I wear make-up practically every single day and it can be quite a chore to get my skin clean and clear at the end of the day. I was given a travel size bottle of this Clinique Take The Day Off Makeup Remover, and have been using it for the past few weeks. It is available from most department stores and Clinique beauty counters costing £16.00 for a 125ml bottle.

Product description: "Makeup remover for lids, lashes and lips. Unique, two-way formula that loosens the grip, then speeds the departure of the most persistent, eye makeups, mascara and lipsticks. Ophthalmologist tested. Suitable for contact lens wearers."

This product is recommended as being suitable for all skin types and can be used on lids, lashes and lips. I have combination skin with occasional spates of blemishes and sensitivity. I always try and take extra care of my eyes as part of my skincare routine. I go for a natural look day-to-day, and then like to glam it up with heavy eye make-up when I go out. Even on a "natural" day I still use eyeshadow, concealer, eye liner and mascara on my eyes, so it all adds up and I require a specific eye makeup remover to get rid of it all at the end of the day.

The packaging of this eye make-up remover is quite simple, it comes in a clear tinted plastic bottle with a safety lid. I always prefer clear packaging so that I can see exactly how much product is left inside. My travel size bottle contains 50ml and has lasted for several weeks with frequent use, although it is now very near the end of its life. The makeup remover has a liquid consistency and can be poured from a large opening at the neck of the bottle.

Recommended directions for use: Shake well. Apply with a cotton ball. Wipe off. Rinse before applying makeup.

The make-up remover is colourless and does not appear to have any scent to it. To use this I first shake the bottle, which causes the liquid to go very frothy and bubbly. I then place a cotton wool pad over the neck of the bottle and then tip it up a couple of times to get enough of the liquid onto the pad. I have to hold the pad against my eye so that the liquid has a chance to soak onto my lids and lashes, and then once the make-up has loosened it comes away with a few wipes. I quite often have to repeat the process and apply a second time to make sure that my makeup is fully removed, as it doesn't seem particularly effective at getting rid of my mascara, and I can be left with smears where the rest of my makeup had been wiped away. I thought it was a bit odd that you can use an eye makeup remover on your lips as well, but in my experience it has actually worked really well at taking off dark lipstick, which is great as this can sometimes leave stains behind otherwise. The only problem is that it leaves an awful taste behind on my lips, so I wash over with a damp flannel and then pop some lip balm on to finish off.

After I have used this on my eyes it leaves behind quite a lot of residue and I am left with an oily feeling as the leftover product coats my skin. To begin with I found this to be quite unpleasant and was really unimpressed with it, but after continuing to use this remover for a while and getting more used to it, I've come to notice that it actually seems to condition my lashes and leaves them feeling nice afterwards. I only ever use this makeup remover before going to bed, and then I cleanse, tone and moisturise again in the morning which makes sure that any remaining traces are removed.

Overall I have not been particularly impressed by this Take The Day Off Makeup Remover. It works well on lips, but requires a lot of product and repeat applications to remove all of my eye makeup. I have used better products by other brands, and would not want to be paying a premium price for this makeup remover as it is not good enough to justify the expensive price in my opinion.