If you are looking to invest in products that cut down on a lengthy ingredient list, you may want to think about adding the Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial to your medicine cabinet. 100 percent pure, unrefined marula kernel oil is its sole ingredient.
But, before you proceed to add a bottle to your shopping cart, be sure to read over our detailed review of this popular Drunk Elephant product.
This way, you can gain a better understanding of all the potential advantages and considerations attached to this product, before you actually purchase it.
Plus, if you are also in need of some expert insight on this product, we tapped three board-certified derms to comment on the efficacy of this product.
Key Takeaways
- The Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil contains 100 percent pure marula kernel oil as its sole ingredient.
- Marula oil is a non-irritating skincare ingredient that can provide hydrating, skin barrier-protecting, anti-pollution, and anti-aging benefits to the skin.
- While marula oil boasts radical-scavenging capacities, it should not be used in place of other protective products in your routine.
- If you are unsure as to how your skin will respond to this Drunk Elephant product, consider conducting a patch test on your arm, and consulting with your physician, allergist, and board-certified dermatologist before using.
Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil
Hydrating, Protective, and Anti-Aging Face Oil
Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil
This oil is one of the best Drunk Elephant products, because marula oil helps hydrate, protect the skin, and boost radiance.
Marula oil is rich in protective antioxidants and omegas 6 and 9, which help moisturize, hydrate, protect against water loss, and rejuvenate the skin. This oil absorbs quickly into the skin, and is non-irritating.
Pros
- Fragrance-free
- Vegan and cruelty-free
Cons
- May not be suitable for acne-prone skin
This oil is produced using a raw, cold-press extraction and filtration process. This results in a concentrated and pure form of the oil with the benefits preserved.
Topical plant oils have been used in skincare for decades. These oils are rich in antioxidants and fatty acids and can provide beneficial anti-inflammatory effects to the skin [1]. Additionally, plant oils also demonstrate the ability to promote wound healing, repair the skin barrier, and have anti-microbial properties [1].
While rosehip, coconut, and argan oils are some of the more commonly known topical plant oils, marula oil (also known as Sclerocarya birrea) is a plant oil (which derives from African Marula trees) that also has been used in cosmetic products such as lipsticks, foundation, and skin lotions [2].
Because this oil is rich in antioxidants and fatty acids, it exhibits moisturizing, hydrating, and occlusive properties. Similarly, marula oil is also non-irritating and provides a moisturizing effect on the skin [2].
Product Overview
The Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil is a topical facial oil that can be applied to the face, neck, hands, and back of arms.
The product contains pure, unrefined marula oil (untouched by chemicals and fragrances) as the sole ingredient. Marula oil can provide hydrating, skin barrier-protecting, anti-pollution, and anti-aging benefits to the skin.
This moisturizing facial oil can be worn on its own or can be paired with a moisturizer to amp up its hydrating effects.
Claims
The Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil claims to absorb quickly into the skin, and soften the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles with continued use.
Since the marula oil in the formula is untouched by chemicals or fragrances, the brand also suggests that the product is non-irritating, and can be used on sensitive skin.
Finally, Drunk Elephant claims that the marula oil used in this product contains a high polyphenol account (more than green tea or chocolate), which can provide defense against environmental stressors such as pollution and free radicals caused by ultraviolet radiation (sunlight).
Key Ingredients
1. 100% Unrefined Sclerocraya Birrea (Marula) Kernel Oil
In addition to its impressive hydrating properties, marula oil also provides anti-aging benefits for the skin. Stems from the marula plant, for example, are rich in ethanolic extract, an ingredient used for anti-aging purposes [3].
Similarly, extracts from different parts of the marula plant also have skin-protective properties [4]. These include shielding the skin from environmental damage caused by sun exposure and pollution, as extracts from different parts of the marula plant showed high total phenolic compounds, radical-scavenging capacities, and antioxidant activities [4].
Finally, the oil's many fatty acids have been shown to improve skin health. These acids include oleic, palmitic, myristic, and stearic acids, which boast skin barrier-protecting, and emollient properties [5].
How To Use
Here is how to use the Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Face Oil:
- Apply two to three drops of product to cleansed areas that are in need of moisture. These include the face, neck, chest, hands, and backs of arms.
- Follow with other products in your daily regimen. These include cleansers, serums, and sunscreen.
Note: because seeds from the marula plant contain a kernel that is rich in oil and protein, you can also use this oil on your hair and nails [4].
When to apply
The brand suggests that Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Face Oil can be used at any time of the day to provide hydration to the skin.
When applying this product, keep in mind that you will want to keep using other protective products in your routine. These include sunscreen, which protects the skin from photodamage.
Similarly, those with allergy-prone or extremely sensitive skin should consult with their physician, allergist, and dermatologist before using, in order to prevent unwanted allergic reactions or irritation.
Other tips
1. Don't skip out on sunscreen
While marula oil boasts radical-scavenging capacities, it should not be used in place of protective products in your skincare routine [4]. This includes sunscreen, which should be worn and reapplied daily (with an SPF of 30 and higher) to adequately protect your skin against photodamage.
2. You can wear it with moisturizer
While Marula oil is a moisturizer all on its own, it can be added to your daily moisturizer for added moisture and benefits [6].
3. Be careful about the products you pair with this oil
When using items from the Drunk Elephant product line, the brand recommends avoiding (or taking a break) products containing irritating ingredients such as silicones, fragrance/dyes, essential oils, chemical screens, SLS, and drying alcohol [7].
These ingredients, according to the brand website, cause your skin to be sensitized and very reactive and can hinder any results (or benefits) seen from using Drunk Elephant products [7].
What to expect
When using skincare products of any kind, it's important to remember that results vary from person to person.
However, because marula oil absorbs quickly, you should notice more moisturized skin immediately upon application [6].
What Dermatologists Think
1. Dr. Peterson Pierre, MD
"Marula oil can help dry, dehydrated skin (found in eczema and psoriasis), has anti-aging properties, and can help your sunscreen in defending against free radicals; it even has antimicrobial properties and may be helpful in your fight against acne," says Dr. Pierre. "It's also lightweight, absorbs easily, and can even help your hair and nails."
2. Dr. Rina Allawh, MD, FAAD
"As an active ingredient, marula oil is lightweight, easily absorbed into the skin, and has a nice buildable texture--ideal for an anti-aging moisturizer," says Dr. Allawh. "Interestingly, the ingredients listed are non-greasy and are less likely to trigger acne breakouts and clog pores. However, I caution those with sensitive skin (or allergy-prone skin) to apply the product to a test spot on their forearm prior to application on the face to assess for a potential allergic reaction."
3. Dr. Debra Jaliman, MD
"This product is a good moisturizer because it is very light, so it absorbs easily into the skin," says Dr. Jaliman. "It also contains fatty acids such as oleic acid, stearic acid, palmitic acid, and myristic acids; which are moisturizing. It contains the antioxidants vitamin E and vitamin C which helps fight free radical damage."
FAQs
HOW DO YOU USE THE DRUNK ELEPHANT VIRGIN MARULA LUXURY FACIAL OIL?
Apply two to three drops of product to cleansed and dry areas that are in need of moisture. These include the face, neck, chest, hands, and backs of arms. Since seeds from the marula plant contain a kernel that is rich in oil and protein, you can also use this oil on your hair and nails [4].
WHO SHOULD AVOID USING MARULA OIL?
While marula oil is characterized as a non-irritating skincare ingredient, those with extremely sensitive (or allergy-prone skin) should consult with a dermatologist, physician, and or allergist before using this product. Similarly, it's best to conduct a patch test (place a small amount of product onto your arm) to see how your skin will tolerate this ingredient.
CAN THIS PRODUCT REPLACE OTHER PRODUCTS IN YOUR ROUTINE?
While Marula oil can provide hydration, skin barrier-protecting, antipollution benefits to the skin, it should not replace protective skincare products in your routine. Sunscreen is one of these products, as it helps protect the skin from photodamage caused by ultraviolet exposure.
The Bottom Line
The Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil is an attractive product choice for those who want a multitasking product that targets multiple skincare concerns (hydration, anti-pollution, anti-aging), and that contains a simple ingredient list; 100 percent pure marula kernel oil is its sole ingredient.
While marula oil boasts radical-scavenging capacities, it should not be used in place of other protective products (serum, cleanser, sunscreen) in your routine.
However, if you are unsure as to how your skin will respond to this Drunk Elephant product, consider conducting a patch test on your arm, and consulting with your physician, allergist, or board-certified dermatologist before using. Doing so can prevent unwanted allergic reactions and irritation from coming to the fold.
