Our Honest Drunk Elephant Reviews — Worth the Splurge?





Last Updated: January 10, 2022

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When it comes to finding the right skincare products, you basically have to play a game of cat and mouse. We all have different skincare needs, so a product that works for someone else isn’t guaranteed to work with you (ugh). However, Drunk Elephant believes they have cracked the code, and we’re intrigued.

Despite the high price point, we decided to try them out and will be sharing our Drunk Elephant reviews of some of their top-selling products!

What is Drunk Elephant?

Drunk Elephant is an online skincare brand founded by Tiffany Masterson, who struggled with skin problems all her entire life.

Before the creation of her brand, she tried product after product on her skin but could never find one with a lasting solution (as many of us struggle with). She decided to experiment with individual ingredients that worked best for her instead.

Upon isolating these specific ingredients and combining them together, she was then able to create a line of all-natural skincare products that kept her skin happy and healthy.

She later expanded to body care and hair care as well to give women the necessary love they need for all parts of themselves.

Drunk Elephant Overview

Now, Drunk Elephant offers an expansive skincare line full of products such as cleansers, serums, eye cream, and more.

The pricing, however, is where you might get turned off. Drunk Elephant greatly varies in their prices depending on the product. For example, value packs that typically feature 5-6 products typically cost around $160.

For individual items, prices can be as low as $14 or as high as $90 depending on the size you pick. This is pretty high, but you’re paying for high-quality products that are clean and all-natural.

Drunk Elephant Reviews

Overall: ★★★★ 4 stars

All in all, Drunk Elephant is a high-quality brand with products that actually work. They have raving reviews from customers about their effectiveness, and how these products have improved their skin for the better.

Price: ★★★★ 4 stars

Although Drunk Elephant prices can be hefty, you are paying for high-quality products. If you can afford the price tag, the results will be worth it.

Quality: ★★★ 4 stars

Overall, most customers are happy with the results they have seen from Drunk Elephant products. They often mention improved look of their skin’s appearance and feel.

Value: ★★★★ 4 stars

The price of these products is definitely where most people hesitate. However, if these products work for your skin like they do other people’s, it’s definitely worth the cost.

C-Firma Vitamin C Day Serum Review

★★★★ 4.6 Star Rating (1695 Reviews)

Skin Type: Normal, Dry, Combination, and Oily

Vitamin C is huge when it comes to any skincare routine, but the way Drunk Elephant has formulated this one is truly a work of art.

It features many natural ingredients, including Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and ferulic acid. This is one of the best combinations when it comes to nourishment, hydration, and keeping your skin looking and feeling young for years to come.

“Excellent Vitamin C Serum – Drunk Elephant never fails to impress. All of their products are great with a good price-point. The Vitamin C Serum is the best in their long line-up of skincare products. Good packaging & non-sticky” -Lisa H

CHEAPER OPTION – The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% or Derma E Vitamin C Concentrated Serum


B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum Review

★★★★ 4 Star Rating (2400+ Reviews)

Skin Type: Normal, Dry, Combination, and Oily

The B-Hydra Intensive Serum is another must-have from the Drunk Elephant collection. Carefully curated with ultra-hydrating ingredients, including hyaluronic acid and B5, your skin will be absorbing all it’s incredible benefits like a sponge.

This will bring nourishment, plumpness, and overall life back to your skin. When in doubt, a powerful serum like this is always the answer. 

“My go-to serum – It really is one of my favorite products in my skincare routine; this serum is very light on the skin and still provides good hydration that lasts all day. As I take a lot of medication which creates challenges with heat and perspiration, this is one of the only serums that is light enough to allow my skin to breathe and prevent excessive sweating.

I know, it’s not very a glamorous review, but maybe others with the same problems can finally find a product that suits them!”

CHEAPER OPTION – The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5


.05 oz Drunk Elephant Marula Oil
Marula Oil ($40 0.5oz)

Marula Oil Review

★★★★ 4 Star Rating (1600+ Reviews)

Skin Type: Normal, Dry, Combination, and Oily

The Virgin Marula Oil from Drunk Elephant is rich in antioxidants that help nourish your skin and keep it balanced.

This luxurious oil is great for all skin types, but especially beneficial for those with dry skin!

I thought it was some majestic blend of marula oil and other magical ingredients, but in reality, it is just marula oil.

It does work great for my dry skin, but it feels and performs the same as my Acure Marula Oil that’s 5x cheaper. The Ordinary Marula Oil is supposed to be great also, but I haven’t personally tried it.

I’m sure the Drunk Elephant oil is sourced extremely well, but I didn’t experience anything special about it.

CHEAPER OPTION – Acure Organics The Essentials Marula Oil

What Other Drunk Elephant Reviews Say

Now that we’ve gone over our experiences with the brand, let’s dive deeper into other reviews since everyone’s experience is different.

They feature testimonials on their website as well as reviews on other sites–personally, I trust reviews from outside sites the most (but that’s just me and my trust issues).


“After years of struggling with acne through middle and high school, and stubborn acne scars as a result, and spending money on promising products that weren’t right or good for my skin, #DrunkElephant products changed the way I care for my skin, the results I see, and the way I feel about myself.” –Peyton.tipton on DrunkElephant.com 

“I’m almost 50, and my skin hasn’t been this clear, hydrated, healthy and glowy since I was in my 20s.” – Patrickdicci on their website

“The Marula Oil works wonders for reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines and keeps my skin looking healthy and elastic.” – from Medium.com

According to other Drunk Elephant reviews, here are the main points of feedback from customers about the products:

  • High-quality
  • Improves look and feel of skin
  • An investment
  • The biggest complaint from customers is price

Return Policy

Return policies are always huge when it comes to the question of shopping at a new brand (especially a higher-end brand). Thankfully, Drunk Elephant is very flexible with their policy. Their policy states that you may return any item within 30 days as long as you:

  • Email them within 30 days to let them know about any issues.
  • Return them the unused portion only (and they will reimburse you for the full amount of the purchase).
  • Return items that were only bought on their official website, not at second-hand retailers. 

Simple, right? So, even if you aren’t 100% with your purchase, it seems that Drunk Elephant has got your back regardless of the problem! 

Plus, even if you purchase from Ulta or Sephora, these retailers have their own return policies that are very lenient and allow you to return used products if they don’t work out for you. (Read our tips for Ulta’s return policy here!)

Bottom Line: Is Drunk Elephant Worth It?

In conclusion, after reading many different Drunk Elephant reviews and trying the brand myself, I’d say that Drunk Elephant seems to be worth it if you can afford it.

The products I tried definitely worked great, but there was nothing overly special about them. I had personally tried quite a few similar skincare products that performed just as well at a fraction of the price.

A huge complaint that people seemed to have was about the price, which is understandable since their products skyrocket past the average person’s skincare budget. I’d definitely recommend trying other options first (The Ordinary has a ton of similar products for a fraction of the price).

That said, if you feel like you’ve tried everything else and are still struggling, Drunk Elephant could end up being your holy grail. Some people have found that these are the only products that work for them! And if their products really improve your skin for the better, I’d say it’s worth the price.

I’d recommend starting out with samples if you can get them, or trying out a set (like the Littles Set) with smaller products that will allow you to try a wider variety for a better price.

UP NEXT: What is the Correct Skincare Routine Order?