Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, my entry point into skincare was via Clinique. As I wrote here, I began to tend to my skin when I was only a nipper, and I was drawn to this brand’s… cleanliness? There was something science-y about it too, and there always seemed to be lashings of water depicted in their advertising — in a good way! Like, before we even began throwing the word ‘hydration’ around, Clinique were all about it. The Three Step! Ah, the Three Step! I had the soap and the Clarifying Toner, and most importantly of all, I had the Dramatically Different Moisturing Lotion.

Did I say dinosaurs? I am sure I refer to the first amoebae that crawled out of the deep into the evolutionary light: I bought this stuff when it came in glass bottles. 

I used it religiously, and bought allll the Clinique Bonus Time offers because I wanted the wee tiny bottles of it to bring with me on my travels. The soap lasted forever and I used until ‘they’ said soap was bad for us; the toner is a tonic upon which I still depend; but the yellow stuff fell out of favour once I began trying and testing myriad products on a weekly basis. I had, I confess, forgotten all about it, until the Irish launch party earlier in the summer.

So what is + about Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+, or DDML+ as many of us are calling it? For me, the new element that jumps out is the addition of hyaluronic acid, a very 21st century ingredient that addresses 21st century needs. We weren’t thinking about barrier repair when we were sitting out in the environment, at sidewalk cafés, chowing down on our brontasaurus burgers. Given climate change and ozone depletion and who knows what; creating some class of protective layer between our beloved pelts and the depredations of pollution and UVA ‘n’ Bs ‘n’ Cs is welcome, and necessary.

Hyaluronic acid helps the skin hang onto the moisture imparted by moisturisation. Your very own body produces it, and it is what keeps your skin hydrated and plump, or not, as the case may be, and therefore is the case made for products that contain it. I’m sure there’s a whole acid v alkaline rabbit hole down which to tumble, but I’m a blogger, dammit, not a scientist!

So? It looks the same, it feels the same, and even if the bottle hasn’t been made out of glass for some time now, it is very much like its old self. Which is and isn’t the point. If you’ve been faithful to the product, you’ll be happy enough with any bonus points, but won’t be alarmed by massive changes.

If you have strayed, you’ll return to find it is as silky and soothing as it ever was; as rapidly absorbing without drying; as blessedly free from fragrance as always. My skin also felt tighter, in a good way, not an unpleasantly dry and squinchy way. One pump covers the entire visage, and I suppose there is some algorithm I could devise — 125mls – xmls/pump = X uses… er. I’d say you’ll get great use out of this. Heh.

Is it worth my while to return to DDML+, apart from nostalgia? From the remembrance of going into Macy’s for the first time and making my first adult purchase of skin care, of walking around with the muted green boxes tucked into the shiny little bag, of the feeling of having crossed an important threshold into womanhood? Well, when I put it that way… It’s a lovely feeling of connection to my young self, with, hopefully, the needs of my new self being met.

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125ml with pump: €42*/£29.50/$26

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*Seriously? That’s essentially a tenner more than the sterling price!

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