Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links and the products featured were provided for review.
Founded in 2014, Drunk Elephant is a Texas-based skincare company that I'm sure you've already heard by now. Wildly popular and much buzzed about on social media, the brand boasts a solid portfolio of everyday skincare products that utilize only clean ingredients proven to be safe and beneficial for the skin. Free of what the brand refers to as the "suspicious 6" (silicones, chemical sunscreens, sensitizing colorants/perfumes, SLS, essential oils, and drying alcohols) along with a list of other "blacklisted" ingredients (see here), Drunk Elephant believes that less is more and "natural" doesn't always mean good. I've been testing out some key products from the brand and today I have a breakdown of all three cleansers available for purchase. So to read my review of the Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser, the JuJu Bar, and the Pekee Bar, click.....
Drunk Elephant | Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser ($42 CAD):
Advertised as a non-irritating and non-sensitizing facial cleanser, the Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser comes in a simple flip top squeeze tube. After going through nine formulation tweaks (hence the name), the cleaner is free of SLS/SLES, fragrance, and essential oils. In place of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), two surfactants commonly used in cleansers that tend to irritate and sensitize the skin, Beste No. 9 uses a combination of milder surfactants such as the coconut-derived sodium lauroyl methyl isethionate. At an ideal pH of 5.9, the cleanser is also enriched with aloe extract, cantaloupe extract, and virgin marula seed oil (high in fatty acids and antioxidants).
Ingredients: Water, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate, Propanediol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Coco-Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, Cucumis Melo Cantalupensis Fruit Extract, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride
With a fresh gel consistency, the cleanser provides a mild lather. It doesn't foam as well as your typical SLS-formulated cleanser but there are enough bubbles to get things clean. The cleanser removes ordinary face makeup with no problem but I find that to remove stubborn waterproof mascara and eyeliner, it's best to double cleanse with an oil beforehand. After removal, my skin is left feeling clean but not stripped. There's a noticeable absence of that "squeaky clean" feeling I get with my regular cleansers but my skin is left soft and hydrated with no residue of any kind. Overall, this is a really nice, gentle face cleanser that's perfect for all skin types. If you are used to a more "potent" cleanser (i.e. one that contains SLS), the milder formulation might take some time to get used to. However, the product does a great job at removing dirt, oil, and most makeup so the skin is left clean but not parched.
Drunk Elephant | JuJu Bar ($35 CAD):
Made with virgin marula oil, heilmoor clay, acai extract, and goji extract, the JuJu Bar is a solid cleanser infused with a dash of gently exfoliating bamboo powder. With a pH level of 6.3, the bar deeply cleanses without stripping away the skin's natural moisture barrier. Thanks to the heilmoor clay, the bar has a light granite color and when rubbed between the hands, it provides a light foam lather. Although super fine and barely visible to the naked eye, the bamboo powder is surprisingly potent as a physical exfoliant. The only other bamboo powder-containing products I've tried comes from Lush (Just to Clarify Jelly Face Mask and Smuggler's Soul Facial Scrub, both of which are great) so I'm very glad that it's also utilized in the JuJu Bar. Not a whole lot of the powder comes off with each lather but there's enough to help remove dead skin cells and dry patches. Overall, this is a great solid cleanser for those with normal to oily skin. The formulation is gentle enough for sensitive or dry skin but the Pekee Bar (see below) is probably a better pick for those skin types.
Ingredients: Sodium Coco-Sulfate, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ, Cetearyl Alcohol, Bambusa Vulgaris Leaf/Stem Extract, Paraffin, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Water/Aqua/Eau, Heilmoor Clay, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract.
Drunk Elephant | Pekee Bar ($35 CAD):
A solid cleanser infused with marula oil, honey, and blueberry extract, the Pekee Bar gently cleanses and tones the skin while offering nourishing, antioxidant properties. Similar to the JuJu Bar, this cleanser is not a soap in that it has a pH of 6.3, which preserves the skin's natural moisture barrier. With a pure white appearance and no added fragrance, the Pekee Bar offers an incredibly rich and creamy lather. It's not super foamy like your typical soap but there's enough going around that the skin feels well-cleansed after use. Despite the creamy texture, the cleanser washes off without leaving a filmy residue.
Ingredients: Sodium Coco-Sulfate, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ, Cetearyl Alcohol, Paraffin, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Water/Aqua/Eau, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Honey/Mel/Miel, Glycerin, Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Fruit Extract
I find the bar nourishing and hydrating and the lathering experience highly enjoyable thanks to the rich, creamy lather. I personally would still use a makeup remover or cleansing oil to deal with waterproof eye makeup but the bar removes just about everything else (ex. foundation, sunscreen, blush). As is with the JuJu Bar, the bar format is a lot messier to use and store but once you get used to it, it's not too troublesome. Plus, because it's not a liquid, the bar is great for traveling.
Have you tried any products from Drunk Elephant? Are you a fan of solid cleansing bars? Share your thoughts with me in the comments below!
Availability:
Drunk Elephant is available in stores and online at Sephora and www.drunkelephant.com.
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| Drunk Elephant | Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser |
Advertised as a non-irritating and non-sensitizing facial cleanser, the Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser comes in a simple flip top squeeze tube. After going through nine formulation tweaks (hence the name), the cleaner is free of SLS/SLES, fragrance, and essential oils. In place of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), two surfactants commonly used in cleansers that tend to irritate and sensitize the skin, Beste No. 9 uses a combination of milder surfactants such as the coconut-derived sodium lauroyl methyl isethionate. At an ideal pH of 5.9, the cleanser is also enriched with aloe extract, cantaloupe extract, and virgin marula seed oil (high in fatty acids and antioxidants).
Ingredients: Water, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate, Propanediol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Coco-Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, Cucumis Melo Cantalupensis Fruit Extract, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride
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| Drunk Elephant | Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser |
Drunk Elephant | JuJu Bar ($35 CAD):
Made with virgin marula oil, heilmoor clay, acai extract, and goji extract, the JuJu Bar is a solid cleanser infused with a dash of gently exfoliating bamboo powder. With a pH level of 6.3, the bar deeply cleanses without stripping away the skin's natural moisture barrier. Thanks to the heilmoor clay, the bar has a light granite color and when rubbed between the hands, it provides a light foam lather. Although super fine and barely visible to the naked eye, the bamboo powder is surprisingly potent as a physical exfoliant. The only other bamboo powder-containing products I've tried comes from Lush (Just to Clarify Jelly Face Mask and Smuggler's Soul Facial Scrub, both of which are great) so I'm very glad that it's also utilized in the JuJu Bar. Not a whole lot of the powder comes off with each lather but there's enough to help remove dead skin cells and dry patches. Overall, this is a great solid cleanser for those with normal to oily skin. The formulation is gentle enough for sensitive or dry skin but the Pekee Bar (see below) is probably a better pick for those skin types.
Ingredients: Sodium Coco-Sulfate, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ, Cetearyl Alcohol, Bambusa Vulgaris Leaf/Stem Extract, Paraffin, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Water/Aqua/Eau, Heilmoor Clay, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract.
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| Drunk Elephant | JuJu Bar & Pekee Bar |
A solid cleanser infused with marula oil, honey, and blueberry extract, the Pekee Bar gently cleanses and tones the skin while offering nourishing, antioxidant properties. Similar to the JuJu Bar, this cleanser is not a soap in that it has a pH of 6.3, which preserves the skin's natural moisture barrier. With a pure white appearance and no added fragrance, the Pekee Bar offers an incredibly rich and creamy lather. It's not super foamy like your typical soap but there's enough going around that the skin feels well-cleansed after use. Despite the creamy texture, the cleanser washes off without leaving a filmy residue.
Ingredients: Sodium Coco-Sulfate, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ, Cetearyl Alcohol, Paraffin, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Water/Aqua/Eau, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Honey/Mel/Miel, Glycerin, Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Fruit Extract
I find the bar nourishing and hydrating and the lathering experience highly enjoyable thanks to the rich, creamy lather. I personally would still use a makeup remover or cleansing oil to deal with waterproof eye makeup but the bar removes just about everything else (ex. foundation, sunscreen, blush). As is with the JuJu Bar, the bar format is a lot messier to use and store but once you get used to it, it's not too troublesome. Plus, because it's not a liquid, the bar is great for traveling.
Have you tried any products from Drunk Elephant? Are you a fan of solid cleansing bars? Share your thoughts with me in the comments below!
Availability:
Drunk Elephant is available in stores and online at Sephora and www.drunkelephant.com.
