Drunk Elephant just dropped a new Protini. Same name. Same $68 price tag. Completely different ingredient list.
The old one was a peptide party. The new one feels like they kicked out half the guest list and invited some random cousins. Fans are already panicking in the Sephora reviews.
It’s still a polypeptide cream. Still claims to firm, hydrate, and smooth. But the texture shifted — noticeably.
No more copper peptides
They stripped the signature copper tripeptide. That was the star.
Added fatty acids
More shea and cocoa butter now. Richer. Greasier.
Fragrance-free stayed
Good. At least they didn’t pull a bait-and-switch there.
Photo: ajie wp / Unsplash
Old Protini was a peptide powerhouse. New Protini is more of a moisturizer with some extras. The hero ingredients shifted from signal peptides to barrier-repair fats.
- Signal Peptide Complex: Tells skin to act young again, but weaker than before
- Shea Butter: Locks everything in — clogs some people though
- Niacinamide: Calms redness and shrinks pores — still here thank god
- Sodium Hyaluronate: Sits on top, doesn’t sink deep
Photo: Mariia Shalabaieva / Unsplash
First pump — it’s thicker. Spreads like a dense pudding, not the light gel-cream we knew. Absorbs in about 20 seconds but leaves a slight film. Grease factor: medium-high.
Week two. My skin didn’t freak out, but I missed that instant plump. The old one made me look airbrushed. This one just makes me look… moist.
Photo: Greg Rakozy / Unsplash
Fine lines stayed the same. Hydration improved slightly. But that bouncy, “I just had a facial” look? Gone. It’s a solid moisturizer now — not a treatment.
Photo: Content Pixie / Unsplash
It’s not worse — it’s different. If you want a peptide treatment, look elsewhere. If you want a plush, no-frills moisturizer, this still works.