Drunk Elephant's Protini Polypeptide Cream Just Dropped at Sephora

I stan for Drunk Elephant. Having written about skin care for more than five years now, as you might imagine, I'm constantly asked what I use. The truth of that matter is that I can never give a consistent answer I'm constantly changing it up. Nevertheless, I always mention (and wholeheartedly recommend) Drunk Elephant. Why? Because Tiffany Masterson's smash success of a skin-care line is both active but non-irritating. And now, there's a new cream to further round out the assortment.

Protini — Drunk Elephant's newest launch (which just went live on Sephora.com), is the result of a conversation Masterson had with her mom and research done on a flight to California in the summer of 2016. "My mom asked me to make a product that would address every collagen concern she'd ever had," Masterson tells Allure. "I'm a health and wellness nut, so I immediately thought of the protein powder I add to my smoothie every day for muscle support, and began to envision a product that would help maintain, create more, and prevent the breakdown of skin's existing collagen."

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Inspired, Masterson set out to do ingredient research, noting that she didn't initially anticipate creating a moisturizer, but perhaps a serum, given the actives-packed formula she was creating in her mind. Like Drunk Elephant's Lala Cream, the new formula comes in an airtight container that comes with a pump that dispenses a a dime-sized amount of product to cover your whole face (and décolletage). It's solidly lighter than Lala however, which for some might feel too thick for daytime. "I think of the products as food for skin," she says of her line. "I mix them together like ingredients in my daily smoothie. Protini is like a pump of protein added to my morning and nighttime routines, and there's nothing else in the line that accomplishes the same thing."

Karen Navarro

By the time the plane landed, her ingredient list was set and she even had a name — "Protini," which means "protein" in Afrikaans. Now, the resulting formula is finally here, and it's impressive. The moisturizer is made of nine plant-derived peptide growth factors, which are synthesized via plant fermentation culture, but designed to (in part or whole) to mimic the function of human peptides. "These aren't just standard peptides, they have unique benefits that "normal" peptides can't touch," Masterson says. It's also made with amino acids, signal peptides, and safe, synthetic-grown growth factors, but also uses enough emollient ingredients to give it the creamy texture it has. "The final formulation melts right into your skin to make it hydrated, bouncy, and balanced."

Protini works to help restore the skin's bounciness, a.k.a. collagen, which is what gives our skin firmness and elasticity, but we lose our natural reserves of it as we age. When used topically, the growth factor ingredients found in Protini help facilitate healthy cell turnover and development — without upsetting the balance of healthy, normal cell production. Masterson likens this to retinol, which, she explains also helps "trigger the development of new, healthy cells without the manual breakdown of dead cells on the surface layer of skin." However, unlike retinol, these types of plant-derived growth factors are well tolerated by even sensitive skin types.

"The gel-like texture of this cream allows it to hydrate and nourish the skin instantly, leaving you looking and feeling your smoothest," Shereene Idriss, a New York City-based dermatologist says of Protini, based on its ingredients. "In addition, it's loaded with peptides, which provide significant skin benefits, plus red algae extract, which delivers intense hydration. With this combination of ingredients it's a good beauty staple."

Finally, the amino acids in Protini work to support these peptide growth factors, acting as the 'bricks' that help make up the skin's proteins and playing a critical role in maintaining its barrier. "Amino acids at this concentration have another, more immediate benefit for skin — an instant tightening effect on skin as they dry," says Masterson. "In the short term, skin looks firmer and tighter as a result. Over the long term, Protini's blend of plant-derived peptide growth factors and amino acids together help make skin stronger, firmer and, healthier looking." What's not to love?

So far, Masterson's initial testers (and trusted friends and family members) agree. "My 75-year-old Mom, my 17-year-old daughter, my best friend's husband…it's for all skin, any age, like all of my products are. Men, women…anyone with skin," she says. "We all wish we were more proactive and had taken more preventative measures when we were younger and as someone with more mature skin — it's nice to use something you know is reparative, can help maintain and protect existing collagen, and promote collagen production."

The Drunk Elephant Protin Polypeptide Cream is available now for $68 at sephora.com.

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