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Describe the brand in three words.
Clean. Trendy. American.
Who is it for?
Anyone and everyone. But you will need to modify how you use it accordingly if you are on the dry skin spectrum.
What’s in it?
Water, Glycolic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Aesculus Hippocastanum (Horse Chestnut) Seed Extract, Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract, Buddleja Davidii Meristem Cell Culture, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae (Yeast) Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Juice Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica (Cactus) Extract, Sclerocarya Birrea (Marula) Seed Oil, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Propanediol, Xanthan Gum, Galactoarabinan, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Disodium EDTA, Hexylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide (pH adjustor), Phenoxyethanol
What’s not in it?
Animal Fats/Oils/Musks, Benzalkonium Chloride, Benzophenone, Bisphenol A (BPA), Butoxyethanol, BHA, BHT, Chemical Sunscreens, Coal Tar Dyes, -Cones, Detergent, Essential Oils, Ethanolamines (MEA/DEA/TEA), Formaldehyde, Fragrance, Hydroquinone, Liquid Petrolatum, Methyl Cellosolve, Methylisothiazolinone, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Mercury, Mercury Compounds, Mineral Oil, Oxybenzone, Parabens, Paraffin Oil, Phthalates, Polyethylene Glycol (PEGs), Resorcinol, Retinyl Palmitate, Retinol, Siloxanes, Sulfates, Thimerosal, Toluene, Triclosan, Triclocarban
That’s quite a list!
Possibly acne/allergy/troubling for some ingredients?
The brand says that they have made it for every skin and that you shouldn’t have a problem, but anyone can be allergic to anything.
Suitable for pregnancy?
It doesn’t say, but I would say yes, despite the salicylic content.
Natural? Organic? Synthetic? Vegan?
Natural and Synthetic
Tested on animals in home country/EU/sold in territories that require testing?
No/No/No
How does it smell?
Fragrance-free
How do you use it?
Apply to a clean, dry face in the evenings. Shake before use*, use one pump and apply.
Can it be taken around the eyes?
No
Best for winter or summer?
Either, just don’t forget your SPF in either case.
How long did I test it for?
On and off since June
How much is it? /Size/Approximate cost per usage?
$90.00 for 30ml
Works well with?
They recommend the Marula Oil to follow.
What’s the packaging like?
My favourite thing about the brand, the packaging is brilliant. Airtight, opaque, the lid locks for travel, the colours are lovely. I have the newer packaging with the click and close lid, not the removable cap and pump.
What’s the website like?
Good. All ingredients are listed, it warmed me to the brand, but I could do without the liberal use of the word ‘toxic’. (See all previous ranting posts)
How’s the distribution? Available freely or limited?
In Sephora and online in the States, in the UK via Cult Beauty and Space NK.
What’s good about it?
The ethos, the packaging, the line-up of skus, that’s all good. This absolutely should work like a charm. It has a high level of mixed acids at 12% and a PH of 3.8-4.0, low enough to work, not too low that you’re in danger of doing damage. Drunk Elephant is a brand causing a lot of industry stir at the moment: wwd.com/drunk-elephant-estee-lauder-acquisition with talk of selling to a larger corporation. It’s just talk at the moment, but is perhaps inevitable.
It’s a good formula, with a lot of thought put into it. It’s also one of my most requested product reviews ever, which makes me slightly nervous to say….
What’s not so good about it?
Maybe it’s because I’ve been doing acids for years but this didn’t really do much for me. I’m sure, having read a ton of reviews, that it absolutely works very well for a lot of people, but for me it was a tad drying, and I didn’t see a big difference. I give total kudos to DE for listing their PH, so often avoided by brands, like Coca-Cola’s ‘X’ ingredient. It has all the right ingredients for all the right reasons. I just didn’t see a big difference. I think you would however, see a difference if you are fairly new to acids or have previously only used milder products like Glow Tonic or First Aid Beauty Pads.
If you are on the dry side, I would stick to liquid exfoliants or add a good hydrating moisturiser after using this.
I like this brand, I think I would like their other products. I just happen to need stronger acids than this is all.
Would I purchase/repurchase?
I wouldn’t, but lots of you would, which says a lot.
Do you need it?
Yes, if you don’t particularly like liquid acids, or want a mixture of acids in one easy pump. No if you already use a ton of individual acids or are very dry.
Similar products?
Bravura Glycolic
Paula’s Choice
Peter Thomas Roth Glycolic Acid
Drunk Elephant TLC Framboos Glycolic Night Serum is $90.00 and available from Sephora.com or Space NK.
*This post contains some affiliate links (not for Drunk Elephant). If you are happy to click on them and support the blog, thank you very much. If you would rather not, just google the product. It’s all good. See my full disclaimer here: http://bit.ly/1rpEmSq The views expressed on this site are the author’s own and are provided for informational purposes only. The author makes no warranties about the suitability of any product or treatment referenced or reviewed here for any person other than herself and any reliance placed on these reviews or references by you is done so solely at your own risk. Nothing on this site shall be construed as providing dermatological, medical or other such advice and you are always advised to seek the advice of a suitable professional should you have any such concerns.
