Drunk Elephant arrived in the UK just before Christmas and I've tried a few things from them so far. Despite them reducing their prices, this skincare brand isn't exactly cheap, so it's great to try out a set of minis first to see which things you want the full-sized products in. I was recently sent the Drunk Elephant the Littles Set* | £71 | by the lovely people at Cult Beauty and today I'm telling you my thoughts on these products and which I do want to pick up a full bottle of!
The set comes in this handy little waterproof pink wash bag and you pretty much get everything in here that you need for a full skincare routine. The only disappointment is that their Baby Facial isn't included; unfortunately this product isn't available in the UK and I'm not sure why this is, though you can't buy it in some places due to the high acid content so it could be that. I also maybe would have preferred to have been able to the other multivitamin eye cream from the range over the one in here (it just grabbed me a bit more initially). However outside of those two minor things; this is a great overview of the brand with the products I expected to be in here. The brand prides itself of being free from essential oils, drying alcohols, silicones, chemical screens, fragrances / dyes and SLS.
We have one cleanser in here which is actually my least-favourite product in the set, so let's get it out of the way! The Beste 9 Jelly Cleanser is a bog-standard gel cleanser to me; there's nothing wrong with it and I'll use it until its done, but it's not something I'm going to buy a full-sized tube of. I personally use this as a morning or second cleanser - it doesn't strip or dry out my skin and does the job, but I just wanted a bit more, as my expectations for this brand are high! It contains antioxidants in the form of cantaloupe fruit extract, coconut fatty acids and omegas 6 and 9.
There are three serums in here - two for the day and one that's more of an overnight treatment. We'll take a look at my favourite first: the C-Firma Day Serum. This is formulated with nutrients, fruit enzymes, Vitamin C and antioxidants. It has a gel formula that's slightly orange in colour and absorbs quickly into my skin without leaving any tackiness or residue. It leaves my skin looking smooth and feeling soft. My skin has been looking brighter and healthier since I started using this. If my skin is dry or dull; this is like resurrection in a bottle! It's pricey but I would like to get the large bottle of this one - maybe the compromise can be that I finish up a couple of serums I already have before I'm allowed to...
I am also a fan of the B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum - I guess C-Firma just stood out more because it's not like any other serum I can think of that's in my collection, whereas most of my serums are hydrating! This has a nice plumping effect on my skin and I find the gel formula very quick and easy to apply, so even if you don't have dry skin; if you're looking for a thirst-quenching step for your skincare routine, this should do the trick. It contains Vitamin B5 and pineapple ceramides.
Finally for serums there's the T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Acid Night Serum. I'd never really used a serum before bed prior to trying this, but I guess there's a first time for everything! Glycolic acid is a great acid exfoliator and this contains an impressive 12% concentration. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this for a newbie to acids; I think you'd be best trying a toner of <5% concentration and work your way up to this. I don't get any sensation or irritation of my skin when using this, but my skin is very used to acids by now, and it is quite normal if you do get that (as long as it doesn't burn!) It also contains lactic acid (another AHA) and salicylic acid (a BHA - also an acid exfoliator but a more pore-penentrating version, that's great for oilier skin types). I actually got this in another set last summer so have been able to try it for a good amount of time. It's definitely helped with texture and uneven skin tone after prolonged used, so I'm glad to have another little tube of it. I do have other AHA and BHA products in my collection, so common sense is telling me not to splash out on the large bottle of this, but I do really, really like it so we will have to wait and see how that one pans out...
For creams we have one face moisturiser and an eye serum. First up, let's talk about the the Lala Retro Whipped Cream. This is a cream-based moisturiser formulated with '6 rare African oils', so it is more for combination-to-dry skin but it isn't at all greasy once applied, so don't be scared! It contains marula oil, Vitamin C, melon, passionfruit and even more natural ingredients. The name is pretty accurate; this has a lightweight whipped texture that's nothing too rich and doesn't overwhelm my skin. It has a lovely hydrating and smoothing effect, making it a dream for my winter skin. I would like to pick up a proper tub of this, however I think I'll wait until next winter, because in a couple of months I'm going to be switching to fresher, more gel-based products as we head into spring and eventually summer (yay!)
We also have the Shaba Complex Eye Serum. It's a sort of cream-gel that leans more towards the former. One pump is enough to use on both eyes for me personally and I like this formula; it's a nice balance between refreshing and moisturising. It contains niacinamide, black tea, Q10 and copper peptides. It's nothing too heavy and doesn't make my eye area greasy. I've definitely noticed my under eyes look smoother since I've been using this and it helps depuff the area so I look more awake.
There's also an oil in the set which I already knew I loved from that set I tried last year and have already picked up a larger bottle of. The Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil is a great option for people who don't usually go for oils, as it absorbs beautifully and doesn't leave my skin with a shiny excess on its surface. It smooths and intensely nourishes my skin; I use it overnight and wake up with gorgeously soft and hydrated skin. It's been a winter staple for me!
Overall I'm really glad to have this set and if I wasn't sent it, I'd have picked it up myself. I've heard such amazing things about this brand but £50-80 is a lot of money to drop on a product right off the bat when skincare is such a personal experience. These products are really decent sizes, so you can definitely get a proper experience of them and see the difference in your skin to help you decide which you want as a permanent part of your routine.
Have you tried Drunk Elephant yet / do you plan to?
Disclosure - products marked * were gifted to me as unpaid advertisement for the brands / websites mentioned. All opinions expressed are my own. Please read my disclosure page for more information.
No comments
Post a Comment
Thank you for your comment - I read and appreciate every single one :)
There's no need to spam - I will check out your blog if you leave a click-able link under a genuine comment!
If you have a question please check back for my reply or tweet me @jasminetalksblg
xx