I have used Estee Lauder Moisturiser (Day Wear SPF 15) in the past, and really enjoyed that product. This has a similar feel, but just wasn't quite as impressive.
Firstly, the packaging is lovely. An almost glowing red tub with a reflective lid. I like that the tub is glass - it feels fancy.
The moisturiser has a slight tangy-sweet smell of pomegranate. It is super creamy but still light weight and absorbs very easily into the skin. It claims to give an immediate and intense boost of moisture, but I felt that it's main effect was more that of 'energising' the skin. It made my skin feel tightened and radiant but probably wouldn't suit dry skin types as it doesn't really offer deep hydration. Because of this, it would likely work well for oily skin.
Overall, I found this to be very very similar to Clinique's Moisture Surge Gel. Clinique's product is slightly more affordable though, and so for that reason I wouldn't repurchase the Estee Lauder Gel again.
As an extra point, I love that the Estee Lauder Day Wear has added SPF 15. Because this gel doesn't have SPF, I need to add it as an extra step in my morning face routine (especially now we are approaching summer). The gel also is not quite intense enough to be a night cream, so it doesn't really fit into my overall skincare collection.
I am still a firm fan of Estee Lauder, but this product didn't quite hit the mark for me.
A $112 moisturiser. Just let that soak in for a few minutes. One hundred and twelve dollars.
When I first received it I'd never felt so overwhelmed and underwhelmed at once. LAUDER. I am going to be using Estee Lauder. The skincare of ladies. Proper ladies. Who shop at counters and don't ask 'how much is this?'. But then. Plastic. PLASTIC. $112 and the went for a plastic tub! Where's my hermetically sealed pump?! Now it is a thick, heavy pot but still...I was expecting more. There's also no indication if it's recyclable.
The instructions are simply 'apply am/pm'. Cheers for that EL! And very interesting - it'll last for 24 months from opening. As this is a wide open pot, I assume there's a fair few preservatives in it to counteract the exposure to air. But that doesn't bother me too much. Something to note if it does concern you.
It smells gorgeous. Fruity fresh. Delicious. The smell doesn't linger, so if fragrance bothers you, but doesn't irritate you, I think you'd still enjoy this.
The cream is white and quite thick. It's not heavy though. It absorbs instantly, my skin just drank this up! You don't need much, but I don't think I'll need to worry about using this up in the next 2 years! Potentially there's 2 months worth here.
I'm so torn on this product. It's fantastic. It's hydrating, its moisturising, its a sheer delight to use. Morning or night it injects moisture. After a couple of weeks use my skin is smoother and more even. I just can't get over the price tag!
So did it do what it said? YES! My skin is radiant. So radiant. Would I recommend it to a (rich) friend? YES! 100%. I can't not recommend the product because it totally does what it says. Would I use it again? YES! If I won the lottery.