Gel moisturisers have become the rage over the last couple of years and I’ve fully jumped onto the bandwagon. If you’re a regular reader you would know that I’m all about hydration in my skincare routine and these products offer hydration by the buckets. My first foray into gel moisturisers which focus on hydration was the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel, I used this as my moisturiser of choice throughout 2018. I’ve recently started using the Clinique Moisture Surge 72-hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator which is a smilar product but at a higher price. In this post I compare the products and give you my recommendation as to which is the superior product.

I used both these products the same way, as a day and night moisturiser, I applied them after my active products and/or serums. In the morning I follow it up with sunscreen and in the evening it is the last step on my routine.

What each product promises
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel “A rich gel with a Hyaluronic Gel Matrix to provide a long-lasting intense boost of hydration to moisture-starved skin. Lightweight water gel texture.Instantly hydrating. Refreshing lightweight. Oil-free. For normal to Combination skin”

Clinique Moisture Surge 72-hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator Our addictively refreshing gel-cream is now enhanced to give your skin the power to rehydrate itself. Delivers a 152% instant moisture boost. Keeps skin almost twice as hydrated at the end of the day than it did before. Enjoy 72 hours of non-stop hydration, even after washing your face. Advanced hydrator with Auto-Replenishing Technology actually helps skin create its own internal water source to continually rehydrate itself. Then locks in all that moisture for an endlessly plump, dewy, healthy-looking glow.

Ingredients
The first 5 ingredients of each of the moisturisers are as follows:

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Aqua, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate

Clinique Moisture Surge 72-hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator Aqua , Methyl Trimethicone , Phenyl Trimethicone , Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate , Dimethicone

The Clinique product has more silicone based ingredients in the largest qauntities meanwhile Neutrogena has known-hydrators like glycerine and Sodium Hyaluronate. The Clinique product does contain glycerine and sodium hyaluronate but these ingredients are very far down in the very long ingredient list.

My thoughts
I really don’t think the Clinique product provides a superior offering based on its price point. Sure they say it offers 72 hour hydration even after washing your skin, I don’t think my skin really needs that and based on my experience, I didn’t feel a difference between using it than the Neutrogena product. Both products leave my skin with a healthy glow and my skin feels hydrated and plump, just the way I like it. I would recommend that you save your coins and buy the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel.

Price
The Clinique Moisture Surge 72-hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator is R545 for 50 ml (R10.90 per ml) and the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel R130 for 50 ml (R2.60 per ml). Prices correct as of December 2019. From a price point for view, the Neutrogena product wins this round.