Elisabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream > Reviews > Good product, but over-hyped

Author's product rating:   

How easily is it absorbed?
Value for money

Advantages:	Great moisturiser, long - lasting
Disadvantages:	the smell is odd and packaging plain

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

I bought this product because I'd heard about it everywhere and seemed like a classic, must-have product.

I was a bit disappointed with the packaging because it's basically just white and a bit boring. The tube is long and plain; white with black writing on it. I must say that the lid is quite fancy-rimmed with silver. Then again, all of EA products are quite plainly packaged-perhaps they are going for the minimal, classy look a la Eve Lom?!!

Anyway, mustn't stray..the product is probably the most versatile item in the history of cosmetics-ask the counter girl to tell you about it and she'll keep you there for 20 minutes, giving you ideas that you'd never even have dreamed of! The shortlist of what this cream does for you includes, soothing minor irritations, chapping, peeling, flaking, minor burns, sunburn, windburn, scrapes, abrasions, cracked lips, cuticle cream, intensive overnight face cream, lipgloss, eye sheen, calm/heal/protecct, hair conditioner (put a little on the ends to stop them splitting, cheekbone highlighter, eyebrow slicker, making eyelashes look dewy..and so on!!

Of course, you'll probably only use if for about 3 different reasons-I use it as a lip balm/gloss and on dry patches on my body, should they appear!

The cream is a dark orangey/ginger colour-I was very shocked the first time I tried it! It has an unusual smell, that can't really be described, so you should try a tester before buying it-if you don't like the smell, you won't like the product, trust me! It has a very thick consistency; a gel-like appearance-think darker, thicker Vaseline! It's not meant to be used as a moisturiser-just for specific areas, like your lips. It doesn't really sink into your skin quickly, so I wouldn't recommend using it all over your face.

I will repurchase after my tube runs out, but mainly because it's such a classic. It doesn't really do that much for me, even though the list is long, ironically! As I said, it's a good lip balm/gloss and good for treating awkward dry patches. I've never used it for my cuticles, my hair or an intensive night moisturiser..this is because it's rather expensive, so I wouldn't want to waste it! Also, because it takes ages to absorb, it feels greasy too, making me think that it'd cause your pores to clog.

Of course, it is really a quality version of good old Vaseline, so it depends on whether you want to spend the extra pounds on it. I really like the lip-balm stick form that this comes in and prefer it MUCH more to the original eight hour cream (you should REALLY get one-they're £13)!

You can but this from any Lizzy Arden counter-it's a good idea to buy a couple of products and get a free gift with it!