A Crash Course in How to Sound Drunk

JANUARY 04, 2022

There are a lot of terms that are in heavy rotation at Drunk Elephant. Here’s your cheat sheet.

Acid mantle, n. Also known as the skin barrier, this is the protective layer on the surface of the skin. It’s comprised of fatty acids, lactic acid, and lipids.

AHA/BHA, n. Alpha hydroxy and beta hydroxy acids. Examples include glycolic acid (perhaps the most popular AHA, but lactic, malic, tartaric, and citric are notable alpha hydroxy family members) and salicylic acid, respectively, two of our favorite naturally exfoliating fruit acids that are highly effective at getting rid of dead skin cells and smoothing and refining the skin.

Biocompatible, adj. Compatible with living tissue without harming or injuring it. All ingredients in our products are biocompatible.

Bruno, n. Drunk Elephant’s official canine mascot, known for couch-lounging, powers of fetch, and Instagram celebrity.

Dehydrated, adj. The condition that results when skin loses too much water, and just like the rest of your body, your skin needs water to function properly. Your skin needs to hold water in its surface layers to keep the skin barrier healthy.

Dry, adj. Often confused with "dehydrated", this refers to skin that lacks moisture and needs oil, not water, to correct course.

Marula, n. A tree native to parts of Africa that produces a fruit that elephants love to eat. Occasionally, the fruit falls to the ground and ferments, and when the elephants eat it, they get drunk on it, or so the myth goes. Marula oil is rich in antioxidants and omegas 6 and 9; we love it for its ability to nourish and moisturize skin, imparting a youthful glow.

Microbiome, n. The billions of microorganisms that live in a particular environment. In our case, we’re usually talking about the microbiome on the surface of the skin.

pH, n. A measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a given substance. Your skin is acidic naturally, and all Drunk Elephant products are formulated to be acidic in order to support and maintain skin’s ideal environment.

Polypeptide, n. A string of amino acids known to firm and strengthen the skin.

Retinol, n. The gold standard of anti-aging ingredients that works from the deepest layers of skin to reduce the look of fine lines, wrinkles, and sun damage.

Romeo, n. Bruno, but shorter.

Sensitizing, adj. Something that can cause irritation to skin (i.e., inflammation) and that may or may not be visible at first. Ingredients like essential oils and fragrance can be sensitizing to skin—and cause a whole host of problems. That’s why we leave them and the rest of the Suspicious 6 out of our line entirely.

Skin barrier, n. See “acid mantle.”

Smoothie, n. A cocktail for your face (and neck, and chest, and backs of hands…). All of our products are designed to be mixed together, so feel free to experiment and see what your skin likes. Just don’t drink it.

Suspicious 6, n. The 6 ingredients we believe are at the root of almost every skin behavior due to their potential to sensitize or otherwise hold your skin back from being its healthy best: essential oils, fragrances/dyes, drying alcohols, silicones, chemical sunscreens, and SLS (that’s sodium lauryl sulfate). Once removed entirely from your routine, skin can reset back to its healthiest state.

Vitamin C, n. A water-soluble vitamin known for its brightening powers and ability to fend off free radicals (especially of the extra-nasty UV variety) while boosting healthy collagen production.