[EDITED 24/4/2013]
Hi everyone,
I'm editing this post because I don't want my past misconceptions to mislead others. I don't recommend this product anymore mainly because it contains Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES) that is drying and potentially irritating to the skin, especially sensitive skin. My skin is mildly sensitive, so I can't recommend it.
After a few years of blogging, I'm much more knowledgeable about skincare products and their ingredients, and I feel that I have to amend previous posts in case they spread misinformation. However, I'm not deleting this post so that I can show my accountability through these few years of blogging. I'm not going to shy away from saying I'm wrong if I find out that I am, and I will amend the mistake. If there are other posts like that in my blog which I haven't noticed, please do point them out to me and I will gladly edit them like this.
Thanks for being great readers, cheers!
Love,
Rachel
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Today I want to introduce you to one of the only facial cleansers that has worked for me! This facial cleanser is so good that I've been recommending it to all my friends who have skin problems like mine. I've always had skin that is hard to handle - my skin type is a combination of oily (T-zone) and slightly dry (cheeks) skin which is sensitive to boot. I've tried a number of different brands of facial cleansers prior to using Danielle Laroche Purifying Gel (pictured below) e.g. L'Oreal, Simple, Defense Pure, The Face Shop etc... but none of them lessened my skin problems. Except this...
One day I was browsing Guardian in Westmall when a sales rep for DL approached me and asked what brand of facial wash/skincare products I was using. I told her I basically had no preference and just used whatever I felt like at the moment. She examined my skin and told me that my forehead was oily with many clogged pores but my cheeks were slightly dry (combination skin), and recommended me the DL line of facial skin care. I was skeptical at first, and the price (SGD 38) put me off somewhat as I'm too used to buying drugstore brands, but I decided to give it a shot.
The gel foams reasonably well and leaves a nice moisturising feeling after I washed my face. For the first 2 weeks or so, I noticed many red bumps on my skin. These bumps were pimples caused by clogged pores, but they went away pretty quickly. I later learnt that I was experiencing the "purging" period where the face product would purge out the impurities in my skin for it to look and feel better later on.
Within 3-4 weeks, I noticed that the texture of my skin had changed. It was no longer as oily and bumpy, but was smoother and more moisturised. Of course it also helped that I faithfully followed a regular skincare routine (wash, tone, moisturise) and used tea tree oil to dry up pimples/blemishes. Within a few months, my skin was as good as new and I was beginning to take the results for granted. I didn't realise how important this DL facial cleanser was to maintaining my skin's good condition until I ran out of it 6 months later (yup it lasted that long).
Suddenly, my skin condition declined at a scarily fast rate; within 3 days of not using DL, it reverted to its original oily and bumpy condition. I scrambled to find another one at Guardian in Westmall again, but was informed that the DL sales rep did not go there regularly. I quickly checked out another branch (Jurong Point) and thankfully the DL rep was there on that day. She advised me to try another product in the same line: DL Purifying Gel For Oily and Combination Skin, since my skin was of the combination type. This product is more expensive as it contains more product (about 1.5-2 times more good stuff inside) but it lasts for 16 months apparently. According to the label and the b4you website, it is a
Foaming gel for extra-deep cleansing of the skin without drying it. The product contains 45% Hispagel. Hispagel is a luxurious substance which functions as an excellent moisturizer. It keeps the skin hydrated even 7 hours after application. Deep Cleansing Gel also contains Vitamin E which has the properties of rejuvenating the skin, protecting from environmental pollution and preserving its health.
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| Ingredients list |
I also bought the facial mask from the same line, which only needs to be used once a week and claims to give the skin a nice glow. After I bought and started using the two DL face products, I noticed a "purging" period of about 2 weeks and after that, a marked improvement in my skin. Of course, my skin condition has yet to return to its previous good state, but I'm waiting for the day it does!
Note: My SO also bought the DL Purifying Gel (pictured above) as he has rather oily skin and enlarged pores. Both he and I have seen a marked improvement in his skin texture too! Another friend of mine bought it on my recommendation but has yet to see results (he's only been using it for a few weeks though), but he loves the scent.
The Verdict
+ Large improvement in skin texture
+ Controls skin oil production effectively
+ Great scent
+ Moisturises skin deeply and doesn't dry it out
- On the expensive side
(SGD 38 for the Purifying Gel for Normal/All skin types and SGD 78 for the Combination skin one) but you can get 10% depending on how much you buy. There are DL sales at certain periods if you become a member.
- May be hard to find stock as it's only sold in selected Guardian stores
- I found it difficult to get the last squeezes of gel out from the Normal/All skin types packaging
I give DL Purifying Gel a 5/5 overall because of its effectiveness in improving skin texture in the long run. If you're interested in getting it, you should probably get the cheaper and smaller Purifying Gel to test first. You could also go to their product website and read up more before you decide!
Overall: ♥♥♥♥♥
Product packaging: ♥♥♥♥♥ (For the Combination skin packaging), ♥♥♥♥- (For the Normal/All skin types packaging)
Effectiveness: ♥♥♥♥♥
Repurchase value: ♥♥♥♥♥
EDIT: A reader requested for the list of ingredients, and I've included it along with the picture of the DL Purifying Gel above.
