental aggressors, I was sceptical at first. But not once during the month did I experience any irritation, redness, or tingling. Instead, my skin said, 'Thank you! What the hell took you so long? Run out of hand soap, did ya?' (She’s a real snarky B.)
Almost immediately, I noticed an improvement in texture. For the last six months or so, I’ve been prone to bouts of tiny sebaceous cysts—I think. I’m no dermatologist, so I could be wrong about the technical term for whatever is making the skin around my jawline look like sandpaper when the light hits in a certain way. Now, I’m no Nancy Drew, but this phenomenon began right around the time I started dermaplaning to curb my perimenopausal fear of waking up one day looking like Jason Momoa.
With the Moisture Surge Active Glow Serum, though, I now look like a long-lost Cullen sibling in the sun. (I mean glistening, not like, undead.) By week two, my skin wasn’t just hydrated—it looked dewy and felt smooth to the touch. That dull, tired look I’d been dreading every time I caught my reflection? Practically gone. By the end of the month, fine lines were softened, and my face had this happy, hydrated glow that had been MIA for far too long. Even the texture along my cheeks felt smoother, which made applying makeup quicker and easier.
Also worth noting? It plays really well with others. Whether it was layered under makeup or tucked under my SPF, the serum didn't pill or flake. Instead, it worked right alongside my existing products like the perfect team player. Here’s the kicker: This isn’t just a temporary glow; the serum is clinically proven to help with natural cell turnover, leaving your skin looking fresher and healthier over time.
The bottom line: Is the Clinique Moisture Surge Active Glow Serum worth it?
Would I recommend this product? Absolutely. Clinique’s Moisture Surge Active Glow Serum is now officially on my shortlist of skincare staples. It’s not just effective; it’s practical for anyone juggling 500 different responsibilities, where “self-care” often happens in two-minute intervals between everything else. And at £49, it’s quite affordable, especially if it’s the only serum you use. (And it totally could be.)
For busy women—like those of us who need equal parts simplicity and results – this serum delivers. It’s the very definition of simple and effective – hydrating, brightening, and exfoliating your skin in one easy step. And if you have sensitive skin like me, rest easy knowing this formula is as gentle as it is hardworking. My skin feels healthier, smoother, and more radiant, and that’s a win I’ll gladly take.
Buy the Clinique Moisture Surge Active Glow Serum online
More beauty reviews...
You Might Also Like
