Five Skin Types, Five Solutions – We Put Drunk Elephant to the Test

Founded in 2012 by Tiffany Masterson, Drunk Elephant has earned a reputation for high-performance skincare – and that didn't come out of nowhere. Frustrated by her own compounding skin issues, Masterson was brand-hopping skincare, trying dozens of different products with limited success. Through trial and error, she identified six ingredients she believed were at the root of her complexion concerns and began eliminating as many of them as she could from her routine.

But while the improvements were immediate, the process wasn’t straightforward; unable to find products that didn’t contain at least one of the six, she decided to start formulating her own skincare line from scratch.

Over a decade later, Drunk Elephant is a household name. The brightly coloured bottles have launched a thousand ‘shelfies’, and their clinically proven contents are responsible for glowing faces (and bodies, and very shiny hair) across the globe.

With a range of skin types and needs across the MECCA office, we rounded up five team members to put five Drunk Elephant products to the test for a week – specific to everyone’s concerns, of course. Here’s what they had to say.

Skin Concern: Fine Lines

For many (this writer included), moisturisers are a necessary but uninspiring part of one’s skincare routine – a simply 'lock in’ step between more exciting serums and essential SPFs. So, when presented with a supercharged moisturiser as her product to address fine lines, our Content Manager Julia was certainly... ‘whelmed’.

“If I’m honest, I didn’t think I needed a new moisturiser, but I am so pleasantly surprised by Drunk Elephant’s Protini™ Polypeptide Cream that it’ll be taking up permanent residence in my routine,” she said.

Protini™ is the complexion version of a Pilates class, with plumping peptides, supportive amino acids and antioxidant-boosting pygmy waterlily – a trio that improves tone and texture, and leaves skin feeling firmer and stronger over time.

It proved a winning combination for Julia, who appreciated the buttery texture and rich feel: “I have an oily T-zone and this has the occlusive feel of a rich cream without any of the slick,” she explains.

So, what about the results? “At 37, fine lines are creeping in and wrinkles are etched a little deeper. That’s okay – I want to look my age but also look good for my age. I’m impressed by how much this cream has filled that brief. If my skin looks a little firmer, smoother and more well-rested from one product, it’s worth its weight in peptides.”

Skin Concern: Hydration

As the weather cools down and indoor heating goes up, hydration (or a lack thereof) can be a major concern. Dimi’s skin was given a big drink with Drunk Elephant’s B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum. The water-based formula is packed with provitamin B5 (aka, panthenol) to attract and retain moisture, and sodium hyaluronate (a version of hyaluronic acid that penetrates the skin rather than sitting on top of it).

For Design Lead Dimi, it was love at first pump: “It has a lightweight gel-serum texture that sinks in quickly without leaving any stickiness, which I love. My skin feels noticeably softer and more plump after using it, with a subtle velvety finish that makes it feel really nice on the skin. It’s hydrating without ever feeling heavy, and it gives my skin a healthy, glowy look,” she said.

Most importantly, it seamlessly subbed into her current skincare regimen: “I find it super easy to layer under moisturiser, SPF or makeup, and it mixes well with other products too. Overall, it feels like a reliable hydration booster that fits effortlessly into my routine.”

Skin Concern: Uneven Skin Tone

Drunk Elephant’s C-Firma™ Fresh Day Serum is a little different to other vitamin C skincare you may have tried; it comes as a vial of liquid serum base and a separate dose of 15% l-ascorbic acid powder, in order to maximise the efficacy and longevity of its active ingredient.

A serum that you mix yourself might seem intimidating, but for Senior Designer Natalie, it was a fun way to ensure she was giving her skin all the brightening benefits of vitamin C, straight from the source: “It’s reassuring knowing the vitamin C hasn’t been sitting around oxidising on a shelf, and that you’re getting it at its most potent,” she explained.

Aside from the guaranteed potency, Natalie loved C-Firma™'s feel: “I’ve tried quite a few vitamin C serums, and this one stands out for how lightweight it is. It’s nice and thin, doesn’t feel heavy on the skin, and doesn’t have that strong, overpowering scent some vitamin C products do. It genuinely feels like I’m wearing nothing, which I really appreciate.”

Like all good things, C-Firma™ takes time; with daily use, you can expect dark spots and uneven tone to noticeably improve in four to six weeks. While Natalie’s skin looked brighter after a week, she was excited to keep using the serum and see the results for herself.

Skin Concern: Barrier Support

Acids, exfoliants and actives on actives – it’s easy to get carried away with addressing (read: attacking) your skin concerns and end up compromising your all-important barrier in the process.

Enter: Lala Retro™ Whipped Cream, an OG of the Drunk Elephant lineup that’s had a glow-up to now include barrier-supporting ceramides. Already familiar with the beloved moisturiser (more than 2,500 five-star reviews, and counting), Influencer Marketing Manager Steven was interested to try the new superpowered version and see what the added ingredients could do.

The verdict? “My skin felt softer and smoother after a few days. It felt comfortable and well hydrated overall."

Blessed with a balanced skin type, Steven’s major worry is ensuring it stays that way – and barrier protection is his first priority when trialling new products or ingredients. He found Lala Retro™’s lightweight formula deeply moisturising, with serious staying power: “It absorbed quickly and the hydration lasted well throughout the day compared to my usual moisturiser. It layered well with the rest of my skincare and didn’t make my skin feel greasy during the day.”

Skin Concern: Texture

As we age, we think bumps and blemishes will be a relic of our youth – left behind with all nighters, sleeping in our makeup and skinny jeans. But while most of these habits have been put to bed (we hope), textured skin is something that can follow us well into our thirties, forties and beyond.

To target dullness and congestion, Kerina was armed with Drunk Elephant’s powerful T.L.C. Framboos™ Glycolic Night Serum. Blending high-strength AHAs and BHAs (two chemical exfoliants), it lifts dead skin cells, purifies pores and smooths the skin, leaving behind a radiant complexion.

“I love it because it’s so glowy,” the DC team member told us. “I love when I wake up in the morning [and] my skin feels so hydrated and smooth.”

This easy addition to her nightly routine – just a few pumps (a little goes a long way) applied to clean, dry skin before moisturiser – will be a mainstay going forward.