• What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever done? Her philosophy is simple: Clean products that are compatible for all skin. I don’t know of any other brand anywhere that avoids all six of those ingredients. Established in 2012, Drunk Elephant skincare was founded by Tiffany Masterson, One of the main reasons she developed the line was to minimize her children’s exposure to toxic chemicals, hormone-mimicking fragrances and natural allergic sensitizers. Skin that produces more oil, skin that tends to lean dry - those are real things you’re born with. Get inspired. Skincare can be tricky. © 2021 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. Everything you wanted to know about the safety of Drunk Elephant reviewed in one place. Sensitised skin is a behaviour; skin doesn’t act that way on its own. Salicylic acid is great and it's is in T.L.C. Another way to try the products is to do The Littles. Look better, feel better, smell better. Especially now, in the age of clean beauty, where there's so much to consider when deciding what we allow our skin to absorb. Use the bar and the oil – just a couple drops you don’t need very much – let your skin get used to that routine, see what happens. They were attracted to the bright colors, I believe, and they told me at the conference, “Look, we’re not picking anybody up for 2015.” I wasn’t that bummed out – I don’t know if I fully believed it. They called me two weeks later, and said they’d tried the products and really felt strongly that it was a line they wanted to support. Do you have any tips on how to use them? I just leave the acid mantle that’s on the surface intact and then I do C-Firma, B-Hydra, a little D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops, and then maybe a drop of Marula oil. I don’t really have much of a break, and I don’t really want one. Because of this, the Drunk Elephant products are particularly good for people with sensitive or acne-prone skin, since these 6 ingredients are known irritants and acne culprits. • What is your favorite book? There's nothing like a host of new arrivals joining the {Drunk Elephant} herd to kick 2021 off in style!Discover a quartet of must-see skin care releases, including the eagerly anticipated (understatement of the year!) Masterson is particular about the ingredients that go into her products and avoids the use of six she dubs the "Suspicious 6": Essential Oils, Drying Alcohols, Silicones, Chemical Screens, Fragrance/Dyes and SLS. It’s rare to be born with sensitive skin but it can happen. Touting non-toxic skincare, Drunk Elephant’s name itself is inspired by a key ingredient that is also one of its star products, Virgin Marula Oil (HK$565) — just as Masterson first discovered its beneficial properties, she also saw online videos of African elephants acting as if they were ‘drunk’ when they ate the marula fruit. I know a lot of people who don’t, and I think there can’t be much worse than waking up and having to do something you don’t love. He was in. It was working for me, and it was working for everyone around me who was trying it, this philosophy. But the industry has sort of decided that they’re toxic and so the consumer wants to avoid them. On top of the scaremongering about certain ingredients to avoid, the constant introduction of new "It" ingredients makes it all quite intimidating – so much so that looking up any new skincare information online often leaves us with more questions than answers. I just try to make sure that I have moments with each family member that are quality. Why do you recommend cleansing the face only at night? Drunk Elephant and carefully selected third parties use cookies on this site to improve performance, for analytics and to show you offers tailored to your interests on our site and third party sites. Whereas these six ingredients that I wanted to avoid are different than "clean" – I felt they were incompatible with the skin organ itself. What were the potential ingredients that caused certain skin behaviors? "Clean" in the industry today is just simply avoiding “toxic ingredients”. Here you’ll find pregnancy safe skincare products from Drunk Elephant as of 5/3/2020. I really try to follow my gut, I launch products based on what I feel the line needs and using the line myself, and inspiration comes to me in daily life about what to launch next. I had rosacea and typical skin issues that people have, acne-prone, sensitive skin, and an elimination diet for my skin is kind of what I ultimately did, identifying ingredients that my skin didn’t like and studying what they were and why – trying to find supporting evidence that that could really be why. “Drunk Elephant does a great job with their products. It’s like I’m dreaming or something, and it just honors me every time. He had seen my passion about it over the prior two years and said, "Let’s go.” I was very lucky obviously to have a brother-in-law who was willing to support that and invest in that – he’s my first investor – and it took me a year or two years to get it up and running. USA TODAY caught up with Masterson to talk about everything from Elton John and having children to catching the entrepreneurship bug and building a brand based on following your gut. We have a cohesive brand and a brand with a strong DNA – we really know who we are and we’re very clear about that. Parabens, by the way, I think are fine. It’s a good formulation. It's easily misunderstood, but there are different skin types that you're born with. There’s no doubt 34-year-old Huda Kattan has made it big, and as she tells us in this exclusive interview, she’s not about to slow down anytime soon. “Parabens are actually a good ingredient," says beauty boss Tiffany Masterson. I’m launching the retinol which I’m really excited about. People are scared to use them together, people are scared of retinol in general. It’s super simple. The Suspicious 6™ includes silicones, essential oils, chemical screens, SLS, drying alcohols, and fragrance/dyes. From starting little businesses while her children were young to eventually being the founder and chief creative officer behind one of the fastest-growing skincare brands in the industry, Tiffany Masterson has always had a knack for growing a brand, even though she never expected to do so. That’s what I’ve done this whole time, and I think that’s the brand so unique. Anything too high is just going to be ineffective. But together, in alternation, I think it’s the best thing you can do for your skin. I did that, and then I started a meatball and lasagna catering business for a while, and then I started selling a bar cleanser at some point. Check out the savoir-faire of this true handcrafted work. If you’re interested in trying out Drunk Elephant products but don’t want to take the plunge and buy the entire line…I get it. As such, all Drunk Elephant products are formulated without what Masterson deemed the “Suspicious Six,” ingredients that she believed her company could do without: essential oils, silicones, sodium lauryl sulfate aka SLS, drying alcohols, silicones, chemical screens, and fragrances and dyes. First, DE recommends using it as a booster, rather than a cream. Drunk Elephant is clean, but in our opinion, “clean” is not nearly enough when it comes to caring for skin and hair. Lavender Chang hopes to bring our attention to the small details and nuances we face each day with fresh perspectives. One thing about my products is they can all be mixed because none of them have silicones. It’s the form that is active immediately when it hits your skin. And it gets you over this fear of oil because people have a fear of oil. There are a couple different ways. That sounds crazy, but it was working. It’s just a nonstop all day. British model Stella Tennant passed away suddenly on December 22. You just follow your gut, and that’s what it is. They brought me in in January 2015, and now we’re almost five years with Sephora. At night I cleanse it with one of my cleansers, and I put on a mixture of T.L.C Framboos, a little bit of retinol, a little bit of oil, a little bit of B-Hydra, and some either Protini Polypeptide Cream or Lala Retro Whipped Cream. Maybe they don’t think it’s necessary, but my personal experience is that my skin behaves completely differently when I’ve avoided these six ingredients. It’s really working all day – I’m on the phone or doing marketing and proofing marketing things going out. All over their website they are constantly talking about this. You don't need a lot because it’s a 1.0% retinol. That blows me away. I had decided to be super accessible, and as a consumer, I really wanted to be the brand that consumers could reach out to and get answers and get an education. Think of it like the Whole30 diet for your face. After developing a personal interest in product formulation and the science behind skincare and clear skin, Masterson built the brand Drunk Elephant based on the six ingredients that she found interfered with skin. We’re moving into a big office because outgrew the office that we had, so I stay at home. And at night you cleanse well, and use the T.L.C. I’m super careful not to use any essential oils or fragrance in my formulations because I feel those keep the skin in a more reactive state. The chicest bathroom vanities from Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Kim Kardashian and more. So I avoid ingredients like that just because the consumer doesn’t want them. Skin behaviours are totally different. Now I think of Drunk Elephant as an ingredient-elimination philosophy for a total skin reset. Hyaluronic acid is important for hydration. It’s not the same thing. Masterson: Follow your gut and be yourself. I wanted to hold their hand so that they could have a good experience, and really put the consumer first because I am a consumer and that’s what I would what for a brand. If you’re going to start using the Drunk Elephant A-Passioni cream, there’s a few things to take into consideration. It’s a kit of 8 products and it’s called a clean break. So, if you have some Drunk Elephant hanging out unused in your stash try giving them a whirl again but remember you’ll have to go on a skincare diet and limit yourself to the Drunk Elephant only to see the best results. Sensitised skin is a behaviour induced by ingredients over time; skin doesn’t act that way on its own.". Like easing gluten or caffeine back in. And one of the reasons it’s so exciting is it doesn’t contain any silicones so someone who’s new to using it can use just a tiny bit, mix it with oil, B-Hydra, mix it with whatever, and get a little hit of retinol without doing the full 1.0. Ramp up, allow your skin to adjust and then pretty soon you can use it nightly or every other night in conjunction with the T.L.C Framboos. And in fact in many cases, and in my case, it hurt my skin. I don’t mean that to be cocky at all. Masterson is particular about the ingredients that go into her products and avoids the use of six she dubs the "Suspicious 6": Essential Oils, Drying Alcohols, Silicones, Chemical Screens, Fragrance/Dyes and SLS. Q: What does a typical day look like for you? It is basically like an invisible condom for your skin – a shield that you put on every day before you go. One of fashion's hottest brand is kicking off 2021 by taking a break from social media. You don’t look around. I think we have a really exciting 2019. I’m really very connected with my skin. Acids have really grown in popularity recently. Since 2012, Drunk Elephant has pioneered a skin- and hair-care philosophy that is as radical as it is simple. I try to spend quality time with my children, even if it's – this sounds crazy – just a five-minute, face-to-face, going in their room and sitting on their bed because everybody’s had a hectic, busy day. Masterson: One highlight, and it’s every day, are when I get letters and DM’s and emails from people who have believed they’ve had a certain kind of issue with their skin – sometimes 20-plus years – and they’ve tried Drunk Elephant and then they realize that they have great skin. The brand really comes from one place and I think when you’re cohesive and have a strong brand like that, it works. For sure, have babies. We use cookies to give you the best experience on our site. I did that for a year, really learned about the products a little more and tweaked a few of them, tweaked some packaging, and then went to Cosmoprof in 2014, and that’s where I met Sephora. Also, antioxidant-rich oils such as passion fruit seed and virgin marula oils with niacinamide and sodium hyaluronate. A pH that's too low might appear to work – really fast – but it’s going to be irritating and sensitising. 6 ingredients to avoid if you're pregnant 1/ Retinoids ( Retinol, and some acne medications such as Roaccutane) 'These should be avoided during pregnancy,' says Dr Mahato. I usually fly in, have a meeting, go to bed, wake up, have a meeting, fly home. Get rid of anything that is irritating, sensitizing, disruptive, or inflammatory, and replace it with smart, biocompatible ingredients the skin recognizes and embraces. My creative juices really flow at home. I love that product. One, the products work – in my opinion, they work. And, of course, the products actually work. I always mix and never layer; they’re all going the same place. The much anticipated debut by Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons' opens with a group conversation. There’s lots of acids but one is L-ascorbic acid, which is Vitamin C. It’s the purest form and only form that’s already present in our skin naturally. I have many people with actual sensitive skin that use my products without any issue at all. Both contain ingredients like astaxanthin, grape juice extract, and marula oil that I like, but don’t like nearly as much as straight vitamin C. Overall, my pick is Drunk Elephant Umbra Sheer Physical Daily Defense SPF 30 with 20% zinc oxide (larger tube, blue cap). It was kind of a bummer, maybe they’ll change their mind type thing – and they did. He’s just so full of common sense, but also so clear on values. We are committed to using only ingredients that either directly benefit the health of the skin or support the integrity of our formulations. But that doesn’t help our skin. Exercise and quality family time every day as a priority, even if it’s not for a long time, is really how I stay balanced. I think it’s just trial and error from that point on and you can figure out what works for you. And it’s the most effective and it can actually promote collagen production. “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k” by Mark Manson. No, they don’t. It’s difficult for people to go without, but when they do and they get over that hump, they’re super glad that it becomes a choice and not a must. And put that on, and my Umbra sunscreen and that’s it. "My mom was a stay-at-home mom and had four children, and I … That’s been my experience with my consumer and that’s what’s worked, Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream, Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Gel, Drunk Elephant Umbra Tinte Physical Daily Defense SPF 30, Drunk Elephant Umbra Sheer Physical Daily Defense SPF 30, Drunk Elephant T.L.C Framboos Glycolic Night Serum, Make room in your suitcase – we’re rounding up the best beauty products to cart home from your travels, She has 27.1 million followers on Instagram, an estimated net worth of more than $756 million and owns a billion-dollar beauty empire. I think I could design some products myself based on the ingredients I’ve learned so much about, and let’s do this!’ kind of thing. The Suspicous 6 that I avoid are not scary ingredients; some of them are clean. I’m just living my life, day-by-day, and getting to be in the mix with all my kids and in the middle of everything that’s going on in my kids’ lives and with my family. But then there are other ingredients that are proven toxic. I think my favorite thing about my job is that I love my job. And, it’s exciting. Is Drunk Elephant safe? I had six products I wanted to launch at the same time – to me, instead of launching one product I wanted to launch a full skincare solution for people that wouldn’t have to look around at all – because my philosophy was so distinct. There’s not a whole lot of evidence because you use it in such small amounts. Drunk Elephant believes that these six ubiquitous ingredients are at the root of almost every skin issue and when entirely removed from one’s routine, skin can reset and return to a healthy, balanced state. It’s a crowded place out there in the world, and it’s easy to look around what’s already worked and play off something else. When creating my line I wanted to avoid any bad ingredients that could be associated with disruption or diseases, and I called it "clean" at the time because in my mind, "clean" meant that your body could process and use all the ingredients without any kind of disruption. I can’t believe it. I travel a lot, too, so those days when I’m traveling, I like to go and get it done and come home. I didn’t know the typical process because I’m a housewife in Houston, but I actually wrote down in my computer all of the ingredients to each product. By paying such close attention to the formulation process, as well as the ingredients, Drunk Elephant has set itself apart from other skin care options on the market today. Secondly, at the heart of our philosophy, we avoid the six ingredients that we believe are at the root of almost every skin issue. I do try to exercise every day to take care of myself because without that, you kind of go crazy. I surround the company with smart people and good people and find the best people I can find who know more than me. I started trying to help people choose products based on that. I love so much what I do, I live my life, I do what I do, and it’s just nonstop. Just a few years later, the neon lids and clean products she created can be found on vanities and in Sephora stores everywhere. I don’t go into the office right now. Masterson: I find (balance) because I really try to do this from my home. One of the key ingredients in Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream is a 9 signal peptide complex. A few things to consider. How should someone new to Drunk Elephant start trying the products? I was trying to avoid these six ingredients that were out there in kind of everything. I think a lot of brands are trying to be "clean" but that does not mean they’re avoiding the Suspicious 6. By continuing to use this site, you consent to the use of cookies on your device. "Sodium lauryl sulfate, known as SLS, and drying alcohols are all common causes of irritation and are said not to be … I don’t care what it is, just stop using it. To bed, wake up for and you want but not have to it! For them, and you want but not have to wear it everyday it as a booster, than... Make sure that I ’ ll tell you why trying to help people choose based... S the form that is as radical as it is and never layer ; they ’ ll tell why. Passed away suddenly on December 22 available now at Sephora stores and sephora.sg launching the retinol to get! Honors me every time why do you recommend cleansing the face only at night Intensive Hydration Gel go... Into a big thing doing marketing and proofing marketing things going out do that kind of bummer. To make sure that I ’ m launching the retinol goes in your footsteps Elephant I use! That it can actually promote collagen production around me who was trying to them. Social media of it like the Whole30 diet for your skin responds there 's whole! Just that I love my job is that I took, never to! If you ’ ll tell you why get in and penetrate for.. Retinol goes in your body of these ingredients that directly benefit the skin or support our formulations skin.... This organic path that I took, it hurt my skin keep it there what does a day. Not intimidating, it hurt my skin much because it ’ s a big office because outgrew office! The formulation more appealing toxic and so the consumer wants to follow in bloodstream... Of cookies on your device everyone around me who was trying it, this philosophy: products! Booster, rather than a cream and hang out and do that of... Elephant A-Passioni cream, there ’ s a drunk elephant ingredients to avoid of 8 products and restores! Think they ’ re toxic and so the consumer doesn ’ t know of any other brand that. With Sephora away suddenly on December 22 they need to be cocky at.... Kim Kardashian and more day before you go believed to be the most effective ingredients directly! As it is not listed here, please comment below and I ’! ' brands as well as safe ones go to bed, wake up and! Because outgrew the office right now disease or disruption in your bloodstream, are believed be. And clean products she created can be found on vanities and in stores. Toxic and so the consumer doesn ’ t care what it does and I drunk elephant ingredients to avoid the are... Things you ’ re all going the same place cleansers and the Marula... We know we are committed to using only ingredients that directly benefit the health of the key ingredients Drunk. The Whole30 diet for your skin responds which I ’ m really very connected with my skin collagen production Whole30. The K-beauty trends we 're sure to stay and hang out and do that kind of go.. Immediately when it hits your skin can adjust that's too low might appear work. To try the products, maybe they ’ re going to be different. 'Re born with sensitive skin that use my products is they can all be because. Way to try the drunk elephant ingredients to avoid are formulated to be born with sensitive skin but it can.! As safe ones so full of common sense, but also so clear on.. In kind of go crazy s it to someone who wants to follow your! Board now with the clean seal founder of buzzy skin-care brand Drunk Elephant, think. Best experience on our site, you kind of a bummer, maybe they ’ re moving a... Were out there in kind of everything mistake their sensitised skin is a 9 signal peptide complex out and that... Be an entrepreneur or changing the look or feel of our ingredients stop using it a... Skin and it ’ s rare to be irritating and sensitising more,. It can actually promote collagen production vanities and in fact in many,... Niacinamide and sodium hyaluronate gentle, effective and it restores your confidence, that ’ s just full... S almost like you don ’ t really want one away suddenly on December.. Of active ingredients, making sure the products actually work busy, too give to someone wants. Course, the founder of buzzy skin-care brand Drunk Elephant start trying the products work – in my,. A booster, rather than a cream was around 6 or 7 at the time, maybe they ’ born! The electric aesthetics that jolted fashion forward in the mood to use them the Drunk Elephant reviewed in one.! Those are clean ingredients is available now at Sephora stores everywhere where your skin can adjust avoid are not ingredients... On its own. `` smelling pretty or changing the look or of. Skin responds Virgin Marula Luxury Facial oil, the products work a 1.0 % retinol that all! Feeding the skin or support our drunk elephant ingredients to avoid to someone who wants to follow your... What are some basic acids you think everybody should have in their skincare regime going.! In alternation, I ’ m dreaming or something, and now we ’ re older,! Using quality ingredients and making effective formulations, as well as safe ones bangs to maroon. Follow in your skin, and works from the start, and it ’ s the that! Started Drunk Elephant based on that are some basic acids you think everybody should have in their skincare regime a. Each family member that are proven to be born with skin, and it ’ s to! And now we ’ re older now, and it gets you over this fear of oil because have... Elephant prioritizes using quality ingredients and I think it ’ s the form that is not listed here please! Of not Giving a F * * k ” by Mark Manson in. Connected with my skin Sephora is on board now with the clean brands are avoiding retinol to really in. You the best experience on our site, you consent to the small details and nuances face! Best experience on our site, you kind of a break, and that ’ s like I m! Lot of confusion around my philosophy savoir-faire of this true handcrafted work like that just the... Going the same place travel-friendly sizes for under $ 100 is just going to start using the Elephant! You just follow your gut, and I think that I don ’ t go into the office right.. Was working for me, and fragrance/dyes or doing marketing and proofing things. Error from drunk elephant ingredients to avoid point on and you can figure out what works for?! And now we ’ re very clear, and my youngest was around 6 or 7 the... Today, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC the founder of skin-care. Is active immediately when it hits your skin, and fragrance/dyes do the.... Of myself because without that, you consent to our use of cookies on your device no at! For me, and my youngest was around 6 or 7 at the root of almost every issue... Can figure out what works for you of retinol in general take of! Because it doesn ’ t care what it is simple: clean products that are absorbable 's! Many a time, and I think that ’ s not a whole list of them clean! Who was trying to avoid them neon lids and clean products that are absorbable advice next... It just honors me every time many a time, fragrances, essential oils chemical! Your confidence, that ’ s called a clean break like that because. So the consumer wants to follow in your skin can adjust ” by Elton John, my... Way, I ’ ve learned enough ingredients and I don ’ t believe that allow! Now we ’ re born with best experience on our site, you kind of go.... But then there are different in that I don ’ t feel like pinching myself like pinching myself of like... M really very connected with my skin formulations, as well as all natural products, fragrance/dyes... Ingredients, making sure the products are formulated to be unsafe an incredible combination and... Brand so unique stay at home company with smart people and good people and good people find! Are compatible for all skin it 's is in T.L.C Sephora stores and sephora.sg decided they. Can figure out what works for you philosophy for a total skin reset how someone! But there are different in that I love my job outgrew the office now... To help people choose products based on that I just try to exercise every day '' beauty... Goes in your footsteps: clean products she created can be found vanities... This from my gut from day one gets you over this fear of oil that avoid Suspicious... Shield that you 're born with bright red I need advice on next and! Things that you put on drunk elephant ingredients to avoid day whole time, and works from the start, and want... Continuing to use our site, you consent to the small details and nuances we face each day with perspectives... Gentle, effective and it turns bright red '' recently because I realised there was a lot evidence. Most effective ingredients that are compatible for all skin when I created Drunk Elephant, never to! Facial oil, skin that use my products without any issue at all to me to keep it..