Drunk Elephants and Retro Whips.
My skin has been changing up a lot lately getting drier and drier with each day but too much moisturiser and its an oily mess. So after I powered through my normal night cream this winter I decided I wanted to try the Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream. I've had my eye on it for a while but its not cheap so I just hadn't taken the plunge yet. Until I finally bought a set of the Hit it Off Duo minis to see what it was like and fell in love. I am now onto my second Lala Retro-Whipped and I couldn't think of a better item to review first.
The texture is super light and fluffy but the cream still feels perfectly rich on the skin. And one of the most satisfying thing about it is watching this cream come up out of the pump top like a fluffy mousse pillow. This pump is also designed to keep this cream as clean and hygienic as possible and stopping bacteria from getting into it and affecting the product. Which really pays off as it never felt like the cream had diluted or changed as I got through it. I did have a moment of using two pumps but really you wouldn't need that unless your skin is significantly drier than normal. One pump really does cover the face, neck and décolletage so easily - and I rarely find an item that covers that area with just he recommended amount.
The Lala Retro-Whipped Cream has several key ingredients they mention on their packaging that is where the magic lies. It contains six rare African oils to help recover the skin and lock-in the intense moisture for hours, plantain extract to brighten the skin and sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer to soak in easily and release hydration throughout the day. They also add fermented green tea that in rich in antioxidants to combat signs of aging and relieves irritation from environmental stressors as well as omega acids. It is also free of any fragrance, essential oil and silicone and is irritant free. I love that they even tell you the pH of the moisturiser which is 5.5. Even though this doesn't mean much to me, it is definitely cool to see and to me really shows how much they care about what goes into their product and how it all works for the skin.
All of this is designed to combat tired, dehydrated and dry skin to really boost it up and give the skin a beautiful glow. Which it really does deliver. I spent most of the last couple of months battling the driest skin I've ever experiences and I just couldn't find a cream that would really hydrate my skin and get it feeling normal. At first I only used this cream at nighttime because of its richness but it works perfectly as a day cream, sitting perfectly under make up. I don't use it much during the day - only when I feel my skin needs a little extra something.
Half of my skin struggle has come out of the loss of a favourite hyaluronic acid (no longer stocked in it usual stores) which I used to deeply hydrate and plump my skin up. I've found that since I've struggled with duller, drier skin that is definitely more prone to showing any upsets like the lines in my neck from looking at a computer screen that sits under a counter. This cream has been the big turning point for me since this both plumping up my skin (including those horrible neck lines) and bringing back its nice dewy glow that it had. It has also helped remove the sensitivity I get when my skin dries out and complements my other hydrating products perfectly.
It is hard to pinpoint these exact ingredients in the ingredient list but there are lots of oils listed. I decided to google a heap of them to find out what exactly they are meant to do for you guys.
Ingredient breakdown:
Camellia Sinensis Oil - a super lightweight oil that has strong anti-aging properties for targeting fine lines
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil - or Baobab oil is highly penetrating which means it deeply nourishes the skin to really soften dry skin. The oil has a high content of essential fatty acids that not only help with its ability to absorb deeply into the skin but also maintain and regenerate the health of cell membranes.
Watermelon Seed Oil - an oil that works well on any skin type and is a strong source of antioxidants that doesn't ever go off. Because of this it has great anti-aging properties as it provides nutrients and helps prevent free radicals. It is great for detoxifying and reducing inflammation.
Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil - another name for passion fruit oil or maracuja oil this ingredient has good skin-soothing properties and a source of antioxidants. It is known for improving the look and feel of dry skin.
Schinziophyton Rautanenii Kernal Oil - is an oil derived from the African Mongongo tree's fruit and seeds. it has a really high content of protein, vitamin E, fat and linoleic acid all of which are amazing for the skin when applied topically. It is highly hydrating and had excellent properties for restructuring and regenerating the skin. Plus its African origins mean that the oil is very stable even when exposed to heat.
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil - or Marula oil is extracted from the kernels of the fruits from the Marula tree. Another very stable oil in this mix it contains a high amount of antioxidants and essential fatty acids which help protect your skin from environmental aggressors. This oil absorbs easily and deeper into the skin as the molecules are much smaller than most hydrating oils.