Clinique Moisture Surge Intense 72H: Who is it for?

Is your skin dry or dehydrated?

Dry skin lacks oil and can feel tight or flaky. Dehydrated skin lacks water, and even oily skin can be dehydrated. Clinique positions Intense 72H for dryness and 100H for dehydration. Both jars belong to Moisture Surge, which makes the family name less useful than the rest of the label.3

What ingredients should you check?

Clinique highlights aloe water and cica for Intense 72H. For the complete formula and application directions, check your own packaging rather than borrowing the details for 100H. The two names identify different products, not interchangeable labels. If dryness or sensitivity is your concern, look for a fragrance free formula. "Unscented" is not the same thing: products described that way can contain ingredients that hide other odors and irritate dry, sensitive skin.14

How should you fit it into your routine?

Use Intense 72H as directed on its packaging. The following steps are general dry skin care, rather than a separate set of Clinique directions.2

1. 1Cleanse gently. Choose a gentle, fragrance free cleanser rather than harsh soap.
2. 2Pat your skin dry instead of rubbing. Apply moisturizer while your skin is still damp to help hold water in the skin.
3. 3Gently massage the moisturizer into the areas that feel dry. With combination skin, focus on dry areas rather than automatically covering oily areas.
4. 4Include a broad spectrum, water resistant sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher in your daytime routine, along with shade and protective clothing.

General dry skin care calls for moisturizing when skin feels dry, including after washing or bathing, and sometimes several times a day. Do not use the 72H name to decide how often to apply the product. If your skin is peeling from dryness, moisturize rather than exfoliating the flakes away; exfoliation can strip away more moisture.45

How does Clinique Moisture Surge 100H compare with 72H?

Intense 72H is the dryness focused option. Choose 100H if you prefer a lightweight gel cream, particularly for oily or combination skin that needs hydration without a heavy feel. Choose by dryness and texture preference rather than the biggest number on the jar; moisturizer shopping does not need a scoreboard.2

What should you expect from a moisturizer?

A moisturizer adds moisture and helps prevent water from leaving the skin. For persistent dryness, the type of moisturizer matters: creams and ointments generally retain more moisture than lotions, while gels tend to feel lighter. Use how comfortable your skin feels between applications to judge whether your routine needs adjusting, including when the weather changes.5

When does dryness need more than a moisturizer?

Tell a dermatologist if moisturizer causes burning, stinging or irritation. Make an appointment if dryness persists despite changes to your routine, or becomes painful, cracked, bleeding or very irritating. Excessively dry skin sometimes needs prescription treatment. If you already have a prescribed skin treatment plan, follow that plan rather than replacing it with a new moisturizer.45