A Beauty Editor's Official Ranking of The Best Drunk Elephant Products

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

There are very few skincare brands that I like and respect enough to try all of their products. At the top of the short list is Drunk Elephant. I've been a fan of the brand's clean beauty ethos and no-BS approach to skincare for a decade (long before today's tween and TikToker obsession), FYI and have personally tested every single Drunk Elephant product—from the OG Virgin Marula Luxury Face Oil to the most recent barrier-repair cream—as a result. Most products I liked, some I could live without, and a handful are true skincare greats. Like, products I continually recommend to friends, write-up in stories, and use regularly in my personal skincare routine. Here's a sneak peek:

Keep reading for my honest ranking of Drunk Elephant's top 10 skincare products, including detailed reviews, testing notes, and ingredient info for each.

T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Resurfacing Night Serum

This is one of the best exfoliating serums I've ever tried. The cult-favorite formula has been a regular in my skincare routine for nearly 10 years, thanks to its ability to resurface skin, smooth the look of uneven texture, fade dark spots, and minimize breakouts and clogged pores. The blend of glycolic acid, salicylic acid, and antioxidant-rich raspberry extract can be used nightly all over your face (provided you're not using other exfoliants) or even as a spot treatment on problem areas.

• Size: 1 fl oz

• Key ingredients: Glycolic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid, raspberry fruit extract

D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops

The viral D-Bronzi drops were arguably the most popular beauty product on TikTok in 2023, and for good reason. They give your face the most incredible glow and have excellent skincare benefits too, including antioxidant support and skin barrier repair. I love to mix a drop or two with my tinted moisturizer for extra warmth on my skin—or if I'm really trying to channel vacay vibes I'll tap a lil bit it directly onto my cheekbones and down the bridge of my nose for a wash of bronze color.

• Size: 1 fl oz

• Key ingredients: Vitamin D, cocoa extract, matrixyl 3000 peptide blend

A-Passioni Retinol Cream

Unless you're pregnant or nursing, I'm a firm believer that everyone—regardless of skin type or tone—should be using a retinol serum or cream in their skincare routine. I've used this one on-and-off for years and constantly find myself recommending it to people who are curious about the best retinol to try. As a reminder, retinol is the gold standard when it comes to smoothing lines and wrinkles and improving skin tone and texture thanks to its ability to speed up skin cell turnover and stimulate collagen production.

A-Passioni has a lightweight, creamy texture that feels great on skin IMO. And the formula, with it's combo of 1 percent retinol, skin-plumping peptides, and nourishing fatty acids, is excellent at improving skin tone and texture while keeping skin irritation to a minimum.

• Size: 1 fl oz.

• Key ingredients: Vegan retinol, peptides, vitamin F

B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum

B-Hydra is so much more than a hydrating serum. First off, it's super customizable and you can use it a bunch of different ways—as a regular hydrating face serum, as a lightweight gel moisturizer if your skin is oily, or as a booster mixed with your face favorite lotion or cream if your skin needs an extra dose of hydration.

As for the formula, it contains three derm-favorites for hydrating skin, including hyaluronic acid, vitamin b5, and ceramides. Together, these ingredients attract water to skin and trap it there for long-lasting hydration and a soft, bouncy feel.

• Size: 1.69 fl oz

• Key ingredients: Sodium hyaluronate, pineapple ceramides, vitamin b5

T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial AHA + BHA Mask

I love nothing more than a pro facial, but when I don't the time or money to spend on a treatment, Babyfacial is next best thing. It's packed with AHAs and BHAs (so if your skin is sensitive or reactive, proceed with caution) like glycolic, tartaric, lactic, citric, and salicylic acids to dissolve dead skin cells and unclog pores—just like a chemical peel. The result? Smoother, brighter, clearer skin with fewer fine lines, dark spots, and breakouts.

• Size: 1.69 fl oz

• Key ingredients: AHAs, BHAs, chickpea flour

Bora Barrier Repair Cream

This is Drunk Elephant's newest skincare launch and it's quickly becoming one of my favorite products. It's a rich, fluffy cream that's designed to coddle your skin and reinforce your skin barrier (AKA it's outer layer that's designed to keep good things like hydration in and bad things like bacteria out). I love using it as a night cream during the winter months when my skin lacks moisture and is more prone to irritation, but if you have chronically dry skin this makes for an excellent daily moisturizer.

• Size: 1.69 fl oz

• Key ingredients: Lipid complex, zinc and copper gluconates, alpha glucan

Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser

$34 is definitely on the pricey side for a face wash, but Beste is worth it in my experience. Not only does the jelly texture feel great on skin, it effectively removes excess oil, buildup, and makeup (even the waterproof kind) without drying out your skin or making it feel all tight like some foaming gel cleansers tend to do. I have combo skin that's sensitive and Beste works perfectly for me, but I have friends with super oily and super dry skin and they also say Beste is a staple for them as well.

• Size: 5 fl oz

• Key ingredients: Mild surfactants, glycerin, cantaloupe extract

Ceramighty AF Eye Balm

Drunk Elephant makes three different products—C Tango, A Shaba, and Ceramighty AF—and while they're all honestly great, Ceramighty AF is my favorite. I prefer a thick, super emollient eye cream, and Ceramighty AF has a cushiony balm-like texture that feels amazing and instantly plumps up crow's feet and softens the skin around my eyes. It's as a fantastic base for under eye concealer (seriously, my makeup never gets creasey when I prep with this first) and I love that the gentle formula is full of plant oils, butters, and ceramides to restore elasticity and soothe any irritation.

• Size: 0.5 fl oz

• Key ingredients: Ceramides, plant lipids, oat kernel oil, vitamin F

Protini Polypeptide Cream

I'm currently obsessed with incorporating peptides in my skincare routine. I'm pregnant so I annoyingly can't use my tried-and-tried retinol to help minimize signs of aging like fine lines and uneven skin texture, but peptide creams—specifically Drunk Elephant's Protini Polypeptide Cream—have been successfully filling the void. It uses a blend of signal peptides and growth factors to prompt collagen and elastin production (a must for smoothing wrinkleS) and plant-derived stem cells to calm and moisturize skin. And unlike many anti-aging creams I've tested, this one has a relatively lightweight texture that soaks in quickly and doesn't clog my pores either.

• Size: 1.69 fl oz

• Key ingredients: Signal peptides, growth factors, waterlily stem cells, soybean folic acid

T.L.C Glycolic Body Lotion

Don't sleep on Drunk Elephant's body care products—especially this glycolic acid-infused body lotion. I slather it all over my body when I get out of the shower and it makes my skin soooo smooth and soft. And the texture is fantastic too. Not too heavy, not too light, and zero percent sticky or tacky. I've been using it consistently for a few months now and I swear the dark spots on my chest are lighter and the crepey skin above my knees and around my elbows looks a bit firmer too.

• Size: 8 oz

• Key ingredients: AHAs, marula butter

Why trust Cosmopolitan?

Lauren Balsamo is deputy beauty director at Cosmopolitan with a decade of experience researching, writing, and editing skincare stories that range from the best body washes for acne-prone skin to the best anti-aging serums. She regularly tests and analyzes new skincare products, while working with the industry’s top experts to assess new formulas and brands.

You Might Also Like

• Here’s What NOT to Wear to a Wedding

• Meet the Laziest, Easiest Acne Routine You’ll Ever Try