As far as beauty success stories go, Drunk Elephant's is a fascinating one. I can still recall the first time the brand began making waves stateside on YouTube and the frenzy that followed when it finally launched on home soil in 2018 – I couldn't wait to get my hands on the brand's hero product, the C-Firma Day Serum and can confirm it was worth the fuss. What began as a side hustle with a bar of soap in 2013 by Texan housewife-turned-entrepreneur Tiffany Masterson has since evolved into a globally renowned disruptive beauty brand that has reshaped conversations around skincare. Now, with a combined following of 3.3 million across Instagram and TikTok, Drunk Elephant's offerings are always guaranteed to launch into the viral stratosphere with seismic influence, whether appealing to millennials who grew up with the brand or Gen Alpha who have been lured by its brightly coloured packaging and are subsequently demanding their parents buy it for them.
In all honesty, despite the controversy around the rise of 'Sephora tweens’, we are all under Drunk Elephant's spell, be it because we are stocking up on its brilliant and buttery Slaai Make-up Melting Butter Cleanser, £36, or coating our skin in the ever popular D-Bronzi™ Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops, £33. While Masterson began the brand with a lineup of six products, including a low-pH cleanser, an antioxidant rich moisturiser, a vitamin C serum, a chemical exfoliating serum, and a sun protector, in 2024 Drunk Elephant is a fully fledged skincare haven catering to all needs but is primarily intent on respecting the integrity of skin.
Going against the grain of the 'all-natural' approach that was in vogue at the time, Masterson launched to market with products packed with both natural and synthetic ingredients that were based on 'biocompatibility' (meaning they are effective without damaging the skin's physiology through irritation), because, newsflash: even natural ingredients can impair your skin barrier.
This mantra helped to develop a line of products that 'focus on healthy pH levels, formulations the skin recognises, small molecular structures that are easily absorbed, and effective active ingredients that also support and maintain the skin’s acid mantle,' according to the brand's website. With that in mind, Drunk Elephant functions on a self-proclaimed 'ingredient-elimination philosophy' for a total skin balance reset and that means steering clear of what the brand has identified as the Suspicious 6™ – silicones, essential oils, chemical sunscreens, SLS, drying alcohols, and fragrances or dyes, which according to research can be the root cause of common skin problems like breakouts and sensitivity.
At the heart of the brand is Masterson's own story of skin struggles, which saw her through 'combo, oily in the T-zone, "sensitive" (or so I thought), occasionally breakout prone, out of balance, mild rosacea, visible pores, you name it. It was a lot,' she shares on the Drunk Elehpant website. But her frustration grew into a labour of love that is now dermatologist recommended, clinically effective, science and researched-backed, and the winner of 695 awards and counting. Not bad for a soap bar side hustle. Keen to try Drunk Elephant's best-loved buys? These are the ones we rate most.
Shop: The Best Drunk Elephant Products, According To Grazia's Beauty Team
Sameeha Shaikh, beauty writer, says, 'Don't be fooled by the sweet name and cute packaging, because this resurfacing treatment is as potent and transformative as you'd expect from a product that promises to banish stubborn, dull and uneven skin concerns. Packed with a serious cocktail of 25% AHA and 2% BHA blend of glycolic, tartaric, lactic, citric and salicylic acids, this at-home facial equivalent deeply exfoliates for baby smooth skin (hence the name) while still managing to respect skin sensitivity. That said, do conduct a patch test before you get to work.'
www.spacenk.com
Marina Avraam, deputy commerce editor, says: 'Internet-breaking, TikTok-making and all-round groundbreaking, the Drunk Elephant Bronzing Drops, £33, have made quite the impression on the beauty community over the past couple of years. The liquid gold drops went viral on TikTok when thousands of beauty influencers (notably Alix Earle) revealed their sun-kissed glow after mixing a few drops of the D-Bronzi liquid into their moisturiser. And, apart from giving the skin a literal glow-up, the drops are also packed with antioxidants and omega fatty acids, which protect your skin from environmental pollutants.'
Pros
- Give a natural glow that's never orange
Cons
- Sell-out fast
- Relatively small bottle
www.cultbeauty.co.uk
Georgia Scott, beauty & fashion product writer, says: 'A creamy, buttery formula made perfectly to suit both dry and oily skin types. Simply add the exfoliant into your cleanser twice a week to remove dead skin cells and leave your skin looking radiant and healthy.'
www.cultbeauty.co.uk
Joely Walker, head of beauty, says: 'For me, Vitamin C serum is like toothpaste – I won't leave the house without using it. Emphatic, I know – but in my remit as a beauty director I've had it drilled into me by every derm in the business as the holy grail in antioxidant protection. With a level of 15% l-ascorbic acid and 0.5% ferulic acid, you can rest assured that this going to deliver the goods (the goods being protection against all the cr*p that gets thrown our skin's way on a daily basis, such as pollution, UV damage etc). Added vitamin E also makes it an option for sensitive skin types – although it's always advisable to do a patch test with any active if you have super reactive skin (something I personally contend with). As for the formula: I'm not crazy about the scent, but that's something I frankly couldn't give a monkey's about after trying the super lightweight formula that sinks into skin in seconds without feeling in the slightest sticky. It even lends skin a little glow from the get-go. Sold.'
www.cultbeauty.co.uk
Georgia Scott, beauty & fashion product writer, says: 'This super buttery, rich cream is jam packed full of skin-loving ingredients to treat, target, repair and restore. Made with luxurious glucosyl ceramides and a blend of zinc and copper salt minerals to strengthen the skin's barrier and help the skin to produce collagen, lipids and hyaluronic acid.'
www.cultbeauty.co.uk
Hannah Coates, former beauty editor at Grazia, says: 'When it comes to my skincare routine, the only rule I live and die by is that the simpler my routine, the better my skin will be; I want minimal product with maximum effect and that's why I am loving the Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Gel. The brand's website – temptingly - describes it as a 'cool glass of water for thirsty skin' and that's exactly as it feels. Thanks to the texture, which is a light gel serum, it feels refreshing when applied, rather than heavy or cloying, making it perfect for even the oiliest skins (mine is somewhere in between combination and oily). The Vitamin B5 in the formula is a humectant which means that it will help the skin hold on to water while fortifying its barrier; to you and me that means healthy, strong and most importantly (or vainly) plump and smooth, glowing skin. Other ingredients, like Barberry, help soothe the skin and for someone whose skin can get pretty annoyed at the smallest of additions to the 'routine', this is a major plus. Even better, you don't need 8 cups a day to hydrate, just a couple of pumps and you're good to go: done.'
www.cultbeauty.co.uk
Emma Stoddart, former beauty writer at Grazia, says: 'I'm putting it down to the change in weather, but recently I've noticed a splurge of under skin bumps making their way across my forehead and jawline. Chatting to my fellow journo friend and beauty-junkie, she suggested I try Drunk Elephant's T.L.C Framboos Glycolic Night Serum. Packed with a powerful punch of AHAs including glycolic, lactic, citric and salicylic acids the serum works hard to lift dead skin cells and resurface texture. And it's working. In just over a week my skin feels notably smoother and more luminous. I'm recommending this one to everyone.'
Sameeha Shaikh is Grazia's beauty writer, working across all categories to bring you insights on the latest trends, industry news and the products you need to know about, viral or not (most probably viral).
