A miracle serum? Expensive promises that are not delivered (Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Protective Recovery Complex)

Member Name: LadyS

Product:	Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Protective Recovery Complex
Date:	25/07/09 (306 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: You only need a few drops at a time so a bottle lasts ages

Disadvantages: Expensive and no visible results

I was quite excited to try this product, having read numerous reviews about its wonderful effects and was quite willing to believe that my skin would feel and look so much younger almost immediately. The packaging encouraged me in this view - surely anything that needs to be applied by a pipette a few drops at a time must be so concentrated that it works miracles?

Unfortunately, for me the results have not lived up to expectations. For a start the serum does not have an overly pleasant smell - I know that this is a product designed to do a specific job so you shouldn't need it to smell nice if it works, but for me having a nice smell is all part of the enjoyment of using a beauty product.

Next irritation is that I find it actually quite a sticky serum to apply, which seems to just sit on the skin rather than soaking into it. Maybe this is all part of how it is supposed to work, but it feels a bit odd to me. You then need to use your usual moisturiser on top so your skin does feel more like normal when you have moisturised, but can't say it is linked to the use of the serum.

Finally, and most important annoyance is that I can't tell if it has made a difference to my skin or not. I would certainly hope so given that costs best part of £50, but can't say that I have seen any results. The marketing blurb does say that the serum helps protect your skin for the future, so maybe I will see the benefits in 10 years time, but who knows?

I am aware though that I am in the minority with this view, and this product has won many rewards (Cosmo, InStyle, She etc) but still thought it was worth writing this review so that you can get an alternative view on what is a very expensive product before you spend out.

Will I be using this product again? Well, I am certainly going to be finishing the bottle - at £50 it is too expensive not to use and lasts for ages (I have been using it a couple of months and the bottle is huge and still going strong). Will I be buying it again? As you can probably guess, no - I will be sticking with using a night cream without the serum.

It may be of course that as soon as I stop using the serum I will suddently age drastically, at which point I will have to eat my words and rush back to the shops for a replacement bottle (and I will of course be updating my review to say so) - I wouldn't hold your breath though...

Summary: Not a product that works for me, but lots of people love it so, it may work for you