Duped: Clarins Pure Melt Cleanser

Zara's rave review over at Kiss and Makeup for the Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel certainly makes me want to run out and buy it. It takes alot to wow a beauty editor and Clarins certainly seems to have done it. Or have they?

She describes the cleanser as a gel that turns into oil when rubbed onto dry skin, and then emulsifies into a milky fluid when touched with water - taking off every scrap of makeup (even waterproof mascara) and leaving the skin clean, but moisturised. All this sounds exactly like the much cheaper product I've been using all along - L'Oreal De-Maq Expert Elixir Concentrate Ultra Makeup Remover (phew that was a mouthful).

For a third of the price, the L'Oreal cleanser does everything the Clarins cleanser does, and it's been around for ages - so perhaps the Clarins cleanser is a dupe of L'Oreal's!

• Changes from gel to oil when massaged in? Check!
• Removes all makeup including waterproof mascara? Check!
• Emulsifies to a milky fluid when wet? Check!
• Leaves skin feeling clean and comfortable? Check!
  

As I haven't tested out the Clarins cleanser for myself, I cannot make a first-hand comparison. However, one of the main differences seems to be the presence of luxurious Marula Oil in the Clarins version, and I suspect (judging from Zara's review), that you need less of the Clarins product than you would L'Oreal.

But for the price difference, I think I can sacrifice a little luxury and waste a bit more product to achieve the same results.

*Disclaimer: The "Duped" column refers to cheaper alternatives to expensive products. It in no way implies that the cheaper product deliberately duplicated the pricier version. In some cases, the cheaper product may pre-date the more expensive product.