All about: Drunk Elephant... and their Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil

When a natural skincare brand gets major props on the notoriously thorough – and tough! - Paula’s Choice Beautypedia website, you know it’s gotta be good. Welcome to the world of Drunk Elephant, a brand recently arrived in New Zealand at Mecca Cosmetica and Mecca Maxima that I am totally in love with.

Based out of Los Angeles, California, Drunk Elephant was founded back in 2012 by former skincare executive Tiffany Masterson. As their website describes, Masterson developed the brand out of a desire to create “natural-themed formulas” that were truly effective and high performance. From the get-go Masterson was emphatic that they leave out that which wasn’t effective – primarily added fragrance. The inclusion of a plethora of exotic fragrances is where many natural-themed brands seem to go wrong, leaving many potential customers with major irritation to their already-sensitive skin. Fragrance, be it from essential oils or synthetics, has even been found to cause damage in some skin types. Happily, Drunk Elephant are one step ahead with their innovative, fragrance-free products.

As for the brand’s super cute name, it actually makes reference to anecdotes about African elephants, beautiful, big beasts who love to snack on the fermented fruit of the marula tree. It’s an indulgence that leads to well, a little tipsiness, as once eaten, fermentation occurs inside their very large tummies and the elephants become drunk. One only hopes the hangover isn’t as great as their size!

The Drunk Elephant line is a small but beautifully curated one, and it makes each product count. All of the clever packaging keeps the ingredients inside protected, and many of the formulas include the aforementioned ingredient Marula oil, which contains an array of beneficial fatty acids, anti-inflammatory agents, and antioxidants. Drunk Elephant's Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil has been on high rotate in my house of late, due its abilities as a marvellous multitasker and its general awesomeness. It’s actually a very straightforward beauty product, in that it contains just a single ingredient: Marula oil. Marula oil is an excellent ingredient for skin, and thanks to the aforementioned great packaging that keeps it stable, this product is a winner. High in critical antioxidants like tocopherol (vitamin E), tochotrienol, phenolic compounds and Omegas 6 and 9, it hydrates, preserves and nourishes your skin, while restoring that elusive, youthful plumpness. Straight from the “pip” of the marula fruit, the Virgin Marula Oil in the bottle is virtually untouched by any chemical or fragrance, natural or synthetic and remains in its purest form.

When it comes to the feel of this product, the oil itself is lightweight enough that it can be applied directly to skin, absorbing within a couple of minutes. It is amazing for those with dry to very dry skin like mine, but if you have oily or combination skin with patches of dryness, this can be applied to those areas too. With regular use you will get a major glow, and in combination with Drunk Elephant cleansers, serums and sun protection, the brand says your skin will be “balanced and optimised to look and feel it's healthiest”. Amazing! I’ve been using my oil mostly in combination with Drunk Elephant’s Lala Retro Whipped Crème moisturiser (review to come) and thus far, most amazing. I can’t wait to try more of this range!

Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil retails for NZD $115 at Mecca, so I suggest you head in store or here to get a bottle ASAP.