Drunk Elephant F-Balm Review
Have you heard about the new F-Bomb dropping? I’m not referring to the four letter word that is offered introduced with Excuse My French. I’m referring to the NEW Drunk Elephant F-Balm Electrolyte Waterfacial Mask. I was kindly gifted the mask at the beginning of December and I’ve been testing it out ever since.
The Drunk Elephant F-Balm received its name as its enriched in Vitamin F. Before this I never tried nor used any skincare product to my known knowledge that contained Vitamin F. Based on my research Vitamin F is used in skincare represent linoleic acid. It’s known for being a fatty acid that aims to hydrate the skin, high in antioxidants and great for protecting and restoring the barrier of the skin.
Sounds amazing, Right?
DRUNK ELEPHANT
F-Balm Electrolyte Waterfacial Mask
Qty: 1.69oz
Price: $52
Scent: None
Texture: Moisturizer/almost gel like
Packaging: includes a mini TLC Framboos
Ingredients and Ingredient Breakdown
Ingredients: Water/Aqua/Eau, Squalane, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Olive Oil Glycereth-8 Esters, Coconut Alkanes, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Water, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Glycerin, Mannitol, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Butter, Sodium PCA, Opuntia Tuna Fruit Extract, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil, Sorbitol, Quercetin, Trehalose, Zea Mays (Corn) Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Sucrose, Creatine, Inositol, Pentylene Glycol, Ferulic Acid, Hydroxytyrosol, Behenic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Cholesterol, Ceramide NS, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOS, Ceramide NP, Ceramide EOP, Phospholipids, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Magnesium PCA, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Adenosine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Ceteareth-25, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Chlorphenesin, Potassium Sorbate, Ethylhexylglycerin.
First 5 Ingredients Listed
Water- h20
Squalane- multitasking moisturizer that leaves skin hydrated, visibly plump while minimizing the signs of redness and irritation. More hydrating than all other oils, squalane mimics your skin's own moisture, making it the best hydrator for your skin.
Propanediol -skin conditioning agent, humectant (moisturizer), fragrance ingredient, solvent and is used to reduce the viscosity of a formulation.
Niacinamide- known as vitamin B3 and nicotinamide, niacinamide is a water-soluble vitamin that works with the natural substances in your skin to help visibly improve enlarged pores, uneven skin tone, fine lines and wrinkles, dullness, and a weakened surface.
Olive Oil Glycereth-8 Esters-A water soluble derivative of olives- it also has a very gentle cleansing action and can be used as a co-emulsifier and enhancer in cleansing products.
Linoleic Acid aka Vitamin F- helps to maintain the hydration levels of the skin along with protecting the barrier of the skin.
Vitamin F (Linoleic Acid) is an acid that all skin types can benefit from. It’s known for making the skin barrier stronger. It helps to keep moisture in and helps to reduce breakouts. Linoleic acid can be found in safflower, sunflower, rosehip and evening primrose.
Review
The first thing I noticed about the F-Balm is that it’s packaging is similar to the Sukari Baby Facial (Blog Post Review). The masks pumps out and is convenient as you don’t have to fuss or worry about applying too much or too little. The directions calls for 4-5 pumps to be used at the end of your skincare routine.
I seemed to come across the same similar questions below with regards to the F-balm Sleeping Mask
-should they continue their regular skincare routine with moisturizer and then add Fbalm at the last step
-Should moisturizer be skipped altogether and Fbalm used in its place?
-If using a sleeping mask, should facial oils be skipped when using Fbalm?
First Impression
I do a pretty lengthy skincare routine at night and initially I wasn’t sure if I should apply moisturizer prior to applying the F-Balm mask. Infact on several occasions I tried the mask alone and I tried it over top of my night moisturizer.
The first thing I noticed about the F-Balm mask is it’s not as heavy in consistency as the other sleeping masks in my collection. The texture of it reminds me of Protini, a hybrid gel moisturizer. When applied to the skin the gel texture has tiny moisture beads that break down once the formula is being rubbed into the skin. The first time I noticed this I was pretty wowed by this effect.
For my first application I followed the recommended directions. I completed my full night time routine (double cleanse, toner, essence, TLC serum, moisturizer and facial oil) then followed the directions of the 4 pumps of the F-Balm. I noticed right away my skin being normal to combo did not need this much moisture. Usually when I overdo it with moisturizing products, I go to bed looking like a glazed donut and I wake up looking the same. With the usage of the F-Balm I noticed that my skin didn’t appear to be very shiny in the morning. After rinsing my face in the morning, I noticed that my skin felt extremely soft and felt supple.
Throughout my time of testing out the F-Balm I tried it out with A-Passoni Retinol and other serums. I noticed the same results after using it the next day. I feel that the mask dries down and locks in moisture! I can’t say I’ve experienced this type of result with any other products in my collection. I don’t usually suffer from any type of redness or skin irritations and I cannot attest if the mask can help with those issues.
Being that I’ve tested F-Balm in multiple ways I now know how I prefer to use it. If I’m using the F-Balm, I know I can skip using a facial oil and a heavier moisturizer. I do think a moisturizer is still needed with it, but for someone with a skin type similar to mine even a light moisturizer would suffice. I also don’t think the F-Balm is only for night time use. I personally use it at night due to the fact that my skin loses a lot of moisture at night and my bed is located near a heater.
Packaging and Details
One important thing I should mention about the directions, I found 4-5 pumps to be excessive- especially when using the F-balm after a moisturizer. In my opinion 2-3 pumps was more than enough. If using alone, then perhaps 3-4 pumps. As previously mentioned, a mini of the TLC Framboos (review here) comes with Fbalm. I love the fact that a mini is offered. It gives new users the chance to try out a product and someone like me who already loves it, a mini size for travel.
The packaging of the Fbalm is identical to the Baby Facial (as seen pictured above). I love that it’s an airless pump. But I do think the size of it would prevent me from traveling with it. Although it meets the traveling ounce guidelines, the odd shape makes it a bit bulky for travel. I state that is as a minor con, because at this point I’m extremely familiar with Drunk Elephant’s product packaging. Something tells me that down the line they’ll probably make a midi size of it like what they did with the baby facial. The midi size is perfect for travel too!
Overall Thoughts
I think the F-balm sleeping mask could be used every night. But for my routine, I’m especially aiming to use it on the nights I use baby facial (Sunday) and the A-passioni retinol (spread out during the week). These are products that are known to be stronger and have a higher acid percentage. So for me it would makes sense to follow up these products with a product that will lock in moisture and protect the barrier of my skin. I’ve used the F-Balm with the TLC night serum, but I think my skin tolerates TLC very well and I don’t find it to be drying therefore I don’t think I need to use F-Balm on the nights I use this serum.
I honestly think that the F-Balm is a versatile sleeping mask. I store mine in my skincare fridge and it feels so nice being applied chilled. It works for all skin types and can be used in multiple ways. Being that I’m constantly experimenting with new products and I use products with a higher acidic percentage, the mask is a great addition in protecting the health of my skin.
I do think the mask is one of those products that you essentially need to test it out yourself and under different circumstances to see how it would best fit into your skincare routine. I don’t see the F-Balm taking the place of Protini or Lala. I think moisturizer should still be used with it. The price tag of $52 is very reasonable for clean skincare products and the mini TLC serum that comes with it. If you’re only using 2-3 pumps a few times a week F-Balm should last you several months!