Drunk Elephant F-Balm Electrolyte Waterfacial Review
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A delicate, glitter-filled lava lamp night light was my guiding force as a child. It made falling asleep easier, protected me as I scurried to the bathroom in the middle of the night, and warded off the terrifying monsters I was convinced lived underneath my bed. As I grew older, I gave up my reliance on the psychedelic electrical torch. I thought I was done with night lights for good — until I tried Drunk Elephant’s F-Balm Electrolyte Waterfacial
F-Balm is a different kind of night “lyte,” if you will. It might not defend me from any creatures that go bump in the night, but it does have a knack for eradicating a different type of monster: dry skin.
When the product launched in January 2020, it was touted as “a cooling, hydrating overnight mask that plumps with an electrolyte cocktail while supporting the skin’s natural acid mantle.” Now, I’m not really certain what a “natural acid mantle” is, but a nourishing sleep mask that would hydrate my dry winter skin without causing any unwanted breakouts was something that piqued my curiosity.
I decided to put F-Balm to the ultimate test for two weeks: Could it help save my holiday skin? Typically, my journey from grimey NYC streets to the dry California air causes my skin to revolt against me, so if F-Balm could help alleviate the aggressive pimples on and under my skin of Christmas break, then it would pass the vibe check.
And it did. F-Balm passed the vibe check with flying colors. Each night before going to bed, I would remove my makeup with Neutrogena Makeup Wipes, wash my face thoroughly with Tatcha’s Rice Polish using Foreo’s LUNA 2 device, tone with my ever-trusted Thayer’s Facial Water, apply a thin layer of Drunk Elephant’s Framboos Glycolic Night Serum, and rub a generous amount of F-Balm on my face as a final step. It’s actually recommended to layer F-Balm on top of either Drunk Elephant’s Virgin Marula Oil for an extra boost of moisture or with Framboos for a gentle chemical exfoliation.
The product by itself was unexpected. Unlike other overnight masks, this product wasn’t greasy. Instead, the product was light and smooth, quickly absorbing into my thirst AF skin. The day after my first F-Balm use, I was already rolling in skin compliments — not something that comes easy for someone with acne scars, dark marks, and pesky cystic acne. My younger sister, not one for compliments, said my skin was “glowing” and an old high school friend complimented my derma-shine. Perhaps it was my flawless makeup application that day, or maybe it was the 4-electrolyte blend and soothing fatty acids in the overnight mask that really made my skin stand out that day.
After two full weeks following the above skincare routine, I can say that F-Balm will forever be my travel and winter, skincare savior. I really saw a difference in the texture and health of my overall skin, and there were hardly any dry flakes on my face when I woke up each morning (bless!).
The best part is that F-Balm is a vegan and cruelty-free product and comes in recyclable packaging. It is also free of essential oils, silicones, fragrance, and PEGS, all of which can cause acne (!!). As someone who is hesitant to add new skincare products to my nightly line-up, F-Balm was a pleasant surprise that I keep using to this day. Needless to say, the product is worth the splurge, especially during the wintertime, when your skin could use some extra TLC.
Drunk Elephant F-Balm™ Electrolyte Waterfacial Mask
$52.00,
Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue
