What is Clinique Dramatically Different hydrating jelly used for?

Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly ($28) is a new oil-free water jelly moisturizer that’s an ideal pick to add to your Summer regime if you tend to run oily or shiny during the warmer weather.

As you know I chronically complain about drier skin but when the warmer weather hits I tend to get oily and shiny which means I like to go a little lighter with my skincare. Not to mention when it’s hot outside no one wants to wear a heavy moisturizer! I always feel like gel moisturizers are ideal for the Summer months but it is so difficult finding one that doesn’t contain alcohol or heavy fragrance! Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly manages to keep alcohol and fragrance completely out of the formula yet still hydrates very nicely and leaves skin smooth, soft, and shine-free.

Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly arrives in 4.2 oz clear square pump bottle (smaller sizes are available should you like) that looks exactly like the Dramatically Different Moisturizer packaging. I think my “real moisturizer” growing up was Dramatically Different Moisturizer! I bet it was yours too! The one disturbing thing about this is the fact it is a clear bottle so you’ll want to tuck it into a cabinet or drawer if you have a lot of windows around so it isn’t exposed to light.

Needless to say the reason that Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly intrigued me was that I had such great success with Clinique’s Moisture Surge Hydrating Supercharged Concentrate. I figure Clinique was well equipped to relieve yet another get gel moisturizer my way after that. And I was right because I quite like this formula a lot and you likely will too if you’re ok with the basics.

Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly isn’t going to change your skincare life in all honesty but it is a solid performing moisturizer that lacks the frills, bells, and whistles of antioxidant-rich moisturizers on the market. This relies heavily on algae as the sole antioxidant ingredient. Moral of the story is if you expect this to erase fine lines, dark spots, and protect your skin from environmental stress, well, you’re in for some disappointment. If you want something lightly hydrating that wears well under other skincare and makeup that doesn’t leave your shiny or greasy you should be a-ok.

I’m a strong believer in using the basics in my morning routine and relying on anti-aging ingredients and treatments in my nightmare so this is perfectly fine for me as a lightweight Summer moisturizer. This is great if you aren’t currently experiencing hardcore dryness. It’s a water-like texture that has a runny gel consistency which initially feels a tiny bit sticky during the application but absorbs quickly taking with it that small bit of stickiness and leaving skin soft and smooth and ready for SPF or other skincare and makeup. If you’re looking for glass-like skin and want a bit of dewiness with this formula you won’t get that. It feels and looks dewy for a few seconds after application but absorbs quickly and leaves behind moisture but no dewiness.

At the moment I’m experiencing dryness on my forehead and on my chin whereas my cheeks and the sides of my nose are oily. I can’t currently use products like Belif Moisture Bomb because it’s just too much moisture for me and it adds to the shine. Yet my forehead and chin are still craving that moisture just not my cheeks. This did a great job of hydrating the areas that needed it without adding excess shine or oil and did it without a heavy fragrance or irritation. The lightweight texture wears well under my SPF and my makeup applied smoothly on top of it.

You might wonder how it differs from Clinique’s Moisture Surge Hydrating Supercharged Concentrate formula and that’s actually a really easy question to answer. Moisture Surge Hydrating Supercharged Concentrate is way more hydrating in my experience. It’s a formula that not only hydrates more but also delivers results throughout the day so your skin feels moist and well hydrated throughout the entire day. Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly is lightly hydrating and doesn’t quite deliver the same amount of moisture retention.

This isn’t an ideal pick if you’re super dry but normal to oily skin will get on fine with it. Plus it seems to layer well so if you want to use it as an essence or prep for other skincare that works perfectly well too! I’ll likely do just that when my skin starts to become drier come the Fall.

Overall, Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly is a very nice, lightweight gel moisturizer that hydrated my skin without adding accessing shine or oil! I liked it a lot and think it’s worth checking out!

Where to buy

Sephora Nordstrom Ulta

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Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly is a lightly hydrating gel moisturizer that has a thin, runny consistency that absorbs easily but initially is a bit sticky before setting to a smooth soft, finish on my face. It’s very, very lightweight and wears well under other products such as SPF, makeup, or if you need to use another moisturizer it’ll work fine under it. It isn’t loaded with a ton of antioxidants or anti-aging ingredients but it does a nice job of hydrating without adding excess oil or shine!

Water, Bis-Peg-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Hypnea Musciformis (Algae) Extract, Gelidiella Acerosa Extract, Hordeum Vulgare (Barley) Extract\Extrait D’orge, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seedcake, Sucrose, Caffeine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Hydrolyzed Rice Extract, Sorbitol, Sodium Polyaspartate, Ppg-6-Decyltetradeceth-30, Ethylhexylglycerin, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Caprylyl Glycol, Trehalose, Polysorbate 80, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Hexylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Disodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol.