Clinique Moisture Surge is a cult favorite moisturizer that quickly hydrates the skin with its lightweight gel-cream formula. But is there a drugstore dupe or alternative skin care product that performs just as well at a lower price? Let’s take a look at 5 Clinique Moisture Surge dupes that will surely save you money.
But first, what makes Clinique Moisture Surge so great in the first place?
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Clinique Moisture Surge 100 Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator
Clinique Moisture Surge 100 Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator is the newest version of Clinique’s customer favorite moisturizer: Clinique Moisture Surge 72-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator.
It’s an oil-free gel-cream that is formulated to last 100 hours. (That’s 4.17 days, in case you were wondering!)
You might think that 100 hours is unnecessary since we wash our face every day, but this formula is designed to reach 10 layers deep into the skin’s surface and provide moisture that lasts even after washing your face.
The hydrating gel cream is formulated with Clinique’s Auto-Replenishing Technology that helps the skin rehydrate itself and lock in moisture for a plumped, healthy-looking complexion.
It is made to prevent drying and skin barrier damage, especially when wearing a face mask.
Users love it for its oil-free, lightweight texture. It’s also very popular because it is made for all skin types.
It’s perfect for dry skin needing a hydration boost and combination skin or oily skin looking for lightweight moisture.
Clinique Moisture Surge Key Ingredients
- Aloe Bio-Ferment: A complex made of lactobacillus, activated aloe water, and responsibly-sourced and certified organic aloe extract powder that helps the skin retain moisture and plumps the skin.
- Activated Aloe Water: Aloe barbadensis leaf extract infuses pure water and then is charged to hold positive and negative ionic charges. This is supposed to help the skin absorb moisture more easily.
- Betula Alba (Birch) Bark Extract: An antioxidant that supports the skin barrier and aids in hydration.
- Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12: A peptide that is supposed to improve skin firmness and skin tone and helps stimulate elastin.
- Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract and Lady’s Thistle Extract: Potent antioxidants that offer anti-inflammatory benefits and protect the skin from UV damage.
- Hyaluronic Acid: The popular hydrator that binds moisture to the skin. This gel-cream contains hyaluronic acid at two different molecular weights to provide moisture at multiple levels.
- Auto-Replenishing Technology: Activated aloe water and caffeine help trigger the skin’s own rehydration system.
As you can see, there are some great moisturizing technologies used in this moisturizer.
But are there any alternatives, or dupes, that work just as well to provide intense and long-lasting hydration but at a lower price?
Clinique Moisture Surge Dupes
1. Neutrogena Hydro-Boost Gel Cream
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel-Cream with Hyaluronic Acid for Extra-Dry Skin may be the easiest Clinique Moisture Surge dupe to find, as it is available in most drugstores.
The water gel-cream formula absorbs easily and quickly like a gel but provides deep, long-lasting moisture, perfect for dry and extra dry skin.
The gel cream is infused with moisturizing glycerin and hydrating sodium hyaluronate, the salt form of hyaluronic acid.
The moisturizer has the long-lasting moisturizing benefits of a cream but the lightweight feel of a gel. It also helps restore the skin’s natural moisture barrier.
Hydro Boost Gel Cream is fragrance-free, dye-free, and non-comedogenic, meaning it won’t clog pores. It can be worn alone or under makeup.
For more on this moisturizer, check out my post comparing Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel vs Gel Cream.
2. Tony Moly Chok Chok Green Tea Watery Cream
Tony Moly Chok Chok Green Tea Watery Cream is made with pure fermented green tea extract instead of distilled water. The gel-based cream hydrates the skin without feeling sticky or heavy on the skin.
This K-Beauty cream contains over 63% of Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (fermented green tea extract), which helps the skin retain moisture for many hours by forming a lightweight hydrating layer.
The fermented Korean green tea used in the formula is called “ChungTaeJeon” and provides intense moisture.
Green tea extract is rich in antioxidants that protect the skin from environmental stressors, target wrinkles and fine lines, and improve skin roughness.
Glycerin moisturizes the skin. Rosewood oil revitalizes, and lemon seed oil has antibacterial and antifungal properties. The oils give the gel cream a very light fragrance.
You can even use this gel cream as an emergency face mask if your skin is in desperate need of moisture. Apply for 5 minutes and gently remove with a tissue.
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3. Garnier SkinActive Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel Cream
Garnier SkinActive Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel Cream – Dry Skin is the most affordable Clinique Moisture Surge dupe. Its lightweight oil-free formula contains antioxidant fruit water to moisturize the skin. It has a lightweight texture and does not feel sticky on the skin.
Glycerin moisturizes and supports a healthy skin barrier, while panthenol, also known as pro-vitamin B5, heals and moisturizes the skin.
Ascorbyl glucoside, a vitamin C derivative, brightens the skin, supports collagen production, and provides antioxidant benefits.
Please note that there is denatured alcohol in this moisturizer which is typically a drying ingredient.
According to Garnier, this ingredient may have different functions based on how it is combined with other ingredients and does not indicate the product’s effectiveness.
This gel-cream also contains added fragrance.
4. Naturium Marine Hyaluronic Water Cream
Naturium Marine Hyaluronic Water Cream contains marine-based polysaccharides, hyaluronic acid, and phytonutrients in a lightweight water cream base.
Cocos nucifera (coconut) fruit juice contains vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and proteins to hydrate the skin and may even help improve skin elasticity.
The cream also contains soothing and brightening Tumeric root extract and antioxidant vitamin E. Alteromonas ferment extract soothes irritation, making it an ideal ingredient for sensitive skin.
Glycerin moisturizes the skin, while sodium hyaluronate hydrates and plumps the skin.
Kappaphycus alvarezii extract from red algae, per the manufacturer, offers anti-aging benefits.
For more on this moisturizer and other Naturium products, please see my Naturium skincare review.
5. Olay Hyaluronic + Peptide 24 Hydrating Gel
Olay Hyaluronic + Peptide 24 Hydrating Gel is a gel cream moisturizer formulated with hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and peptides to hydrate while strengthening your skin’s moisture barrier.
The lightweight cream plumps your skin and helps reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles.
Olay Hyaluronic + Peptide 24 moisturizer also contains:
- Niacinamide for skin balancing, brightening, and smoothing
- Peptides for anti-aging benefits
- Panthenol for skin-soothing
The gel cream has a lightweight cooling effect on my skin and absorbs easily without any stickiness or greasiness.
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Clinique Moisture Surge Dupes: The Bottom Line
Why pay for luxury brands when you have many options for a Clinique Moisture Surge dupe at a lower price ounce for ounce?
While Clinique’s Moisture Surge is a lovely lightweight moisturizer with effective hydrating ingredients, you might find that these alternatives are just as good for a fraction of the price.
For more drugstore skincare dupes, don’t miss these posts:
Until next time, thanks for reading!
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Sarah Roberts is the founder, writer, and photographer behind A Beauty Edit. With over 10 years of experience in the beauty industry, Sarah is an avid skincare and beauty enthusiast who shares the best beauty finds to help you save time and money!