Drunk Elephant has quickly earned itself a following with its clever product names and natural formulations, including their commitment to avoiding “suspicious six” ingredients found in many skincare products and prioritizing efficient yet skin-friendly elements.
Fun packaging and humorous product names have earned Sephora best-seller list recognition, earning them praise from beauty editors. Below are some of their must-try products!
Marula Oil
Marula oil first made headlines in the UK when Drunk Elephant launched in 2018. This ultra-hydrating, non-greasy ingredient (known by its Latin name of Sclerocarya birrea) can be found throughout their product offerings – be it as part of your retinol serum regimen, body oil to soften dry skin and hair, or an eye serum booster, it has many uses that should make for healthy, glowing skin! One to add to any skincare regime!
Marula face oil stands out from other facial oils by feeling light and airy once applied, with only a faintly nutty fragrance that fades quickly when it absorbs into your skin. Perfect for dehydrated skin types alike, marula works by locking in moisture while increasing barrier-boosting fatty acids to boost barrier function, all while minimizing inflammation and plumping up fine lines and wrinkles by plumping the skin.
Additionally, this serum is non-comedogenic – meaning that it won’t clog your pores or cause breakouts – and has antioxidant properties to neutralize free radicals and protect against oxidative damage, leading to signs of aging. Furthermore, its use has also been proven effective at inhibiting enzymes that break down this protein and prevent elastin from breaking down altogether.
Ethanol can also be used as an anti-aging and healing massage therapy, soothing inflammation and helping tissue regeneration regain strength and elasticity. Furthermore, its topical application on wounds such as cuts or burns reduces inflammation while speeding healing times and encouraging new cell growth.
As an anti-inflammatory, turmeric can also serve as a makeup primer or even out skin tone. Furthermore, turmeric is an effective natural sunblock protecting from UVA and UVB rays.
Marula may offer many impressive benefits, yet not everyone should use it. Due to its high omega-6 content and unbalanced fatty acid profile, marula should not be applied directly to acne-prone or oily skin types as it may exacerbate irritation. Its main strength lies in being used alongside other active ingredients as it has shown efficacy at increasing efficacy while sealing them into skin pores while acting as an anti-inflammatory.
Lala Retro Whipped Cream
If you want a moisturizer that will hydrate and improve the appearance of your skin, look no further! Drunk Elephant’s best seller and 2022 Allure Readers’ Choice winner consists of six African oils combined into a light-to-medium texture moisturizer, which doesn’t contain essential oils, drying alcohols, silicones, chemical sunscreens or fragrance/dyes – an impressive feat in itself!
Clean luxury skincare brand Alyria provides an excellent product to address dry skin at a highly reasonable price point, offering full-sized jars at $60 at Sephora, Space NK, and Cult Beauty. While the moisturizer does have some scent that doesn’t offend, its sensory nature reminds one of rich face cream. Packaging may not be recyclable but remains stylish and hygienic thanks to a pump dispenser dispenser.
This multi-functional rescue cream contains six rare African oils and plant ceramide complex to provide barrier support against environmental stressors and environmental irritants. Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer soaks up and releases intense hydration, while antioxidant-rich fermented Green Tea combats signs of aging – the perfect combination for dry, tired skin! Use alone or pair with serum, oil, or mask for a complete skin-care regime.
Sukari Babyfacial
Drunk Elephant quickly rose from an unknown brand into an international cult favorite with this at-home facial exfoliant that revolutionized its image and usage. Safe for all skin types, this professional-grade at-home exfoliant contains a 25% AHA/2% BHA blend featuring glycolic, tartaric, lactic, and citric acids as the key ingredients to exfoliate while unclogging pores while helping prevent breakouts through dissolving dead cells trapped within pores while simultaneously soothing redness.
The formula features non-fragrant plant oils to hydrate and nourish new skin cells, while matcha tea, milk thistle extracts, apple fruit extract, and pumpkin ferment offer soothing properties. In addition, this treatment contains niacinamide as a cell-communicating ingredient that brightens and evens skin tone.
Like any product containing acid, this acid peel should only be used sparingly (once every week or less) to avoid over-exfoliation or irritation. Its lightweight formula doesn’t leave skin feeling greasy but may cause some initial tingling followed by mild redness and peeling. Although the recommended usage frequency is once every week, increasing this frequency could increase risk.
Another key advantage of this product is that it does not contain fragrance, essential oils, or colorants – something central to their brand ethos and one reason so many are drawn to their products. They believe in forgoing unnecessary ingredients to develop research-backed formulations that work.
Like other products from Drunk Elephant’s line, this is cruelty-free and suitable for sensitive skin. Additionally, it’s free from silicone, phthalates, parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, dyes, artificial colors, and chemical sunscreens – so if you’re curious to explore their other offerings, here’s your chance.
Jelly Cleanser
Jelly cleansers have quickly become one of the hottest trends of 2018. It’s easy to see why: they’re fun, smell incredible, and effectively remove makeup and dirt without stripping skin or leaving it tight and dry – making them a good solution for those who find oil cleansers too wide or foaming varieties too drying or irritating.
Drunk Elephant’s Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser is one of the finest jelly cleansers for all skin types, featuring mild coconut-based surfactants and makeup-dissolving emollients that effectively cleanse impurities such as dirt, excess oil, and makeup from skin. Additionally, its formula features natural fruit enzymes to dissolve dead skin cells; willow bark extract helps unclog pores and rejuvenates the complexion, while Glycerin replenishes and soothes.
This cleanser features a combination of 3 natural, plant-derived seed oils, including grape, sunflower, and meadowfoam seed oils – designed to cleanse, nourish and restore the complexion. Its unique three-phase formula evolves while you wash – from jelly through oil to milk – effortlessly melting away makeup, sunscreen, and pollution for a purified, balanced, and hydrated result.
While it may be costly ($65 on Cult Beauty’s website), this cleanser contains ingredients to benefit your complexion and comes packaged in an eye-catching white and orange tube that looks nice in any bathroom cabinet. Furthermore, this cruelty-free and vegan-safe cleanser is free from Six Suspicious Ingredients, such as drying alcohols, silicones, chemical sunscreens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances/dyes, and SLS that may compromise its efficacy.
Gently massage wet skin before adding water and lathering with this cleanser, then rinse and pat dry afterward. Use in either morning or evening as part of a double cleanse routine, either preceded by make-up removal or followed with toner application; it is suitable for all skin types but is especially beneficial for oily or combination skin types. It is also available in smaller sizes ($32) at Sephora, Ulta SpaceNK, and Cult Beauty stores.
