DRUNK ELEPHANT | PROTINI POLYPEPTIDE MOISTURIZER

This review was originally part of my blog article titled, The Skincarma Challenge: Cult Moisturizer Egyptian Magic Vs. Drunk Elephant Protini. You can still catch the full piece here.

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And that brings me to Drunk Elephant. Certainly, its cult status is debatable since the brand is barely five years old. Just last year, Drunk Elephant was swallowed up whole by beauty conglomerate Shiseido for something like $850 million! The Japanese clearly see potential in the clean beauty sensation.

I have to admit, I do too. IMO the formulas are, for the most part, outstanding. I align closely with the founder’s formulation philosophy. Tiffany Masterson believes, as I do, that fragrant plant oils (aka essential oils) have no business on skin. They smell good, but their effects on skin are anything but. As my skincare muse Paula Begoun is fond of saying, fragrance isn’t skincare.

Funny, it’s just now occurring to me that both Drunk Elephant and Egyptian Magic have their origins in Africa — Egyptian Magic in Egypt at the northeastern tip of the continent and Drunk Elephant at the very bottom, in South Africa.

The name Drunk Elephant was inspired by the story of South African elephants who love to eat the fruit of native marula trees. The fermented fruit, like many fermented ingredients, has an alcoholic content that literally makes them drunk.

I know it’s true because I discovered it myself on a trip to South Africa a few years ago. There’s a popular marula infused liqueur called Amarula that’s actually quite tasty! I brought back a bottle with me and even gifted it to friends that Christmas. A toast to the elephants!

So, what about the Protini Polypeptide Moisturizer? At $68, it’s a pretty solid moisturizer, plain and simple. Drunk Elephant’s Protini is one of the best anti-aging creams available. Protini is packed with skin-compatible, fortifying proteins in the form of peptides and amino acids. Skin loves both!

And while peptide molecules are too large to penetrate the skin layers very deeply (if at all!), amino acids can and do. I counted 10 amino acids in this lightweight cream.

What are peptides in skincare?

Of course, there’s a superbly insightful article on the Paula’s Choice website from the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team. Titled What Are Peptides and What Do They Do for Your Skin?, the article goes deep into everything from what peptides are to how they benefit the skin — and what makes them among the best age-fighters in skin care.

Peptides are one of the most talked-about ingredients in the field of anti-ageing skincare. When applied to your skin, they demonstrate remarkable benefits, revitalising your skin and making it more resilient and stronger. But peptides do not possess magical properties, as some brands claim. The fact is that there is no single ingredient that will address all the signs of skin ageing - and peptides are no exception. Peptides are a great asset to your skin, but it’s best to be realistic in your expectations to avoid disappointment. Peptides have amazing benefits for skin but the results will never be the same as a cosmetic procedure.
What are Peptides?
Peptides are short chains of amino acids that act as building blocks of proteins such as collagen, elastin and keratin. These proteins are the foundations of your skin and are responsible for its texture, strength and resilience. Without peptides, our skin is less intact which can lead to a loss of firmness, the appearance of wrinkles, a change in texture and less ‘bounce’.
When applied topically to the skin, peptides act as little messengers, triggering skin cells to perform specific functions such as building collagen and elastin, encouraging skin to look and act younger.
Extensive scientific research has proven that peptides can support your skin on multiple levels, for example firming, soothing and hydrating the skin.

In addition, Protini contains several nourishing, non-fragrant plant oils including the brand’s beloved Marula Oil, fermented Soybean, and two Olive Oil derivatives — which I assume dials down the greasiness of pure olive oil on its own and keeps the formula from being too heavy.

Plus, one of the most important things of all is the wisdom of Ms. Masterson to always deliver her skin care in a sealed, airless package. As with fermentation, skincare formulas break down when exposed to air and light.

As a rule, you should use up any product that’s housed in an open jar within 30 days. After a month or so, any antioxidants or other sensitive active ingredients will have degraded and their efficacy diminished, if not wiped out completely.

Speaking of antioxidants. The one drawback with Protini is there aren’t the plethora of antioxidants required to make this a perfect moisturizer. (Egyptian Magic is deficient here, too.) I assume that Marula Oil contains some antioxidants, as does the Pygmy Waterlily Stem Cell Extract. Neither possess a potent antioxidant benefit, however.

It’s not a big deal if you’re getting antioxidants into your skincare routine from other means. I personally use several antioxidant serums and don’t rely on my moisturizer to perform that vital task.

If you’re not using a dedicated antioxidant serum, you should consider one or two. The Ordinary makes several outstanding ones at very reasonable cost — including Resveratrol 3% + Ferulic Acid 3% and Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F. The Paula’s Choice Defense Antioxidant Pore Purifier is also a super antioxidant serum that I consider one of the finest available.

As I’ve said, at $68 Drunk Elephant’s Protini is the most expensive anti-aging moisturizer I would ever pay for.

SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream for $68 here.

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