Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream
Product summary
"Drunk Elephant - A-Passioni Retinol Cream" is a well-rounded moisturizing product. As we expect from a proper moisturizer, the formula includes a combo of effective humectants and emollients. These are the two different types of ingredients that are essential for improving the skin hydration and supporting a healthy skin barrier. Glucosamine hcl, glycerin, sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer, trehalose and caprylyl glycol in this product (humectants) attract water molecules to the upper layer of the skin (the water comes from the outside air or from the deeper layers of the skin if the air is dry). Ceramide np, palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, palmitoyl tripeptide-1, phytosphingosine and carthamus tinctorius seed oil in this product help decrease the water evoporation from the skin, so that it stays hydrated for longer. These ingredients also soften the skin and take away the feeling of tightness and dryness.
Ingredient callouts
- this moisturizer contains an effective form of retinoids (vitamin A): retinol 0.45% - 0.70%. Retinoids are potent multitasking actives. They work to improve and prevent early signs of aging, reduce hyperpigmentation (age spots and post-acne marks), and prevent inflamed blemishes and clogged pores. The downside of retinoids is that they can be irritating. If you are not already using a retinoid in your routine, it is best to start slowly and apply the retinoid product only a few times per week. If your skin tolerates it well, you can gradually increase the frequency to daily. Because of the irritation risk of retinoids, we recommend to have another, retinoid-free moisturizer in your routine to use on the alternative days or when your skin feels dry.
- Another benefit is that this moisturizer contain ceramides (phytosphingosine 0.25% - 0.50% and ceramide np 0.25% - 0.45%). Ceramides are an important part of our natural skin barrier. The ceramides used in skincare are synthetic or come from plants. They help soften the skin and can help "fill the gaps" in the skin barrier, keeping the skin hydrated and resilient for longer.
- We like that this moisturizer contains peptides (palmitoyl tripeptide-1 0.35% - 0.65%, palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7 0.30% - 0.60% and palmitoyl hexapeptide-12 0.20% - 0.40%). There are many different kind of peptides and they are naturally present in our skin. They all are a combination of amino-acids. Some of them work as natural anti-biotics, promote wound-healing and production of collagen. The science is still not settled on how effective peptides in skincare are, but it is very likely that they have a benefit. Peptides might help restore the skin barrier and fight the signs of aging. At the very least, peptides work as humectants: they attract water to the upper layer of the skin and improve its hydration.
Irritation risk
This formulation includes some common irritants, including ingredients that do not provide a benefit for the skin. We assess the overall irritancy of this moisturizer to be medium. For a detailed overview of all potential irritants: click here
You can see the detailed formula review with the breakdown of all actives in the product and the full ingredient list with estimated concentrations in the tables below.
About the brand
According to Cruelty-Free Kitty "Drunk Elephant" is cruelty free and so is its parent company.
Price
The product retails for 421.49A$ in Australia, from 28.00$ up to 98.00$ in the United States, from 34.50£ up to 65.00£ in the United Kingdom, for 98.00CA$ in Canada and for 595.00HK$ in Hong Kong.
For a detailed price comparison: click here.
Benefits
Promise: Anti-aging
What does the product description say?
Promoting skin renewal and boosting collagen production, this intensive treatment minimises visibility of fine lines and dark spots to reveal vibrant, healthy-looking skin.
This product can help reduce and prevent fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and firmness because it contains retinol, niacinamide, palmitoyl hexapeptide-12.
These ingredients in the product can also be helpful, even though there is less evidence for their effectiveness: palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, palmitoyl tripeptide-1.
Keep in mind that it typically takes at least 6 weeks to notice any results because the changes that are needed to improve fine lines and elasticity happen in the deeper layers of the skin. No topical anti-aging product can “erase” wrinkles or fully reverse signs of aging.
| Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| niacinamide | HIGH |  |  |
| retinol | HIGH | | |
| palmitoyl hexapeptide-12 | HIGH | | |
Promise: Evens skin tone
What does the product description say?
Promoting skin renewal and boosting collagen production, this intensive treatment minimises visibility of fine lines and dark spots to reveal vibrant, healthy-looking skin.
This product can help reduce hypepigmentation and even out the skin tone because it contains the following effective ingredients: retinol.
In addition, this product contains niacinamide. This ingredient (ingredients) might help reduce hyperpigmentation, but the effect, if any, is likely to be small.
The following ingredient (ingredients) in this product might be helpful, but there is no evidence to confirm that it actually can help even out the skin tone: chrysin, glucosamine hcl, stearyl glycyrrhetinate.
Keep in mind that you would need to apply any topical skincare targetted at hypigmentation consistently for a couple of months to get a result. No topical skincare product can help get rid of hyperpigmentation (including post-acne marks and age spots) instantly.
| Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| niacinamide | HIGH | | |
| retinol | HIGH | | |
| chrysin | MEDIUM | | |
Promise: Moisturizing
What does the product description say?
promoting skin renewal and boosting collagen production while reducing depth of wrinkles and improving signs of damage .
This product can help improve hydration of the skin with the two types of ingredients.
The first type is called “humectants”:
these ingredients help attract water.
When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from
within deeper layers of the skin. The following ingredients in this product do the job:
glucosamine hcl, glycerin.
This product also contains ingredients called “occlusives”. They help reduce the speed with which our skin loses moisture to the outside environment. These ingredients also help soften the upper layer of the skin, so it feels less tight and nicer to the touch. The following ingredients in this product do the job: caprylic/capric triglyceride, carthamus tinctorius seed oil.
The following ingredients in this product are especially good for supporting the skin barrier and helping with the hydration level: ceramide np, niacinamide, palmitoyl hexapeptide-12, palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, palmitoyl tripeptide-1, phytosphingosine
| Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7 | HIGH | | |
| palmitoyl tripeptide-1 | HIGH | | |
| passiflora edulis seed oil | HIGH | | |
Promise: Anti-oxidation
This product contains antioxidants (retinol) that can help neutralize free radicals in skin. By doing so, they can lessen the damage the skin gets from the UV light (sun).
The following ingredients - chrysin also can have an antioxidant effect, but there is less evidence to confirm their effectiveness in skin.
| Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| retinol | HIGH | | |
| chrysin | MEDIUM | | |
| carthamus tinctorius seed oil | LOW | | |
Other benefit: Anti-blemish
This product can help reduce breakouts and clogged pores because it contains the following ingredient: retinol. This ingredient is used for treating acne and can have a noticeable effect.
In addition, this product contains niacinamide. It can help in reducing blemishes, even though it is less effective.
| Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| niacinamide | HIGH | | |
| retinol | HIGH | | |
| phytosphingosine | LOW | | |
Other benefit: Exfoliation
This product can help exfoliate the skin. In other words, it helps break down the bonds between dead cells on the surface of the skin and speed up the skin turnover. Skin often appears softer and brighter after exfoliation, but overdoing it can result in disrupted skin barrier. The following ingredient is doing the exfoliating job in this product: retinol.
| Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| retinol | HIGH | | |
Honesty check
How honest is this product?
| Promise | Can it deliver? |
|---|---|
| Anti-aging | |
| Anti-oxidation | |
| Moisturizing | |
| Evens skin tone |
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Potential irritants
| Ingredient | Irritancy | Skin Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| passiflora edulis seed oil | | |
| retinol | | |
| physalis pubescens fruit juice | |  |
User reviews (0)
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Ingredients & concentrations
- retinol
- niacinamide
- palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7
- palmitoyl tripeptide-1
- linoleic acid
- ceramide np
- phytosphingosine
- palmitoyl hexapeptide-12
- Passion fruit oil
- persea gratissima oil
- phytosterols
- Apricot kernel oil
- Jojoba oil
- sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer
- stearyl glycyrrhetinate
- Vitamin E
- caprylic/capric triglyceride
- trehalose
- carthamus tinctorius seed oil
- chrysin
- glucosamine hcl
- glycerin
- glycine soja oil
- jojoba esters
- linolenic acid
- +21 more
| Ingredient | Estimated concentration |
|---|---|
| 45% - 55% | |
| Plain old water | |
| 4.3% - 5.3% | |
| One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant | |
| 4.1% - 5% | |
| An emollient that softens skin and creates a nice product texture | |
| 2.8% - 3.4% | |
| Helps oil and water mix together and works as an emollient | |
| 2.3% - 2.8% | |
| An emollient that helps soften the skin | |
| 1.9% - 2.3% | |
| An emollient that softens the skin and forms a protective layer on its surface. Helps water and oil mix together | |
| 1.5% - 1.9% | |
| Is proven to be effective in reducing blemishes, evening out skin tone and helping to improve lines and wrinkles. It helps the skin to repair sun damage, calm down inflammation and keep maintain good levels of moisture. The concentration of about 2% is effective for supporting the skin barrier and evening out the skin tone. Concentration of 4-6% is better for helping with acne and balancing the sebum production | |
| 1.4% - 1.7% | |
| A good mix of fatty acids that forms a protective layer on the skin. Improves the shelf life of products. Derived from coconut and glycerin | |
| 1.2% - 1.4% | |
| A non-drying alcohol. Works as an emollient. Helps water and oil mix together and creates a nice product texture | |
| 0.9% - 1.1% | |
| Used to preserve products, dissolve other ingredients and create a nice product texture | |
| 0.65% - 0.95% | |
| A good emollient helping to soften the skin. Might have some anti-oxidant properties. Adds a fragrance to the product | |
| 0.45% - 0.7% | |
| Two steps removed from the active form of vitamin A - retinoic acid. Once converted to the retinoic acid in the skin, retinol is proven to be effective against all signs of aging. It improves skin cell turnover, helps fight blemishes and clogged pores, can regulate excess oil production and even skin tone. It can, however, be quite irritating | |
| 0.5% - 0.75% | |
| Softens the upper layer of skin and helps restore the healthy skin barrier. Has shown to help calm down inflammation in skin. It is a stable oil, meaning that it retains its properties even when exposed to air. | |
| 0.45% - 0.65% | |
| An emollient that helps to soften the skin. It has a high contetn of oleic acid that might weaken the skin barrier. Might have some anti-oxidant properties. It might be somewhat helpful against hyperpigmentation. | |
| 0.4% - 0.6% | |
| An emollient that helps soften the skin | |
| 0.4% - 0.6% | |
| An emollient that helps soften the skin and creates a thicker product texture | |
| 0.35% - 0.65% | |
| A type of peptide. Peptides are excellent moisturizers and might be able support collagen production reducing fine lines and wrinkles | |
| 0.3% - 0.6% | |
| A type of peptide. Peptides are excellent moisturizers and might be able support collagen production reducing fine lines and wrinkles | |
| 0.25% - 0.45% | |
| Might be helpful in neutralizing free radicals in skin but solid research is lacking. Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin | |
| 0.25% - 0.45% | |
| Might have some anti-inflammatory properties but research is lacking | |
| 0.25% - 0.45% | |
| Being a lipid soluble form of vitamin C, it is more stable than ascorbic acid, but still degrades quickly and needs to be stabilized in a formulation with another ingredient. It is claimed to penetrate skin better than pure vitamin C and have the the similar benefits, but solid studies of its effectiveness are lacking. Is likely to require a higher concentration in a product than pure vitamin C to be effective. It might be able to help reduce pore clogging. | |
| 0.25% - 0.45% | |
| Might be helpful in reducing fine lines and wrinkles, as well as lightening the skin, but solid evidence is missing. Could somewhat help in reducing the darkness of the under-eye area. Helps to neutralise free radicals in skin | |
| 0.25% - 0.5% | |
| An emollient that helps soften the skin and could be helpful in repairing its barrier function | |
| 0.3% - 0.6% | |
| An excellent emollient. Helps soften the skin, restore its barrier function, and can help to calm down inflammation. It can be helpful to prevent blemishes and clogged pores | |
| 0.3% - 0.5% | |
| An emollient that helps soften the skin and calm down inflammation | |
| 0.25% - 0.45% | |
| A type of lipid similar to ceramides naturally present in skin. Helps to soften the upper layer of the skin and supports the skin barrier function to keep it hydrated. Can help to prevent inflammation in skin | |
| 0.2% - 0.4% | |
| A yellow colorant | |
| 0.25% - 0.5% | |
| A type of lipid that is naturally present in skin. It might help in repairing skin barrier function and has anti-bacterial effect | |
| 0.25% - 0.5% | |
| Lipids that work as an emollient and can be helpful in repairing skin barrier function | |
| 0.25% - 0.45% | |
| An emollient made of jojoba oil. Helps soften the skin and support its barrier function | |
| 0.2% - 0.4% | |
| 0.2% - 0.35% | |
| A fatty acid derived from licorice. Works as an emollient and can help calm down inflammation | |
| 0.25% - 0.45% | |
| A grain extract that helps to create a thicker product consistency. It might have some anti-oxidant properties and help attract water to the upper layer of the skin | |
| 0.2% - 0.4% | |
| A good emollient that helps soften the skin and helps repair its barrier function. It can clog pores if used in high concentrations. | |
| 0.25% - 0.45% | |
| An emollient that helps soften the skin and might help calm down inflammation | |
| 0.2% - 0.4% | |
| A type of peptide. Peptides are excellent moisturizers and might be able support collagen production reducing fine lines and wrinkles | |
| 0.25% - 0.45% | |
| An emollient that helps soften the skin and is used to improve product texture and stability | |
| 0.2% - 0.4% | |
| A sugar that attracts water to the upper layer of the skin | |
| 0.3% - 0.55% | |
| Helps water and oil mix together. Has anti-bacterial properties that might be helpful in preventing blemishes | |
| 0.2% - 0.4% | |
| Attracts water into the upper layer of the skin | |
| 0.2% - 0.4% | |
| An emollient that helps soften the skin but is not effective for restoring its barrier function. Might be helpful to calm down inflammation | |
| 0.2% - 0.4% | |
| Might be able to stimulate production of skin's natural moisturizing compounds such as hyaluronic acid. Could be helpful for evening the skin tone. | |
| 0.25% - 0.4% | |
| A more stable but less bio-available form of vitamin E compared to Tocopherol. Might help moisturize and protect the skin from free radicals, but mostly used in low concentrations to stabilize other ingredients. | |
| 0.25% - 0.45% | |
| Helps to soften the upper layer of the skin without creating a greasy texture | |
| 0.2% - 0.4% | |
| Might be helpful in protecting skin collagen and elastin from breaking down but solid research is lacking | |
| 0.2% - 0.4% | |
| Pure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself | |
| 0.25% - 0.45% | |
| The extract can contain up to 70% of silica. In cosmetics, silica helps absorb oil and creates a thicker product texture | |
| 0.2% - 0.4% | |
| A preservative. It helps prevent bacterial growth in cosmetic products | |
| 0.25% - 0.45% | |
| Helps preserve products and creates a nice product texture | |
| 0.2% - 0.4% | |
| Helps create a thicker or gel-like product texture. It is not a surfactant but can be used in gentle cleansing formulations | |
| 0.2% - 0.4% | |
| Helps oil and water mix together | |
| 0.2% - 0.35% | |
| Is claimed to be able to brighten skin tone by removing some blood-related pigmented compounds in skin (hemoglobin and related elements) but solid research is missing. Can be irritating | |
| 0.3% - 0.55% | |
| Helps oil and water mix together. Has some emollient properties | |
| 0.2% - 0.35% | |
| Used to adjust the product's pH | |
| 0.3% - 0.55% | |
| Helps oil and water mix together | |
| 0.3% - 0.55% | |
| Helps oil and water mix together | |
| 0.2% - 0.35% | |
| Acts as a solvent for other ingredients. Speeds up the absorption of other ingredients into the skin | |
| 0.15% - 0.25% | |
| A preservative | |
| 0.15% - 0.25% | |
| Helps oil and water mix together | |
| 0.1% - 0.25% | |
| Used to improve stability of the formulation | |
| 0.1% - 0.2% | |
| A preservative | |
| 0.1% - 0.2% | |
| A preservative | |
| 0.05% - 0.1% | |
| A preservative | |
Show more | |
Sources
- Glycerol and the skin: holistic approach to its origin and functions
- Niacinamide - mechanisms of action and its topical use in dermatology
- Gehring, W. (2004). Nicotinic acid/niacinamide and the skin. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 3(2), 88–93. doi:10.1111/j.1473-2130.2004.00115.x
- Retinoids in the treatment of skin aging: an overview of clinical efficacy and safety
- Improvement of naturally aged skin with vitamin A (retinol)
- A comparative study of the effects of retinol and retinoic acid on histological, molecular, and clinical properties of human skin
- Anti-aging potential of extracts from Sclerocarya birrea (A. Rich.) Hochst and its chemical profiling by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS
- Physico-chemical composition and characterisation of the seed and seed oil of Sclerocarya birrea
- Assessment of the potential irritancy of oleic acid on human skin: Evaluation in vitro and in vivo
- Double-blind, half-face study comparing topical vitamin C and vehicle for rejuvenation of photodamage
- Application of tetra-isopalmitoyl ascorbic acid in cosmetic formulations: Stability studies and in vivo efficacy
- Anti-photoageing and anti-melanogenesis activities of chrysin
- Chrysin Protects Epidermal Keratinocytes from UVA- and UVB-Induced Damage
- Inhibition of melanogenesis by 5,7-dihydroxyflavone (chrysin) via blocking adenylyl cyclase activity
- The Permeability Barrier in Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency: Evidence for a Direct Role for Linoleic Acid in Barrier Function
- Digital image analysis of the effect of topically applied linoleic acid on acne microcomedones.
- Skin hydration is significantly increased by a cream formulated to mimic the skin’s own natural moisturizing systems
- Topically Applied Ceramides Interact with the Stratum Corneum Lipid Matrix in Compromised Ex Vivo Skin
- Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Anthocyanins Extracted from Oryza sativa L. in Primary Dermal Fibroblasts
- Rice antioxidants: phenolic acids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, tocopherols, tocotrienols, c-oryzanol, and phytic acid
- Use of “natural” oils for moisturization: Review of olive, coconut, and sunflower seed oil
- Glucosamine: an ingredient with skin and other benefits
- Safety Assessment of Alkyl Esters as Used in Cosmetics
- Vitamin E in dermatology