I want to start by saying: My skin is extraordinarily sensitive!
I have Eczema, most prominently Atopic and Allergic Contact Dermatitis. It makes my life pretty difficult sometimes. I always have itchy, dry and overall rashy skin. Just so you know how serious I am, I see one of the top dermatologists in the United States, she literally wrote dermatology textbooks.
I also have an allergy to Propylene Glycol (which is in like every skincare product) and any type of fragrance.
Yup, anything scented makes my skin flare up. It is absolutely uncomfortable, but almost impossible to avoid. I walk into a room with a scented candle or air freshener, and I can feel my skin start to swell and itch.
Even outside of my core allergies, my skin has an unquantifiable amount of sensitivities, meaning even if I am not “allergic” to something, I still react. I also develop allergies to things I am exposed to too often.
My personal hygiene/skincare routine looks a lot different for me than it does for most people. I use fancy expensive shampoo and conditioner from Finland (it’s actually fantastic, so here is the link: NoNothing). I don’t wear makeup and generally have a lot fewer steps in my routine.
My face contains the most sensitive skin on my body.
Trying a new product or putting something new on my face is scary. You can disagree with me, but I prefer to not have my face inflated like a balloon. Even though products list their ingredients, some are hidden or under different names, and it makes finding products I won’t react to that much harder.
Was it a little scary to try the Clinique’s Moisture Surge™ 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator? Yeah, but I am so used to my skin giving adverse reactions that I didn’t really care. However, I checked the ingredients and just went for it.
Full honesty here, I don’t really use moisturizer on my face. I use topicals, which are prescribed by my dermatologist, but traditional face moisturizers are usually full of allergens.
I also find putting things on my face uncomfortable. From the limited amount of times I have worn makeup or used traditional skincare, it always felt sort of heavy on my face. Kind of like a coat of nail polish.
Needless to say, I am a bit of an amateur face-moisturizer-user, but the Clinique Hydrator felt lighter than the stuff I have used in the past.
I don’t know exactly what a “good” face moisturizer is supposed to feel like, but I’m guessing Clinique relatively hits that mark. It was light and easy on my skin and didn’t feel uncomfortable to have on.
Now, I may not have used moisturizer my whole life, but I have lived with sensitive skin. What impressed me the most about Clinique was the fact that I didn’t have an allergic reaction to it!
It could have just be a fluke or hidden in my usual rash, but I can usually tell when something has sent me into an allergic spiral. I applied this cream multiple times and nothing felt abnormal.
I can’t even count the number of times some product says it’s “fragrance-free” and turns out it’s really not. I know I am a special case, but the “allergy tested” label almost never means the product will be reaction-free for me.
I was skeptical about Clinique, but it worked out okay.
So, about the benefits … honestly, I don’t really know. I didn’t notice anything crazy different. I didn’t expect Clinique to cure me. Expecting Clinique to cure my eczema would be like putting a band-aid on a bullet wound. I think my skin felt a little softer, but nothing that really blew my mind.
Overall, it was fun to try, and I am glad it seems like a product that truly works for sensitive skin. This product could be a great replacement if you aren’t satisfied with your current moisturizer. I just don’t have the patience for a lifestyle change.
For now, I think Clinique will sit on my shelf for the occasional moments I want to feel like I’m having a spa day. It’s fun to play with, and I haven’t had a reaction yet, but I don’t really want to add another step to my routine or risk developing an exposure allergy to the product.
Be sure to check the ingredients for any of your allergies. However, while the jar may not get daily use from me, it does hit my bar of sensitive approval.