Sample Showdown #4

Clinique Smart Custom Repair Eye Treatment

This was SUCH a disappointment. Usually with eye creams you apply them before bed and wake up in the morning, look in the mirror and BAM! You look like you had the best night sleep of your life and you are bright eyed, bushy tailed and ready to take on the world. But if you use the Clinique Smart Custom Repair Eye Treatment you will not be able to take on any thing but maybe checking the expiration date on the milk in the fridge. Guys and gals this seriously did nothing. I saw absolutely no difference. With some eye treatments even if you don't see immediate results you FEEL a difference in your under eye area. Nope. A big nothing. Do not waste your hard earned dollars on this one folks. NOT CRUELTY FREE.

L’Oreal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Oil Hair Treatment

If you have ever been to a nightclub you will know there are some men who like to douse themselves in Lynx and other terrible body sprays before setting out to find a mate. When you have worked in a nightclub like I have done in the past you will know how much the smell lingers and hangs around. This is what this hair treatment smells like. Like men at the local pub that could go up in flames if you lit a match five meters away they are that drenched in body spray. This mask smells exactly like that overpowering smell and it can last in your hair for days until you wash it. While it does make your hair incredibly soft, it makes it so soft that it is unmanageable. It is impossible to tie it up in a ponytail because it is so silky it falls straight out. If you have extremely dry and damaged hair this might be a positive for you because this mask, which you leave on for less than three minutes after using shampoo and conditioner, smells and works really powerfully. I would not repurchase this. NOT CRUELTY FREE. 

Impulse Romantic Spark

I have not used Impulse since my tween/early teen days when I used to act like men in nightclubs and drench myself in that shit. Seriously I swear at one stage I had more cans of impulse than socks, but didn't everyone? And it was so exciting when a new one came out because you would be down the personal care aisle at the supermarket with your mum and spraying a bit in the cap to see how it smelt. Impulse is right up there with the Olsen Twins and my purple Gameboy Colour for the category of Early 2000's memories. But late last year Impulse decided it needed an extreme makeover and enlisted the help of an American Victorias Secret model and a great brand strategist to make the transition to adult. But not in a Miley Cyrus type of way. I wouldn't go out and buy a can of Impulse but I was excited when I saw a little vile rock up in a beauty box and sprayed it all over myself like it was 2003 again. And you know what? It actually smelt pretty damn good. I even used it as an airfreshener for my car. Because car airfresheners always smell like someone is trying to hide smoking in their cars and 99.9% of them smell quite musty. But for something quick to smell pretty or to freshen up my car I would definitely repurchase a can. BUT THEN I did a quick Google search on Impulse to see if they test on animals and guess who they are owned by? Unilever, who are massive testers of the animal variety. But then on the Impulse website they state that all their products are cruelty free, with some even being vegan. I'm not exactly sure what is going on there and whether they do test or if it is more of a The Body Shop scenario where they are owned by a parent company like L’Oreal but still stick to their cruelty free guns. So I will leave it opened ended at the moment until i can do some more research and leave Impulse back in 2003 with some fond memories for now. Animal Testing Practices Uncertain.

Estee Lauder Revitalizing Supreme Creme

This crème was quite average. I received quite a decent sized tub sample in a beauty box which lasted me about two weeks of using it nightly after my serums. Estee Lauder claims this is "A multiaction cream that dramatically reduces the look of multiple signs of aging: lines, wrinkles, loss of firmness, dullness, and dehydration". It is very moisturising and does a good job at it, but I didn’t notice any firming or reduction of ageing signs. That may just be the fact that I’m 23 and only have a few fine lines around my eyes so this may work on more mature skin. But on my 23-year-old skin it was only a decent moisturiser at best that could easily be replaced by something that is cheaper but still just as efficient. NOT CRUELTY FREE.

Kate Somerville Nourish Daily Moisturiser 

I am in LOVE with this product. This is the lightest moisturiser I have ever used and what it lacks in thickness it makes up in hydration. Once applied your skin feels so incredibly soft, plump and hydrated. This moisturiser is formulated for sensitive skin and while a lot of companies slap the words 'sensitive skin' on the label and leave you disappointed, Kate Somerville is not. I have a lot of redness and pigmentation left over from a horrible bout of acne and a lot of products can leave me looking even redder. This moisturiser was so soothing, cooling and diminished quite a lot of redness from not being irritating towards the skin. It smells like a day spa, absorbs really quickly and doesn’t leave skin feeling heavy or greasy. Once my current moisturisers are all finished up I will be buying this in a heartbeat. Cruelty Free.

Estee Lauder DayWear Cream

While disappointed with the lacklustre Revitalizing Supreme Creme, the DayWear face cream more than made up for it. I only had a small sachet but boy did it pack a punch. This is the most perfect cream to wear under makeup as it makes skin look beautiful and feel incredibly plump. It also contains SPF and that means you are getting that extra protection from the sun you so desperately need. My skin felt really smooth and comfortable wearing this and it really did help my foundation just glide straight on and gave my primer that extra kick of confidence. I find with a lot of Estee lauder creams that they feel quite thick, heavy and have that old lady smell. But this one was light and smelt like summer. I would buy this if they didn't stock products in China. Change your game Estee lauder and I’ll be straight back for this cream. NOT CRUELTY FREE.