How to use Drunk Elephant products

Which products do you actually need?

Start with the jobs your routine needs to do, not the number of bottles available. Beste No. 9 is a cleanser; Lala Retro and Protini Cream are moisturizers. A serum is an optional addition, not a substitute for those basics. Choose products for a purpose rather than collecting every category, because a bathroom shelf is not a completion challenge.245

How to use Drunk Elephant products in the morning

1. 1Cleanse gently. Wash with your hands and a gentle cleanser, then gently pat dry rather than scrubbing.
2. 2Apply a treatment if you use one. In a layered routine, treatment goes after cleansing and before moisturizer. C Firma Fresh is a morning serum option.
3. 3Apply moisturizer. Use Lala Retro or Protini Cream as your moisturizing step. If you are not applying a treatment first, apply moisturizer while your skin is still damp to help trap water.
4. 4Apply sunscreen separately. Choose broad spectrum SPF 30 or higher and cover skin not covered by clothing.
5. 5Apply makeup after skincare and sunscreen, if you wear it.

Reapply sunscreen every two hours or after swimming or sweating. Vitamin C can support sun protection, but it does not replace sunscreen. Shade and protective clothing also belong in your sun protection plan; buying a day serum does not remove those steps.36

How to use Drunk Elephant products at night

1. 1Remove makeup and cleanse before bed. Keep the washing gentle.
2. 2Apply your chosen treatment, if needed. General skincare guidance places retinol at night, after cleansing. Follow your particular product's directions for its amount and frequency.
3. 3Apply moisturizer. Moisturizing belongs in both morning and evening routines, especially when treatments dry your skin.
4. 4Leave sunscreen for the morning. It is not a nighttime skincare step.

Can you mix Drunk Elephant products together?

Drunk Elephant designs its serums and moisturizers to mix together for application in one go, without waiting between separate layers. Mixing serums and moisturizer in your palm is what Drunk Elephant calls a skincare smoothie, although the blender can stay unemployed. Choose the products based on what your skin needs rather than putting every serum into the mixture.25

1. 1Choose a serum and moisturizer combination. One brand example is C Firma Fresh with B Hydra and Protini Cream in the morning.
2. 2Dispense your selected products into your palm and mix them together.
3. 3Apply the mixture in one go instead of applying those products as separate layers.
4. 4In the morning, apply sunscreen afterward as its own step.

The option to mix does not mean you need several treatments. Using too many products, especially multiple products aimed at signs of aging, can irritate skin. Keep prescription medicines out of the cosmetic mixing shortcut: use them as directed, with treatment after cleansing in the usual layered routine.1

How often should you use acids and retinol?

Do not give every product the same schedule. General guidance suggests glycolic acid exfoliation a couple of times a week, rather than making exfoliation part of every wash. That is a starting principle, not a specific T.L.C. Framboos dose. Use the directions on your own bottle for the product's amount and frequency.3

Avoid making vitamin C and an acid exfoliant your default combination: mixing vitamin C with alpha hydroxy acids can upset skin's pH balance. Drunk Elephant's examples include some daytime retinol mixtures, but a simpler routine can keep vitamin C in the morning and retinol at night. Retinol can dry skin, so keep moisturizer in the routine.35

What should you expect from the routine?

Moisturizer traps water in skin. Glycolic acid exfoliation helps remove dead skin cells and even skin tone. Retinol can help with fine lines and dark spots, while vitamin C helps reduce dark spots and supports protection against sun damage. These are general ingredient benefits, not a reason to use every treatment together.36

Adjust the routine to your skin, not the collection

Oily skin still needs moisturizer. Face oil is optional and is better reserved for dry skin; oils can contribute to acne. If your skin is sensitive, minimize the number of new products you introduce and test products before adding them to your routine. Sensitive skin can sting or burn after product use.36

You can leave optional categories out. Eye cream and toner are not necessary steps in the basic cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen routine. Products do not need to be expensive to work, and limiting the number you use reduces both cost and opportunities for irritation. A complete routine needs the essential jobs covered, not a supporting cast for every bottle.36

When should you stop or get help?

Stop using a product if it causes skin irritation or signs of contact dermatitis, an irritated skin rash, and make an appointment with a dermatologist. Do not scrub irritated skin or try to fix it by adding more treatments.37

If you are using the routine for acne, choose products labelled noncomedogenic, meaning they will not clog pores. See a doctor if spots are deep, painful or causing scars, or if acne is not improving with self treatment. Cosmetic skincare is not the only option: prescription treatment can help more severe acne.7