Hello lovely ladies,
I have been procrastinating writing this review since a long time. For me, skincare reviews are harder to pen down and super exhausting for me! And not to forget that I really like to give the product a go, before I am comfortable with penning my thoughts. If you have read my review on the Drunk Elephant C Firma Day Serum, you know how much I love the product. At $80 a piece, it is an extremely difficult product to commit to, but so far, I am committed. I was keen on trying more from the brand but each product that you think of picking up from them has to be an evaluated decision considering the price point of most of their products. After a lot of trepidation, I picked up this product up a while back and have tried and tested it extensively since then. Now it is time to share my thoughts with you. So let us get on with it.
Product Description:
Which skin type is it good for?
✔ Normal
✔ Oily
✔ Combination
✔ Dry
✔ Sensitive
What it is:
A wonder-working luxury facial oil, high in critical antioxidants, to deeply moisturize, nourish, soothe, and rejuvenate your skin while restoring its youthful glow.
Solutions for:
- Dryness
- Uneven skin tone
- Fine lines and wrinkles.
If you want to know more…
Like rehab for your skin. This amazingly absorbent oil delivers clinically proven results to improve visible signs of aging and incredible antioxidant benefits against environmental stressors and free radicals. Look for a noticeable reduction in the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, redness, and blotchiness, with improvement in skin’s elastic feel. Your skin will drink in this nutrient-rich oil, leaving no residue behind. Straight from the “pip” of the marula fruit, this Marula Oil is virtually untouched by any chemical or fragrance, natural or synthetic, remains in its purest form, and is naturally anti-microbial and appropriate for all skin types, including the most sensitive.
What it is formulated without parabens, sulfates, phthalates.
Price:
USD 72 for 30 ml.
Ingredients:
Virgin Marula Oil: Helps nourish and rejuvenate skin for a youthful glow while providing critical antioxidants and omegas 6 and 9, thanks to its super-absorbent qualities.
100% Unrefined Sclerocraya Birrea (Marula) Kernel Oil.
Packaging:
The product comes packaged in a white cuboid glass bottle which does not allow light to pass through. The glass bottle has a dropper mechanism, which works efficiently. The bottle comes packaged in a white cardboard exterior box. There is an insert, which has details about the product.
My Experience with Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil:
A quick brief on my facial skin – oily to combination, dull and dehydrated skin with periodic acne and the scars left over from previous ones!
Coming from a place where I thought I should avoid oily products on my face to actually using facial oils on pretty much a daily basis as part of my skincare routine, I seem to have come a long way. Breaking the myth that you should avoid oils if you have combination to oily skin really set me free. It started with The Body Shop’s Serum in Oil and Clarins Lotus Oil really reinforced it for me. And by the time I tried The Ordinary 100% Rose Hip Seed Oil, I was fully committed. The Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula oil was bought by me quite some time before the Ordinary Rose Hip Seed Oil. Meaning, it was bought at a time when there wasn’t much choice for good quality facial oils at a more affordable price point. I went back and forth on this for quite a while before I actually bit the bullet. The challenge was not just the price but also the fear that it may break me out. The brand does state that the product is suitable for all skin types.
Texture: The texture of the oil is quite lightweight and it is colourless and fragrance-free. It is definitely lighter than the Ordinary Rose Hip Seed oil or the Clarins Lotus Oil, maybe a tad bit heavier than the Ordinary’s Moroccan Argan Oil. The oil spreads easily and absorbs readily.
Use: It is suitable for use on the face, hair, nails, etc. And that was one of the reasons I bought it – thinking if it really does break me out, I could always use it on my hair tips or nails! 😉
Application: I use the oil as the last step of my skincare routine at night. However, you can use this oil at any time – AM or PM. Oil, being a heavier component, needs to be applied post all your serums/AHAs/BHAs/retinol, and retinol, and any other water-based skincare product. I either take 3-4 drops of the oil, massage it between my fingers and then apply/tap gently not my face. Or, I love to mix it with my night time moisturizer like Vichy Aqualia Thermalia Night Spa. I add 2-3 drops of the oil to a dollop of the moisturizer, mix it on the back of my hand and gently massage onto my skin. When mixed with the moisturizer, it spreads more easily and gets absorbed also better. I just feel that the penetration of the product increases when mixed with a good moisturizer. Also note, while I get good result with Vichy’s product mentioned above and the Belif Moisturizing Cream, the oil did not seem to gel as well with the Estee Lauder’s Revitalizing Supreme Moisturizer.
Efficacy: For anyone new to facial oils, I would suggest you try incorporating it into your skincare regime slowly. Start with 2 times a week and build it up depending on how your skin responds to it. I have used it daily. The oil has not broken me out or caused any reaction, despite that. Whether I use it on its own or mix it with the moisturizer, I wake up to relaxed, supple, nourished skin. As we age, our skin loses its ability to hold moisture. This results in dehydration of the skin and it looking lack lustre, the fine lines start becoming more pronounced, and there is even redness in certain areas. The product is high in antioxidants and omega 6 and 9. The brand claims that the oil helps minimize fine lines and rejuvenate fragile skin. While it can be difficult to see the impact on lines on your face, I have noticed that when I apply this oil the night before, taking special care of my under-eye areas, the fine lines in the corner of my eye (right below the eye) seem either less obvious or sometimes non-existing in the morning. Also, while using this oil, I never see redness or blotchiness on my skin – which generally happens on the lower portions of my cheeks. Also, while applying the oil, I ensure I apply it lightly to my brows and even my lashes.
Overall, the brand hasn’t promised the moon, but yet, has made some clear claims. I see that the oil lives up to those claims.
Pros of Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil:
- Lightweight texture.
- Organically produced.
- The product is high in antioxidants and Omega 6 and 9.
- Cold pressed oil.
- UV protective packaging.
- Absorbs easily.
- Would work well for all skin and hair types.
- Helps nourish skin and hair; and helps it retain moisture.
- Skin feels softer and more radiant.
- Did not have any red patches/blotchiness on skin while using this oil.
- Can see clear reduction in fine lines in the under-eye area.
- Continued usage does help you with a more radiant skin.
- Did not break me out.
- Non-comedogenic product.
- Helps improve skin texture, radiance.
- Free from unnecessary additives like colour and fragrance.
- Cruelty free.
- Vegan.
Cons of Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil:
- Nothing at all.
IMBB Rating:
5/5
The product definitely lives up to the hype around the “Drunk Elephant” brand. The brand did not seem to make tall claims, but did mention some key impacts. I feel, the product lived up 100% to the claims made by the brand. And that is the test of a good product. I know there is a big question here about the price of the product, especially in light of the Ordinary range offering facial oils at such a lower price point. Would I recommend buying this? As the product stands – on its own merit, I do not hesitate in recommending it..
Do I Recommend Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil?
Maybe not. I’m still in trial phase of testing the Virgin Marula Oil from the Ordinary, will keep you posted on that.
Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum
Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream
Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum
Drunk Elephant Umbra Sheer Physical Defense SPF 30
Naturals By Watsons Marula Oil Hair Mask
Rodin Olio Lusso Luxury Face Oil
Lakme Absolute Argan Oil Radiance Overnight Oil-in-Serum
Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Face Oil
The Body Shop Oils of Life Intensely Revitalizing Facial Oil
Jurlique Skin Balancing Face Oil
The Body Shop Vitamin E Facial Oil
