15 hours ago
Young Aussie business owner breaks down in tears in the Coles carpark after 'devastating' find on shelves: 'I'm just so upset'
An Australian entrepreneur has been left in tears after a trip to Coles left her feeling overlooked and overwhelmed in the competitive grooming and beauty market.
Clara Momesso, the founder of boutique personal care brand S'haven Body, broke down in a video after discovering a product similar to her hero launch on supermarket shelves.
The product? A pink whipped shaving foam packed with nourishing skincare ingredients - but for a quarter of the price.
In an emotional video that's now racked up more than 2.1million views in 24hours, Clara admitted she felt 'really upset' at the discovery.
Her tears streamed after seeing a mainstream version of the very concept she spent two years perfecting, appear under a well-known, much larger brand, just months after launching her own.
'I just found out that a very successful personal care brand is coming out with a product that is basically the same as mine,' she said.
'I literally opened my phone, and I saw this brand that's already in all the major supermarkets. They've released a pink shave gel and they're releasing it into Coles and I'm just really upset about it.'
Although she's quick to clarify she doesn't believe the conglomerate copied her, Clara admitted the timing felt like a gut-punch after years of hard work and innovation.
'I worked really, really hard on developing a concept that was new that nobody else had done. That was kind of my ticket into retail,' she explained.
'I knew competition was going to come... but I'm just frustrated that they got there first, and I can't compete with them.'
While the two products share a striking resemblance in their formulas - both boasting a pink hue, nourishing skincare ingredients, and a sweet scent - they're not identical.
However, the price discrepancy Clara highlights has social media, and shoppers, firmly divided.
Clara's Shaven Whipped Shaving Foam is a creamy, mousse-like formula enriched with hyaluronic acid and panthenol, designed to hydrate and cushion the skin during shaving. Retailing at $39.95 for 200g, it's positioned as a premium self-care indulgence, with luxe packaging and a strong focus on skin benefits.
Gem's Skin-Loving Shaving Gel, on the other hand, is a $10 supermarket buy that 'transforms from a water-activated gel into a soft foam', according to the website.
While it also includes moisturising ingredients like shea butter, aloe vera and vitamin E, it leans more into accessibility and convenience - with a slightly smaller 195g size and a more budget-friendly price point.
And with Australia's cost of living showing no signs of slowing down, the price gap has sparked a heated debate among shoppers online.
'I'm all for women in business, however need to read the room, as in this climate (which is not the roaring 20's), $40 for shaving foam is out of taste. People are grabbing what is half price or on special,' one commented.
'I can relate to this and I'm proof that if someone is bringing out the 'same' product as you doesn't mean they're better than you… ps. We use and love your product x,' another added.
The split reflects a growing tension in beauty retail right now - consumers are craving affordable everyday essentials, but also want to support homegrown innovation.
In a statement to FEMAIL, Clara stressed her video was never meant to pit her brand against a major player or drag anyone down.
'They have a product that will serve a portion of the market and mine will serve a different portion of the market,' she said.
'They are two products that solve the same problem and are similar in some ways, but they are different. I know there is space for both brands. I was just sad at the time of seeing their announcement.'
Ingredient face-off: What's actually different?
Both formulas contain pink-tinted foam, moisturising agents and sweet scents, but Clara's version leans into premium ingredients like hyaluronic acid and panthenol for skin hydration, while Gem's opts for soothing aloe, vitamin E and shea butter.
Price and accessibility, of course, are the biggest points of difference with Clara's priced at $39.95 available online only (with $10 postage added to each order), and Gem's $10 version, which is already stocked in Coles supermarkets nationwide.
Still, Clara argued that her brand represents far more than just a beauty product, it's about vision, innovation and small business grit.
'I knew the competition was gunna' come, and it's a normal, healthy part of business, but I'm just frustrated that they got there first.'
Well, in the theme of popular idiom's, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger, and clearly, not all good things come to those who wait.
