Review: Drunk Elephant Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser
This is my unbiased review of Drunk Elephant Beste No.9 Jelly Cleanser. I bought the 5 fl oz full-size product myself from Space NK and have been using it for the past month – let’s dive in!
the drunk elephant brand
The Drunk Elephant brand has gained notoriety in the beauty world, and not just for their products. It launched onto the market with a bang in 2013, so fresh and new with cool neon packaging that was unlike anything else on the shelves. Their ingredient-elimination philosophy was clear from the outset; they believe that there are a “suspicious 6” ingredients at the root cause of all skin issues and so essential oils, drying alcohols, silicones, chemical sunscreens, fragrances/dyes, and SLS are banned from all Drunk Elephant products.
More recently there has been a buzz on social with TikTok videos showing tiny teenagers rampaging through Sephora for Drunk Elephant products, destroying testers, and purchasing age-inappropriate products like retinol.
Personally, away from all of this press, I am a quiet fan of the Drunk Elephant range. I like the T.L.C Framboos Glycolic Serum (makes my skin look radiant the next morning after just one use) and the C-Firma Fresh Day Serum also does a good job, smell aside.
When it comes to skincare products, cleansers are the one thing I switch up regularly so I was excited to try the Drunk Elephant Beste No. 9 Jelly face wash. Although it’s not a new cleanser, it sounds good and looks fun.
My skin type: normal – dry
First things first, it’s important to note that I’m reviewing this product as someone with normal-dry skin. My skin tends to be on the drier side the days after I’ve used Tretinoin.
I’m 37 so also heading towards the more “mature” side of things and anti-ageing is a consideration, even if not a particular concern right now.
When it comes to cleansers, my personal preference is a cleaner that can remove all makeup without stripping my skin or leaving it tight and uncomfortable. I usually go for a solid cleanser like a cleansing balm which keeps my skin nourished and in its healthiest state.
What they say
To quote Drunk Elephant, Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser is “An innovative jelly cleanser that removes all traces of makeup, excess oil, pollution, and any other grime from the day. With a unique blend of mild surfactants and make-up dissolving emollients, this gentle formula rinses away without an ounce of residue, leaving skin clean and soft. Free of SLS, fragrance, and essential oils, Beste No.9 is suitable for all skin types.”
It’s listed as being PH level 5.5 which will prevent stripping the skin of moisture or disrupting the acid mantle and is also vegan.
the cost
Drunk Elephant Beste No.9 Jelly Cleanser costs $31 for the 5fl oz/150ml or $16 for the 2fl oz/ 60ml. Not extortionate but by no means a cheap buy either, it is after all something you’ll be washing off your face.
You can buy it here.
key ingredients
Coconut-based surfactants (rich in fatty acids) create a rich foam.
Virgin marula oil contains critical antioxidants and omegas 6 and 9.
Glycerin helps replenish hydration levels.
Cantaloupe fruit soothes and hydrates.
first impressions
The packaging is cool – black and white illustrations all topped with a fluro orange cap. It will look good by your sink. Not sure how many people this matters to, but worth noting.
As for the formula itself? It’s a little different to what I imagined.
It’s called a “jelly cleanser” so I was expecting something thick and sumptuous and with gelatine vibes. Perhaps a little blobby and wobbly. This was not the case at all. It’s fairly fluid and runny, almost like hand soap consistency, and pale yellow in color.
Although it’s fragrance-free, it does have a mild soapy smell that reminded me of washing up liquid or baby bubble bath.
how to use it
Add a squeeze of Beste into your palm and apply to your face. A little goes a long way so you only need a small amount to cleanse your face efficiently.
The instructions state that you can apply it to wet or dry skin so I tried both.
On dry skin, it turns into a thick white paste.
When you add water it forms a gentle lather with lots of slip that’s easier to rinse off.
My preference? The wet skin approach.
the performance
The gentle formula rinses off very cleanly, making the cleansing process quick and gentle.
It dealt well with removing light foundation and BB Cream, but it didn’t completely wash away heavy-duty concealer.
Personally, I don’t like to use wash-off cleanser near my eyes so I can’t comment on whether or not this is powerful enough to remove eye makeup and mascara, or gentle enough for the eye area.
the verdict
For my dehydrated skin type, Drunk Elephant Beste No. Cleanser is not quite nourishing enough. After using it my skin feels tight; nothing a few drops of marula oil can’t sort out but it’s certainly not a hydrating choice for me. I’d say it is closer to gel cleansers in terms of look and feel and would be perfect for combination skin.
The makeup-removal power of Beste was not quite up to removing stubborn makeup, so I would recommend using it as a morning cleanser or a second cleanser to remove surface debris and refresh the skin.
That being said, it’s a nice cleanser that does the job. Is it any better than something lower price point like CeraVe or Cetaphil? Yes, but only marginally, so while I will use the whole thing gladly, I’m not sure whether I would purchase it again when there are so many different options of cleansers out there.
Full ingredients list
Water/aqua/eau, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Coco-glucoside, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Propanediol, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Glycolipids, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Lauryl Glucoside, Cucumis Melo Cantalupensis Fruit Extract, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride.
other drunk elephant products to try:
T.L.C Framboos Glycolic Serum: I use this every other night on freshly washed skin and top it with a rich moisturizer. In the morning my skin is always glowing and radiant, a notable difference from nights when I don’t use it. Highly recommend.
C-Firma Day Serum: I’ve tried a lot of the popular vitamin C serums on the market, and I think this is up there as one of the best for my skin. It has a sticky gel consistency but leaves my skin looking fresh and bright. It’s much easier to apply than other runnier serums. It does have the classic “hot dog” smell associated with ferulic acid but I don’t care if it gets good results!
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