Estee Lauder.... A ****???

Earlier this year I bought Estee Lauder's Advanced Night repair eye cream (Major & Impact Repair + Brighten). I purchased the main product and it came with 3 samples.

I’ve started by using one of the samples. Soon afterwards, the corners of my eyes turned red and flaky. It also had micro tears and were painful.

I had to stop using the product because it burnt very badly upon application.

Initially, I thought the reaction might have been caused by allergies. Whilst I wasn’t using the product, I treated myself for hay fever symptoms (even though I’ve never experienced the red skin around my eyes before due to hay fever or any other reason). After a while, my skin normalised.

I started using the product again and shortly afterwards, the same thing happened. At that point, I started looking for reviews for the product and came across MANY consumers who experienced exactly the same and similar symptoms as a result of using the product.

I've sent photos of my eye area, as well as photos of the other reviews found online and photos of the product (main product unopened and still in its original wrapping paper) to Estee Lauder, with batch numbers etc.

Understandably, the product wasn’t returned within a 30 day period, since the symptoms happened over a longer period and since I didn’t suspect ‘immediately’ that the product was causing the painful reaction.

It has been, however, less than the 6 month CPA period.

As mentioned, the main product has not been opened. I have used one test container and opened a second one. Then I stopped using the product completely (out of necessity).

Every time I sent an e-mail (with my case number to follow-up my complaint), a new Call Centre Agent receives the e-mail and asks for the same information I've already sent. They appear unwilling or unable to assist me with a refund.

I've phoned the contact centre to ask for a Manager's contact number or e-mail in South Africa, but they refused to give me the information.

Estee Lauder used to be a well known and respected brand. It appears from my experience, however, that they've turned the brand into a ****?