Whenever I hear about a hot new skincare product, I look at the active ingredients and try to find an affordable version. Drunk Elephant has been a super popular brand for a couple of years now. So far nothing that they have released has been unique enough that I haven’t been able to find a comparable item. In my opinion, they aren’t worth the money. So many people that are struggling with skincare probably think they are the best thing out there though, which makes me sad! They’re super trendy right now and I’m not saying they don’t work, because they have some great really effective products. The thing is though, that you can get the same thing for way less from brands like The Ordinary, Nip + Fab, and others below. Check out my picks for what will clear your skin without clearing out your bank account.
Sukari Babyfacial ($80 for 1.69 oz) vs. PTR Pumpkin Enzyme Mask ($30 for 5 oz) / While the Pumpkin mask does not contain lactic acid, it has the brightening AHA & BHA properties. After doing this mask I feel like I have a brand new face. You get almost three times as much with the Peter Thomas Roth mask! Add in The Ordinary Lactic Acid + HA for only $12.50.
Glycolic T.L.C. Framboos Night Serum ($90 for 1oz) vs. Nip + Fab Night Fix & Stridex Red Box / I have a whole list of AHA & BHA products that I love here. My favorites are this cleanser, I use these during the day, these at night, and this night serum- Mad Hippie Exfoliating Serum ($28 for 1 oz). I’m obsessed with AHA serums and they majorly improved my skin texture and prevent breakouts. I recommend getting both the Nip + Fab pads & the Stridex pads if you’re just starting out. Buying both will set you back only about $20.
C- Firma Serum ($80 for 1 oz) vs. Derma E Vitamin C Concentrated Serum ($20 for 2 oz) / Everything I’ve tried from Derma-E has been effective and affordable. This serum is on my birthday wishlist!
Umbra Tinte SPF ($36 for 2 oz) vs. Australian Gold Botanical Tinted Sunscreen ($12 for 3 oz) / The Australian Gold Tinted Sunscreen is holy grail for me. It keeps me matte all day and evens out my skin a little bit while providing SPF protection.
Virgin Marula Oil ($72 for 1 oz) vs. Egyptian Magic ($27.50 for 4 oz) / A tiny dab of this balm rubbed in between my palms covers my entire face with extra to spare. My skin feels soothed and moisturized when I use Egyptian Magic and there is truly nothing like it. This is great for every skin type.
If you were to buy all these Drunk Elephant products, they would total out to $358. If you were to buy all the alternatives, they would total out to $122 and you get like ten times the quantity for bigger products that will last longer. After using up bottles and repurchasing, these savings would continue to grow over time.
This just seems like a no brainer to me and I don’t think that Drunk Elephant is worth the price. They have gotten a lot of attention for the cute packaging and branding. I like that they are getting the skincare conversation started in the mainstream by using active ingredients like AHA & BHAs, but those products have existed long before they came around. Don’t fall for the hype!
See my other post on affordable beauty products for more best selling Sephora products here.
-Kim
LOVE this! Drunk Elephant is a brand that I’m just not attracted to for whatever reason – love seeing these alternatives!
Right? I feel like it’s super trendy right now but an absolute rip off.
It’s ridiculous how expensive skin care can be. Drunk Elephant is WAY overpriced. I’m trying to find a dupe for my beloved Belif Aqua Bomb but so far cant really find anything yet.
Totally agree! I haven’t tried Belief but maybe go check out some Asian beauty moisturizers? Egyptian Magic is so good if you haven’t tried that one.
Belif is a Korean brand. 😂
Brands like CosRX & Mizon moisturizers are famously inexpensive!
I always used to read post in news papers but now as I am
a user of internet so from now I am using net for articles or reviews,
thanks to web.
Hi…I love this article.. I am on right budget so this helps. Out of curiosity, are all these alternatives specific for 1 skin type? I have very oily, acne prone skin (been using cosmedix collection kit which has really helped my acne)…but they too can be costly. Since I’m hitting 40, so I also needanti aging products that work for oily acne skin. The hardest for me to find is moisturizer with spf that keeps me matte. No matter what I try, nothing seems to work&I don’t wear makeup. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
Hi! I’m oily too so I think my recommendations would fit your needs as well. This is the most matte SPF I’ve found: https://amzn.to/2M53hvP
Make sure to use a hydrating moisturizer underneath that SPF if you give it a try though. Good luck! 🙂
Australian Gold sunscreen has 4% zinc oxide and 4% titanium dioxide. Drunk Elephant has 20% zinc oxide. So even though it’s more expensive, it’s better sun protection.
Definitely! Personally I’m happy with the SPF 50 in the AG & feel like I could get more protection from an additional drugstore product if I needed more. The DE price point just seems ridiculous to me.
Also, the AG is filled with loads of silicones. It’s very difficult to find a physical sunblock that is silicone free. That’s why I think lots of people are drawn to this. I know silicones are great and safe but they cause closed comedones in lots of people.
I agreee. DE is outrageously expensive. This is the one product that is unique. I hope someone can do it cheaper !