Every influencer’s shelfie has it. I finally caved.
The real test? My perpetually dehydrated, post-retinol cheeks.
A $68 peptide moisturizer from Drunk Elephant. The claim? “Firmer, smoother, more youthful-looking skin.” Bold.
Peptide Complex
A blend of signal peptides to support collagen.
Pump Packaging
Airless — keeps the actives stable, no dipping fingers in.
Vegan Formula
No silicones, essential oils, or fragrance.
Photo: Chandra Oh / Unsplash
It’s a protein shake for your face. Peptides are the headline, but the supporting cast does the heavy lifting.
- Signal Peptides: Messengers that tell skin to make collagen
- Pygmy Waterlily Extract: Antioxidant to help with environmental stress
- Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer: A fancy, long-lasting form of hyaluronic acid
- Soybean Folic Acid Ferment Extract: Helps with skin clarity and texture
Photo: Linh Ha / Unsplash
The texture is bizarre — a whipped, almost bouncy gel-cream. Sinks in completely in 20 seconds. Leaves zero residue.
By week two, my makeup stopped clinging to dry patches. The surprise? It’s not intensely hydrating on its own — you still need a serum underneath.
Photo: Kaeme / Unsplash
My skin felt smoother — like, touchably even. Firmer? Maybe a little. But it’s not a miracle lift. The biggest win was as a perfect makeup base.
It’s an excellent moisturizer. But legendary? That’s the hype talking. It does what it says, just not magically.