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Drunk Elephant released a $600 skincare trunk — so we tried it out
It’s common for brands to release limited edition holiday bundles or sets around the holidays, especially beauty or skincare ones. It can make gifting more accessible, and sometimes, it's a great way to get a product sampling and make some discoveries. However, when you’re thinking of a holiday skincare bundle, you might not immediately think of a $600 skincare extravaganza-filled trunk.
Every year, Drunk Elephant releases a slightly different variation of this gift — I’ve seen it come in a big Yeti cooler, a Monos carry-on, and other various bags. This year’s lavish trunk is called the Trunk 8.0 and comes in a sleek, metal-looking hard shell carry-on roller bag. The brand, which garnered mad popularity due to teens and even kids on TikTok filming tutorials featuring the colorfully branded products, is a hot gift this year.
But is this $600 trunk too much?
As an avid user of the brand for years now, I’ve tried every single one of their products. So keep reading as I break down the contents of this big-ticket self-care bundle to help you decide if it’s worth it.
Drunk Elephant
If $600 for a suitcase full of skincare seems excessive, you're not alone in thinking that. So we got a trunk and put every product to the test.
What’s in the $600 Drunk Elephant Trunk 8.0?
Encased in a fully functional carry-on bag, there are six sample-sized and 10 full-sized skincare products from the cult-favorite brand, including creams, serums, oils, and drops. Here's what's included, as well as what I thought about it.
The full-sized products in the Drunk Elephant Trunk 8.0
Drunk Elephant
I can honestly say that this ranks amongst my top 3 in moisturizers — and that’s saying a lot because, as a beauty writer, I’ve sampled so many products I’ve lost count. If you’re looking for a one-and-done cream, a.k.a. something you can use AM and PM, this is a great one. It’s not so light that it leaves me wanting more moisture at night, but light enough to wear during the day without looking like Moo Deng, the baby hippo.
As someone with sensitive skin, I always opt for skincare free of essential oils, silicones, fragrances, dyes, and alcohol. And this is one of my favorite things about the brand overall, as they stand by that policy for all their products. It’s pricier, but one pump goes a long way. If you’re looking to stretch it a little further, you can mix in 2-3 drops of their marula oil (or any favorite facial oil you may already have) for a little extra moisture boost while helping you extend the life of your Polypeptide Cream.
Drunk Elephant
Vitamin C is something I’ll never forgo in my regular skincare routine. It’s a vital contributor to a radiant and overall smoother skin tone. If you struggle with hyperpigmentation and sun damage and you’re not already using vitamin C daily, drop what you’re doing and buy some. And while you’re at it, you may as well go for Drunk Elephant’s C-Firma Fresh Day Serum because this is one of the best ones I’ve used and has become my go-to.
The fresh formula maximizes the product’s potency, so don’t be surprised when you find that it comes in two parts: a powder and a serum, which you’ll mix once you’re ready to use it for the first time. This is one of the higher-priced items I was pleased to see included in this trunk because it’s hard to find a good, fresh vitamin C serum.
Pro tip: Keep it in the fridge to extend its shelf life!
Drunk Elephant
Whether or not you’ll find this to be a worthwhile inclusion will heavily depend on your skin type and skin concerns. It’s a pretty strong exfoliant, and if, like me, you already use a different regular exfoliant that you prefer, this might not be a great addition to your routine. That said, if you’re going to use a glycolic, it’s important to use something without other additives that could irritate your skin, such as fragrance or alcohol, so if congested skin, breakouts, enlarged pores, or dullness are something you need to address,
I think this is a fantastic glycolic serum, having once regularly used it myself. A little goes a long way with this, so it should last you. And if you’re looking for some more gentle exfoliation, you can also mix a few drops of this into the Polypeptide Cream also included in this trunk.
Drunk Elephant
I adore this serum. It forever lives in my fridge beside Drunk Elephant’s C-Firma and I use it every morning after applying my vitamin C. The hyaluronic acid hits my skin with a little extra moisture boost while the vitamin B helps protect my skin’s moisture barrier, which is so important year-round, especially as we head into those colder winter months where skin can take a mega dryness hit. Since vitamin B is known to complement vitamin C, pairing the two will help you lock in some extra skin-loving benefits, so I love that the Trunk comes with both this and their C-Firma.
Drunk Elephant
An eye cream is so personal because it will depend on your individual skin needs and how sensitive your eye area is. Personally, I’m extremely sensitive in that area, and anything that comes anywhere near my eye is likely to have me tearing up. And as much as a good cry can help, sometimes it’s just not the look I’m going for.
If that’s you, you may want to go to the store and request a sample of this before going all in, as this one had me crying like I’d just undergone the worst breakup. If you can handle it, though, that low dose retinol is excellent as it’s measured with your delicate eye area in mind so that you can still benefit from retinol’s plethora of goodness without laying down an overly potent layer of that could end up doing more harm than good.
Caffeine is also something I love to see in an eye product as it helps perk up any signs of tired eyes. Additionally, this isn’t one of those super greasy eye creams that’ll leave your glasses smudged for life. Overall, it’s a well-rounded eye product and an excellent addition to the trunk.
Drunk Elephant
Marula oil is a fantastic antioxidant-packed skincare addition in general. The important thing is that you must ensure you’re using pure, unrefined oil that hasn’t been blended with additives. And that’s precisely what you’re getting here: a one-ingredient quality marula facial oil.
My honest opinion is that despite its excellent quality, it’s significantly overpriced. You can buy a pure marula facial oil for a lot less. Now, does it hurt that it’s in the trunk? Certainly not. But I wouldn’t count this as one of those Drunk Elephant products you can only benefit from if you drop $69 on their brand. Therefore, I’m not sure this is a product I would consider a worthwhile inclusion, even if it is one of their pricier products.
Drunk Elephant
This fantastic little multi-use product lasts you a lifetime. It plays well with the other products in the trunk (and also happens to be an Allure Best of Beauty Award winner!).
If you’re looking for an overall bronzed glow, you can mix a few drops into your moisturizer, which is super easy to do evenly if pairing this with the Polypeptide Cream also included in this trunk because the cream comes as a flat-top pump. So whatever product you’re pumping out immediately comes out on a flat little surface that serves as the perfect “palette” for mixing things such as serums, oils, or these drops into your moisturizer. If you’re looking for more targeted bronzed areas, you can dab a tiny bit directly onto your face as the last step in your skincare routine.
Drunk Elephant
Also an Allure Best of Beauty Award winner, this is D-Bronzi’s cousin and will likely forever have a place in my regular skincare routine. My favorite way to use it is by mixing 2-3 drops into my sunscreen, as that’s the last step in my AM skincare. The result is a subtle allover glow that leaves me with a dewy mermaid-like complexion.
Like D-Bronzi, this product will last you forever, so although it is pricier for glow drops, I think it’s worth the investment. Many glow drops contain too much mica, leaving you with a layer of patchy pearliness that is too heavy on more mature skin and can end up accentuating any textural differences or fine lines. Additionally, this doubles as a highlighter and skincare as it contains niacinamide, which is efficient at fading hyperpigmentation, dark spots, and post-breakout spots.
Drunk Elephant
I've been a long-time user of Drunk Elephant's Beste No.9 Jelly Cleanser, as it always seems to leave my skin feeling just right. As a New Yorker I live in a city filled with environmental stressors, so I like a cleanser that will thoroughly wash off the day's grime and pollution without being so aggressive that it's damaging my skin's moisture barrier.
Drunk Elephant says this cleanser is designed to leave skin feeling clean and soft, never stripped. And that's precisely what it does. Cantaloupe has been used in skincare due to its hydrating and soothing antioxidant power, which, combined with the cleanser's gentle surfactant formula, gets the job done while taking care of your skin.
Drunk Elephant
Finally, Babyfacial — the viral skin treatment that so many have turned to for a skin resurface akin to getting a mini “facial,” hence the name. This is easily the most coveted item in this trunk, and it is the most effective skin-resurfacing home mask I’ve tried.
It’s important to know that if your skin isn’t already used to regular exfoliation, jumping into it with Babyfacial may be too aggressive. The brand describes this product as a gentle exfoliant, but I think it’s not quite as gentle as they say. This isn’t necessarily bad, as it contributes to the product’s results, but it’s something a new user should keep in mind.
If you’re new to exfoliation, Drunk Elephant recommends starting by letting this sit for less time before working your way up to the full 20 minutes. After rinsing, you can lock this in with some marula oil as your freshly exfoliated skin is prepped to absorb all the benefits of the oil.
Sample-sized products in the Drunk Elephant Trunk 8.0
The trunk features two "Deluxe Size" products. You might be asking what deluxe refers to, and in this case, I’d say that these two samples are travel size, each having roughly 3-4 uses.
It also comes with four small packet samples. These are single-use portions, maybe two depending on how much you’re using.
And a carry-on suitcase in a pear tree
Upon unboxing this trunk, I first said, "Airports with carpet, come at me!" Because the wheels are that good. And if you've lugged your overfilled carry-on through a carpeted airport (why do they do that?!), you likely know it isn't a pleasant battle. The last carry-on trunk that Drunk Elephant did was pink with flowers, which, as a pink-lover, I adored. However, that aesthetic might not be for everyone. This year's Trunk 8.0 features a slick silver-ridged suitcase with green accents, which I think accommodates a greater variety of tastes. It’s slightly more neutral but still has a unique look.
Don't be fooled by this carry-on coming to you from a skincare brand — this is the real deal, with TSA-approved locks and everything. On that note, this is a zipper-free bag. I'd never seen that before, and I like that about it, as zippers can snag and break. This just snaps shut with those two big round locks on the side–they do not need to be locked in order to shut the bag securely.
Lastly, upon opening this silvery vault, I thought I might find Reputation: Taylor's Version. Instead, I saw many pockets and compartments, which isn’t quite as good, but still a must-have feature in my book regarding a suitcase. There are also compartment dividers so that you can neatly fill (or, in my case, stuff) each half of the case without having it all get jumbled when you go to close it. I give this bag a 10/10 as it isn't just for show.
Is it worth it?
The full-size skincare alone tallies up to $610. So, on top of that, you're getting an excellent carry-on suitcase and the sample-sized skincare, so if you're a Drunk Elephant or skincare lover, I think it's still a fantastic deal based on what you're getting (even though upfront cost of $595 may seem like a lot).
Since all of the skincare in this trunk is already more than the price of the bundle itself, I'd say it's even worth getting if there's something in there you think might not be a fit for your skin, because at that point, you could drop it into a gift bag or stocking for someone you think might love it — especially if you're looking for gifts for a teen, as Drunk Elephant has grown to be a viral sensation among young skincare enthusiasts.
The brand was thoughtful about the product assortment, as you can mix nearly everything into the included moisturizer, and many of the products also intentionally work well together. It's a splurge, and if you're ready to take the plunge, I'd say it's a holiday gift set worthy of its price tag.
Drunk Elephant
The Drunk Elephant Trunk 8.0 features more than $600 worth of skincare that comes in a zipper-free carry-on bag.
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