Drunk Elephant Skincare Review: What Worked and What Didn't

Drunk Elephant has been making waves in the beauty scene for a while now, both online and off. Influencers on social media and bloggers have raved about Drunk Elephant products and how they've changed their skin. The brand has a cult following amongst skincare junkies like myself and advocates of clean beauty. 

Along with all this hype comes a high price tag. Drunk Elephant falls in the middle ground between being a high-end luxury skincare brand and a mid-market one, with products ranging from $20-$120. Their prices are due to the high-quality ingredients they use and their dedication to being a natural, clean brand. 

I went on a mission to discover the best Drunk Elephant products and see which ones are worth the hype (and the price tag) and which aren't. For context, I have sensitive, acne-prone, dry skin and have struggled with cystic hormonal acne for most of my life. I tested out these products over the course of several weeks to several months, depending on the product. 

The Brand

Drunk Elephant is a natural skincare brand dedicated to using clean ingredients that are good for the skin. They specifically don't include any of the "Suspicious 6" in any of their products. This includes:

• Essential Oils
• Drying Alcohols
• Silicones
• Chemical Sunscreens
• Fragrance/Dyes
• SLS (aka sulfates)

Because of this, the Drunk Elephant products are particularly good for people with sensitive or acne-prone skin, since these 6 ingredients are known irritants and acne culprits. Personally, this is a huge part of what drew me to the brand in the first place and why I was so excited to try out their products. I've battled with hypersensitive acne-prone skin for most of my life and it's difficult to find products on the market that don't include irritating ingredients (though fortunately, it has become easier in recent years with the rising popularity of brands like Drunk Elephant). 

For more background on the brand and their philosophy, check out their website.

Product Reviews

Table of Contents:

• T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum Review 
• T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial Review 
• Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil Review 
• C-Firma Day Serum Review 
• B-Hydra Intensive Hydrating Serum Review 
• Protini Polypeptide Cream Review 
• Lala Retro Whipped Cream Review 
• Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser Review 

T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum

What it is:

A 12% AHA/BHA serum (includes Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Tataric, Citric, and Salicylic Acids)

What it does:

Resurfaces skin through chemical exfoliation to make skin smoother and more radiant

What I think:

This serum is my holy grail. It's my #1 favorite of all Drunk Elephant's products and I think it is absolutely worth the ridiculous price tag. Why? Because it works. It's so rare that a product truly delivers on the results it promises, but the TLC Framboos serum does. 

After using it at night 2-3 times per week for several weeks, my skin was noticeably brighter and smoother. It works to fade my acne scars and make my complexion glow. Importantly, it also doesn't irritate my sensitive skin or cause any adverse reaction. Just make sure you wear an SPF during the day to protect your skin!

Read the full review

T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial

What it is:

25% AHA + 2% BHA facial 

What it does:

Resurfaces skin through chemical exfoliation to improve texture and dullness

What I think:

This is probably Drunk Elephant's most hyped product, and for a good reason. It's a fantastic facial treatment that, although pricey, comes in at a way lower price point than going to a professional facial. It's powerful stuff, so be careful and spot test before slathering it over your face, and always follow the instructions. 

I really enjoyed Babyfacial and thought it did a great job of resurfacing my skin to make it brighter and smoother. It definitely stings when you have it on, so be prepared and keep it far away from your eyes and mouth. If you, like me, hate facials but love chemical exfoliation, Babyfacial is worth the investment.

Read the full review

Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil

What it is:

100% virgin marula facial oil

What it does:

Reverse signs of aging and improve skin texture (also protect from environment stressors and free radicals)

What I think:

This serum makes a lot of lofty claims. Drunk Elephant calls it "wonder-working" but unfortunately I have not seen any wonders on my skin from using this facial oil. It's a really good facial oil, don't get me wrong - it's lightweight yet hydrating, absorbs quickly but doesn't disappear, doesn't irritate or break me out, and makes your skin feel plump and soft. However these are all things that my $12 rosehip seed oil also does, so I can't justify the price tag.

Read the full review

C-Firma Day Serum

What it is:

15% L-Ascorbic acid vitamin C day serum

What it does:

Brightens and firms skin, improving signs of photoaging

What I think:

This is an excellent vitamin C serum that doesn't ball up under makeup or leave a sticky residue. While I can't speak to the firming or anti-aging properties of this serum, I can speak to the brightening part. While I wasn't impressed with C-Firma's results using it alone, once I started mixing it with the B-Hydra serum I saw amazing results. My skin looked smooth and healthy, with a lit-from-within glow that made me want to stop wearing makeup (shocking for a foundation devotee like myself). 

Fun fact about C-Firma: It stays active on your skin for up to 72 hours and can't be washed off!

Read the full review

B-Hydra Intensive Hydrating Serum

What it is:

Vitamin B5 gel serum with pineapple ceramide

What it does:

Hydrates and brightens dry, parched skin to improve skin texture and tone

What I think:

This is a wonderful hydrating serum for folks with dry skin to mix into your other products (especially Drunk Elephant C-Firma serum!) It mixes well with creams, oils, and other serums and gives them an extra boost of hydration. I can't say I saw any remarkable improvements to my skin's texture or tone because of this, but I do love it for mixing with other products day or night. It's very soothing and non-irritating, so it's also great for sensitive or reactive skin.

Read the full review

Protini Polypeptide Cream

What it is:

Protein moisturizer with peptides and amino acids

What it does:

Deliver youthful skin by improving skin's texture, tone, and firmness

What I think:

This moisturizer is geared towards the anti-aging crowd, as it claims to reduce fine lines, wrinkles, and signs of sun damage. I personally don't have any of those, so maybe this moisturizer isn't meant for me, but I still enjoyed it. It's a nice lightweight gel-cream moisturizer that is hydrating and fast-absorbing. I see this being a good product for summer, or for people with oily skin. While I didn't see any of the promised results, that's more on me than on Drunk Elephant. So I would still recommend this product.

Lala Retro Whipped Cream

What it is:

A "retro-style" moisturizer for dry, dull skin

What it does:

Rescues dry skin by hydrating, brightening, and relieving irritation

What I think:

Though I have no clue what a "retro-style" moisturizer is supposed to be (other than a cute marketing ploy), Lala Retro is an excellent all-around moisturizer for dry, sensitive skinned folks. It's soothing and non-irritating, and provides a nice dose of hydration. I can use it in both the day and night since it doesn't leave any residue, and it works well under makeup. If you're looking for a solid moisturizing cream to add to your routine, Lala Retro is a good option at a decent price point. Bonus: The packaging is super cute and hygienic!

Read the full review

Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser

What it is:

A makeup-removing jelly cleanser 

What it does:

Removes makeup, excess oil, and grime without stripping skin

What I think:

This cleanser is only ok. It foams up nicely on the skin and does a decent job of removing makeup while still being gentle, but I would never use this product alone to remove all my makeup (I'm a dedicated double-cleansing fan). The big con of the Beste Jelly cleanser for me was that it stung my eyes, which is a dealbreaker. For $32, there are better cleansers out there on the market.

Products I Haven't Tried (Yet) and Why:

A-Passioni Retinol Cream 

Drunk Elephant released their very first retinol cream (a 1% formula), and it's received a lot of praise online - but it's also caused some drama. Retinol is a notoriously strong ingredient that, when improperly used, can wreak havoc on your skin, destroying your moisture barrier and causing you to peel like a lizard. But when used properly, it can do wonders to treat both wrinkles and acne. I don't have much experience with retinol, and don't particularly have a need for it right now, so I don't think I'll be testing out this product in the near future.

C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream

I have yet to try Drunk Elephant's C-Tango eye cream, which is a vitamin C eye cream that works in tandem with their C-Firma Day Serum. It has good reviews and I'm interested in testing it out - I just haven't gotten around to finishing up my current eye creams yet. 

Shaba Complex Eye Serum

The Shaba Complex eye serum is an under-eye product aimed at reducing the signs of aging. This product isn't really meant for me as a 23-year-old with no wrinkles (yet) so I'll give it a pass for now. 

D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops

This is one of the Drunk Elephant products that has gotten a lot of hype from influencers and I really want to try, but it just won't work on my skin. I'm extremely fair and any kind of bronzer just makes me look muddy. So this product is a pass for me, but would be wonderful if you have a slightly less pasty skin tone and are looking for a nice glowy, bronzey product for summer.

Umbra Physical Daily Defense SPF 30

The Drunk Elephant Umbra Physical Daily Defense is on my radar for products to try this summer. It's a physical sunscreen, which is far less irritating for sensitive skin than traditional chemical sunscreens. They have it in both a tinted and sheer version, both with SPF 30.

Lippie Balm

I just can't justify paying $18 for a regular lip balm. End of story.

Juju Bar

The Juju Bar is one of those underdog Drunk Elephant products that doesn't get quite as much love on social media, but definitely has a cult following. I've never been a fan of bar cleanser in the past, mostly because I find them unnecessarily messy. But they definitely have advantages for travel and lack of plastic packaging ruining the environment. However, the Juju Bar is targeted towards oily skin, and I have dry skin, so I won't be purchasing it.

Pekee Bar

To be honest, I didn't know this product existed. I haven't seen any reviews of it online and never noticed it in the store, since it gets less-than-prime real estate at the bottom shelf of the Drunk Elephant display at Sephora. The Pekee Bar seems like the Juju Bar for dry skin, so more catered towards my skin type. If I was in need of a good solid cleanser, I would gravitate to this one, but that hasn't happened yet.