Best of Beauty honors under its belt, Drunk Elephant is undeniably beloved by our editors. Whether we’re reaching for its famous Babyfacial exfoliating mask at night or applying its mineral sunscreen at the beach, the fan-favorite brand has every complexion necessity covered.
While Drunk Elephant originally started as a skin-care brand, the company has since expanded its product line into other categories — most recently, hair care. As always, you can rest assured that each product is designed to keep your skin (and now hair) healthy, nourished, and radiant, thanks to the innovative vitamin-, antioxidant-, and mineral-infused formulas that often feature some of the most advanced, dermatologist-recommended ingredients, like retinol, various hydroxy acids, and peptides.
There’s plenty of praise to be sung for this brand, and a long list of products to shop from popular retailers like Sephora, Ulta Beauty, Space NK, and more. If you’re new to Drunk Elephant or already a fan and looking to try some of the latest launches, we’ve narrowed down several — 15, to be exact — of the top skin-care products that we think are worthy of a spot in your routine.
Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Resurf Serum
The 2021 Best of Beauty Award winner in the AHA facial serum category, Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Resurf Serum combines alpha hydroxy acids with an impressive assembly of 11 different peptides to address texture, evenness, and firmness from every angle. “I happen to think peptides are the future of skin care; they act like little messengers that prompt your cells to do any number of things,” says Allure Senior Beauty Editor Dianna Mazzone. “Here, they help plump and firm, while 10% lactic acid provides gentle exfoliation. The resulting serum, which I like to apply as my first step post-cleanse) leaves my skin brighter and bouncier than it was before.”
Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream
Sarah Han loves that Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream comes in a push-down pump format, but that’s only a fraction of why she’s a fan. “Besides the ease of use, Lala Retro is bursting with ceramides, one of my all-time favorite ingredients for soothing dry skin,” she says. “Even the six-oil blend doesn’t deter me from slathering on a hefty dollop every night, because it melts right into my skin for a comfortable, never-heavy finish.”
Drunk Elephant Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser
A favorite associate beauty director Sarah Kinonen, Drunk Elephant Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser has made our lists of best cleansers for both dry skin and oily skin — it’s just that universally awesome. Board-certified dermatologist Mona Gohara, MD, loves it, too, calling it “a perfect gentle foam to absorb oils,” without stripping skin thanks to an ideal pH level of 5.5 and moisturizing ingredients like aloe and glycerin.
Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream
One of our favorite dark-circle tacklers, Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream doesn’t just feature multiple vitamins (vitamin E and vitamin B5 among them); it contains multiple types of vitamin C. The five forms of the antioxidant serve as serious brighteners, while eight peptides ensure a strengthened and smoothed under-eye area. Why use an eye cream that addresses a single concern when truly thorough formulas like this one exist?
Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum
Unless you know wha the T.L.C. stands for in Drunk Elephant’s T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum, its name understates just what an alpha hydroxy acid powerhouse it is. It stands for tartaric, lactic, and citric acids, which join its titular glycolic acid big sis in the exfoliation efforts. “The combination of AHAs gives this serum the ability to penetrate deeper into the skin and perform synergistically better than any [single AHA] alone,” board-certified dermatologist Jason Emer, MD, has told Allure. As if that weren’t a formidable enough team of acids on its own, the formula also includes salicylic acid (a beta hydroxy acid) to increase clarity and evenness.
Drunk Elephant Sili Body Lotion
Between the marula and shea butters, the numerous botanical oils, and the five kinds of ceramides in Drunk Elephant’s Sili Body Lotion, much-needed moisture has no choice but to stay put on your skin. This delicious lotion is a super barrier strengthener, reducing water loss and leaving your legs, arms, and anywhere else you apply it looking and feeling soft and smooth.
Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum
Applying serum before your moisturizer is one of the easiest ways to keep your skin looking and feeling healthy since many are packed with highly concentrated doses of active ingredients. The B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum features a lightweight formula containing brightening pineapple ceramide and hydrating vitamin B5. It’s also infused with sodium hyaluronate (similar to hyaluronic acid, but lower in molecular weight), which cosmetic chemist Kelly Dobos tells Allure is “very effective for plumping lines.”
Drunk Elephant C-Firma Vitamin C Day Serum
The Best of Beauty Award-winning C-Firma Vitamin C Day Serum was already awesome before its recent reformulation, but it’s somehow that much better now. Before the first use, you mix the liquid serum base with the antioxidant-rich formula to ensure it’s at its most potent for repairing sun damage. It also features pumpkin ferment and pomegranate extract, both of which help to dissolve dead skin cells, thus reducing the appearance of pores and overall dullness.
Drunk Elephant Umbra Sheer Physical Daily Defense SPF 30
You already know the importance of wearing sunscreen daily (even indoors), but with so many options on the market, it can be challenging to narrow it down. The ultra-lightweight Umbra Sheer Physical Daily Defense SPF 30 pretty much eliminates the guesswork. It’s designed for — you guessed it — everyday wear. The editor-favorite sunscreen has won an Allure Readers’ Choice Award three consecutive years in a row, and it’s easy to see why. The creamy, silicone-free formula is ideal for even the most sensitive skin types and contains 20 percent zinc oxide (to protect the skin from harmful UV rays), as well as antioxidant-rich algae, sunflower sprout extracts, and raspberry seed oil.
Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream
A-Passioni Retinol Cream picked up a 2020 Best of Beauty Award after one Allure editor credited the product for reducing hyperpigmentation and breakouts. Retinol is one of the most versatile, dermatologist-lauded skin-care ingredients and can do just about anything, including brightening skin, reducing wrinkles, and minimizing breakouts. That said, it’s an all-around win for a range of skin concerns.
Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial
With professional facials few and far between these days, the T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial at-home peel is a more-than-suitable substitute. It’s designed for weekly use and is formulated with 25 percent AHAs like glycolic, tartaric, lactic, and citric acids — and two percent BHAs, otherwise known as salicylic acid. These chemical exfoliants eliminate dead skin cells and smooth texture. The creamy, non-traditional formula will leave your skin feeling fresh, clean, and rejuvenated. No wonder it won a Best of Beauty Award.
Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Face Oil
Once you’ve smoothed skin over with a peel, top it off with the brand’s moisturizing Virgin Marula Luxury Face Oil. It’s a pure one-ingredient oil packed with skin-restoring and vitamin E-infused marula oil to protect against free radicals and pollution.
Drunk Elephant Slaai Makeup-Melting Butter Cleanser
The Best of Beauty-winning Slaai Makeup-Melting Butter Cleanser is chock-full of soothing fruit extracts and oils including marula, baobab, and Kalahari melon seeds to keep skin moisturized and nourished. The oil-based cleansing balm also features bamboo and charcoal powders to gently exfoliate dead and dry skin.
Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Bronzing Drops
For a natural-looking, all-over glow in any season, try the antioxidant-rich D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Bronzing Drops. The lightweight formula is infused with soothing cocoa extract, fine line-eliminating peptides, rejuvenating vitamin D, and vitamin F (fatty acids), the latter of which promotes a healthy skin barrier.
Drunk Elephant E-Rase Milki Micellar Water
If you’ve yet to dive into the greatness of micellar water, you’re surely missing out. The beloved, ultra-gentle cleaning format gently grabs dirt, tones skin, and removes makeup all at the same time — and all without stripping or harming the skin. The hydrating, non-irritating E-Rase Milki Micellar Water offers a milky formula with nourishing omega fatty acids. “This is a great ceramide-based micellar water that’s perfect for removing makeup pre-wash,” board-certified dermatologist Deanne Mraz Robinson, MD, previously told Allure.