Fans of clean beauty, rejoice! The much-anticipated Drunk Elephant serum has arrived, and it promises to smooth and depuff the eye area. If you’re currently looking to address fine lines and wrinkles, then the A-Shaba Complex Eye Serum might just be the one for you.
A welcome update to the original Shaba Serum (which was launched eight years ago in 2015), the all-new A-Shaba Complex Eye Serum sees the addition of vegan retinol and caffeine into the satin-like cream. We’ve all seen the wonders that retinol can do for the face. Now, the rejuvenating effects can be replicated for the eyes. Drunk Elephant’s A-Shaba Complex Eye Serum encapsulates within its creamy texture the instrumental ingredient at the gentle but efficient dosage of 0.1%. This level of potency allows even the most novice of retinol users to benefit from the anti-aging component. Given how delicate the under-eye areas are, it would also be best to consider applying a more delicate formula. 3% caffeine is also added into the mix, which may give you a depuffing effect.
We caught up with the brand’s Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Tiffany Masterson herself, to talk more about this Drunk Elephant serum.
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Why did you choose to formulate A-Shaba with 0.1% retinol?
Tiffany Masterson (TM): 0.1% retinol is a low dosage that allows all of our consumers to use A-Shaba consistently from the start. Retinol helps improve the look of fine lines and wrinkles and wards off the free radical damage done by daily exposure to UV rays, pollution, and other environmental stressors.
Is it safe for daily use, or do you need to build up your tolerance?
TM: Yes! It is safe to use daily, morning or night.
Who did you have in mind when formulating this Drunk Elephant serum?
TM: Anyone can use A-Shaba who is looking to reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles in the eye area or alleviate puffiness around the eye area. A-Shaba is also a great option for anyone who is looking to improve elasticity for a rested, more youthful look.
Would you suggest different methods of application for different climates and temperatures? We face very sunny, hot, and humid days here in Malaysia.
TM: Application stays the same—A-Shaba is safe to use daily, morning and night (if you use it during the daytime, ensure you use a broad-spectrum sunscreen after). However, we do have some tips and tricks for use based on different climates and temperatures. If you’re in a warm climate, store A-Shaba in the fridge for a cooling, skin-calming treatment. If you’re in a cold climate, pat a dab of Wonderwild on top of A-Shaba for even greater protection and repair.
In an interview, you said, “forget about skin types.” Do you mind illustrating the ways that skin types might not be as pivotal as we think when it comes to skincare? And how did you come to this point of view?
TM: Yes, it’s true. I’m not sold on the whole “skin type” thing. I wanted to create a skincare line that everyone could use without worrying about a particular issue, like sensitivities or breakouts. I wanted to use only ingredients that are there to benefit our skin health directly and lose all the marketing fluff like colourants and fragrances, natural or synthetic (which by the way I think are at the root of many of our chronic issues in the first place).
At Drunk Elephant, we have a philosophy that is very different from any other skincare brand on the market. We avoid 6 common ingredients that we suspect are at the root of unhealthy skin and most issues we see. By avoiding the “Suspicious 6” (essential oils, drying alcohols, silicones, fragrances/dyes, SLS and chemical sunscreens) and using only nourishing, biocompatible, supportive and protective ingredients, we can deliver formulations that are able to transform people’s skin from a “type” (acne-prone, combination, oily, dry, sensitive, etc.) to well-functioning, healthy and normal. This is like an ingredient elimination diet for your skin and the results we are seeing with our customers are nothing short of amazing. This is a hopeful, positive message that is resonating with today’s consumers, all ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, ethnicities…actually anyone with skin.
Also, I want to float the idea that skin care products for our face should not be scented, in any way, ever…hopefully one day we’ll look back and say…can you believe when we used to put essential oils and perfume on our face? They can cause sensitivities and inflammation…why do we do this? I’m hearing from customer after customer that once they stop, it’s impossible to go back. Less is more when it comes to our skin.
At this juncture, what are you most excited about next?
TM: My business goal is to continue building brand awareness, prove myself in new countries where we are launching and continue educating on my philosophy that the skin must have biocompatible ingredients to function as it should…I think it could be a game-changer for so many people and that’s what truly excites me.