Index / Drunk Elephant / Protini Polypeptide Cream
Drunk Elephant

Protini Polypeptide Cream.

Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream
Serums

About this product

A lightweight gel-cream moisturizer with peptides, amino acids, and hydrating ingredients designed to moisturize and support skin firmness and collagen production.

Best for

Mature skin
Serums

The Guru Index verdict

65%

Mixed

~Mixed · 65%
9Reviewers
3Approved
3Mixed
3Skip

What the gurus are saying

Gurus split sharply on this product. Dermatologists and long-term users praise its lightweight texture, peptide blend, and visible anti-aging results, with some calling it a staple. However, a vocal subset reports persistent foaming when applied over other products or even on clean skin, a frustration that worsened over time for some who once loved it. One reviewer flagged historical contamination issues in certain batches. The price point of $69 draws consistent criticism even among fans. The foaming complaint suggests either a formula change, individual skin chemistry shifts, or compatibility issues with layering, but the disagreement is genuine and unresolved.
Synthesized from 9 expert reviews

Key actives & flags

Hyaluronic acidPeptidesFragrance-freeAlcohol-free

Full ingredients

Water/​Aqua/​Eau, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Bacillus/​Folic Acid Ferment Extract, Nymphaea Alba Root Extract, SH-Oligopeptide-1, SH-Oligopeptide-2, SH-Polypeptide-1, SH-Polypeptide-9, SH-Polypeptide-11, Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14, Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Alanine, Arginine, Glycine, Histidine, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Serine, Threonine, Valine, Acetyl Glutamine, Coconut Alkanes, Coco-Caprylate/​Caprate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aspartic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Lecithin, Butylene Glycol, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA

Every take, in full

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Approved only Skip only Mixed only Hide sponsored
Skip
"I've had a problem with the Drunk Elephant Protini, which is why I stopped really using it. It foams up over vitamin C serum."
All 7 takes from No BS Beauty
New Skincare 🆕🙌 First Impressions Try Out with Anua, Eadem, Eqqalberry, Skinfix & More!
"I've had a problem with the Drunk Elephant Protini, which is why I stopped really using it. It foams up over vitamin C serum."
A Lifetime of Moisturizer Testing 💧💦 What Actually Held Up & My Most Purchased Face Creams
"I really loved it. Something in it changed or something about my skin chemistry changed. I don't know what it is, but I don't love it anymore. Usually when I apply it, it froths up. It got very expensive and for some reason something that just started to not work as well and I didn't like the foaminess and it became a high maintenance product."
Budget-Friendly Alternatives To Expensive Skincare Products - The Ordinary Dupes - Frugal Friday
"Every time I apply this it foams up, unless I apply it on dry skin with nothing else on it, it foams up, and even then it foams up. I don't know something changed or I have no idea, but it foams every time, and I used to love this stuff, man. I would go through it so fast, and now I'm still working on the same jar for like a year or two years. I don't know, it just foams up."
🆕 Drunk Elephant Affordable Dupes for Protini Cream, Lala Moisturizer, & BrightFacial Mask
"It feels nice. The real deal has no chemical smell which is nice. Both feel very similar in terms of texture. The first three ingredients are the same: water, glycerin, and then diethyl carbonate. Instead of using the marula oil that Drunk Elephant uses, the dupe product used macadamia oil instead, which I found interesting."
7 Anti-Aging Strategies to Enhance Youthful Skin & Boost Collagen Production to Fight Wrinkles
"Very similar to the Drunk Elephant Protini in terms of ingredients."
Then vs Now - What Cult Skincare Products Stand the Test of Time
"Both of them foam up anytime I apply it on top of almost anything. At first I thought maybe it was the vitamin C serum I was applying it over, then I'd wait 10, 15 minutes, it would still foam. I'd apply it over a regular serum without anything, it would foam up. So in my opinion, this one's not relevant anymore. There's really nice dupes and alternatives that you don't need to spend that much for. One of them being the Neogen Dermatology High RX Exosome Cream, which I think is 19 bucks right now. It's got a lot of the same great ingredients, anti-aging ingredients, resveratrol, it's lovely. This has no scent, and this one doesn't foam every time I apply it. And you're saving around 50 bucks."
Favorite Peptide Moisturizers 😁 Best Anti-Aging Face Creams Featuring Peptides - Fragrance Free!
"I love it, it's probably out of all these one I've repurchased the most. However, I don't know something changed in it because almost anytime I apply this now it foams up. It's a good moisturizer, it works well for so many people. It's expensive, it's 69 bucks. Something changed or something I changed or maybe something in my skin changed, but almost anytime I apply this now it froths up on me. I don't know, but one of my best friends just bought it and loves it, doesn't have that issue. It's still getting rave reviews. The texture is really nice, gel cream texture, seems to work well for dry, oily and acne prone skin, except for some reason my skin where it foams up every time."
Approved
"This product is probably one of my favorites from them. The Protini Polypeptide Cream. It's really nice. This is looking attractive with vitamin E and beta size sterile squalane omega 9. Pretty substantial jar here. I'd be excited to give that a try."
~Mixed
"Standout products for them like their C Firmer vitamin C serum, Protini Polypeptide Cream and the TLC Sakuri Baby Facial really helped fuel this growth and kind of helped cement the brand's status as a staple of the skincare world in less than a decade."
Top Pick: protein cream
All 3 takes from James Welsh
Kim K Beats Hailey Bieber's Brand, Perfume Makes You Fat, Drunk Elephant Recalls - Ugly Beauty News
"While some batches of the Protini Polypeptide Cream lack a preservative system, tests actually revealed the presence of yeast, such as Candida parapacillosis and bacteria related to the bacteria it was found. They were actually all microorganisms that are commonly found on the human skin and in the environment, but they can cause infections, particularly in immunocompromised individuals or those with compromised skin."
From Viral to Vanishing: The PREDICTABLE Downfall of Drunk Elephant
"Standout products for them like their C Firmer vitamin C serum, Protini Polypeptide Cream and the TLC Sakuri Baby Facial really helped fuel this growth and kind of helped cement the brand's status as a staple of the skincare world in less than a decade."
From Viral to Vanishing: The PREDICTABLE Downfall of Drunk Elephant
"The brand has several products which have become iconic or at least tried and tested favorites for many, like their Protini Polypeptide Cream, baby facial, and sea firm serum. They're holy grails in people's skincare routines."
Approved
"Protini Polypeptide Cream is one of my favorite moisturizers from Drunk Elephant. It's this lightweight gel cream, so certainly for the wintertime it's better suited for oily combination skin, but it's lightweight, helps to hydrate without leaving any heaviness. It contains a blend of amino acids and peptides to plump the skin, help to support collagen, reduce appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, along with natural moisturizing factors and other hydrating ingredients that hydrate without leaving heaviness."
All 2 takes from Dr. Jenny Liu
Ultimate Dermatologist- Approved Holiday Gift Guide | Dr. Jenny Liu
"The Protini Polypeptide Cream is a lightweight gel moisturizer with a blend of peptides that helps to hydrate the skin, nourish the skin without heaviness. It absorbs instantly and is a lightweight gel cream."
Holiday Gift Set Ideas | Dr Jenny Liu
"Protini Polypeptide Cream is one of my favorite moisturizers from Drunk Elephant. It's this lightweight gel cream, so certainly for the wintertime it's better suited for oily combination skin, but it's lightweight, helps to hydrate without leaving any heaviness. It contains a blend of amino acids and peptides to plump the skin, help to support collagen, reduce appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, along with natural moisturizing factors and other hydrating ingredients that hydrate without leaving heaviness."
~Mixed
"The Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream is $69 for 1.7 oz and I believe it has all the exact same peptides in it as the comparable peptide cream at a lower price point."
Approved
"I love the Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream. You guys know that I use this a lot in my nighttime routine but I will occasionally use this in my morning routine as well. Just that little amount locks in all of that moisture that we just applied with all of those serums and it just gives this nice glow to the skin as well, which I'm a big fan of."
Top Pick: peptide cream
All 12 takes from Sincerely Miss Ash
IF I COULD ONLY PICK 1 PRODUCT FROM MY FAVORITE SKINCARE BRANDS | THIS WAS REALLY HARD!
"I have to mention the Protini Polypeptide Cream. This has been my go-to for several, several months. I was using this last year a lot as well and it's one of my favorite products because it performs really well in terms of keeping your skin moisturized and there's a lot of anti-aging ingredients in here to really help firm the skin and address signs of aging. There are nine types of peptides in here, there's also growth factors and the list goes on. This is jam-packed with so many wonderful ingredients to really help with signs of aging. I love using this in my morning routine. I also use this at night time as well, sometimes twice a day, but a lot of the times I am using this at least once a day and more so in my morning routine. Yes, this is pricey, but one pump will literally do your entire face as well as your neck. It has that nice push-down style packaging and you can purchase refills for this as well, so you don't have to keep purchasing the actual container, just buy the refill, pop out the old one, and away you go. I love it."
BEAUTY EMPTIES 2024 | SKINCARE, MAKEUP & SUPPLEMENTS | PRODUCTS I'VE USED UP!
"I have an empty Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream, one of my favorite peptide creams ever. This is very moisturizing but it also has nine types of peptides to address signs of aging and to help firm the skin and to help produce new collagen. I keep going back to this one because I really do see a difference with my skin when I am consistent with this. I love the pump style packaging with that little button push down. The formulation is truly on point. Although I do wish it was a little bit more affordable, other than that I have nothing negative to say about this."
IF I COULD ONLY PICK 1 PRODUCT FROM MY FAVORITE SKINCARE BRANDS | FYI...THIS WAS REALLY HARD!
"I've been using this one the most as of late and I'm really impressed with this. This has been a favorite for a really long time. The texture is so thin and lightweight but it's so moisturizing, great for all skin types. There are nine types of peptides in here and of course there are other additional ingredients that are great to keep the skin moisturized as well. I feel like this really is one of the best from Drunk Elephant."
AGING BACKWARDS OVER 30 | BEST ANTI-AGING SKINCARE PRODUCTS OF 2023 | THESE ACTUALLY WORK!
"The Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream is another one that I've been loving this year. This really is one of the best peptide creams. It really helps to create more of that firmness with the skin, it also addresses fine lines, but it's extremely moisturizing. This is perfect for all skin types including dry, including oily skin. I have combination skin, I am acne prone, this doesn't break me out. This is still moisturizing enough to keep my skin comfortable, but it's also very lightweight and it never interferes with my sunscreen nor with my makeup. It really is one of those products that works with everything."
MY MORNING ANTI-AGING SKINCARE ROUTINE - A.M. SUMMER SKINCARE ROUTINE USING VITAMIN C
"I love the Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream. You guys know that I use this a lot in my nighttime routine but I will occasionally use this in my morning routine as well. Just that little amount locks in all of that moisture that we just applied with all of those serums and it just gives this nice glow to the skin as well, which I'm a big fan of."
MY MORNING ANTI-AGING SKINCARE ROUTINE | A.M. WINTER SKINCARE ROUTINE | OVER 30 SINCERELY MISS ASH
"For a face moisturizer I'm going in with the Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream because my skin isn't too dry and tight right now. I've been using this pretty much every day since the beginning of December. A little bit goes a long way, it spreads nicely, and your skin has this beautiful glow to it. It sits nicely underneath sunscreen and makeup. It's a little bit more lightweight but it's still quite moisturizing."
BEAUTY EMPTIES 2023 | PRODUCT'S I'VE USED UP.. WILL I REPURCHASE?
"The Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream is one of the best peptide creams on the market. It has nine types of peptides, so it's great for anti-aging, but it also has this very lightweight texture that keeps the skin comfortable. It keeps the skin super moisturized. I have combination skin and even during the winter months when my skin can become quite dry and tight, this is still enough moisture to keep my skin comfortable. Whether you have dry skin, whether you have oily combination skin, honestly I feel like this is great for all skin types. Yes, it's expensive, it really is expensive, but I'm really really obsessed with this."
MY TOP 6 MOISTURIZERS FOR SUMMER 2024 || LIGHTWEIGHT MOISTURIZERS FOR ALL SKIN TYPES
"It's creamy with that gel lightweight, spreads nicely, and all skin types can use this. This is exceptional, and if you are looking for anti-aging ingredients like the peptides in here, then this is a really nice one to go with. It has that nice push down style packaging. I use this with retinol, peptides, copper peptides, when I'm using vitamin C, I'm using this with it, and I just love the way that this performs on my skin. If you feel like for some reason this is a little bit too heavy, which I feel like it isn't, but of course we're all different, then use this at night. But this really is great in the morning. I actually used it today. This is actually part of my everyday morning routine at the moment. It sits nicely underneath sunscreen and makeup and it just never ever disappoints."
MY NIGHTTIME ANTI-AGING SKINCARE ROUTINE - P.M. SUMMER SKINCARE ROUTINE USING TRETINOIN
"The Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream has nine types of peptides and it also has growth factors, so this is great for signs of aging for prevention. I really love this moisturizer for the summer especially because I feel like it's really lightweight. I've been using this for a really long time, in the winter months as well. It requires just a little amount because it's so effective. I've noticed that I can use it on my neck without irritation, and I do not get any irritation. I mean, with consistency and with just time, I feel like your skin can adjust to this, even if you're someone with really sensitive skin."
MY NIGHTTIME ANTI-AGING SKINCARE ROUTINE | P.M. SUMMER SKINCARE ROUTINE | OVER 30
"The Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream is very lightweight but it's moisturizing, and this has nine different types of peptides so peptides are great for signs of aging as well. I love pairing up peptides with retinoids. This cream is also perfect for all skin types including dry skin. When my skin is at its driest, I feel like this does an excellent job to keep the skin comfortable, but if you have oily skin I think you will also really like this because it is lightweight. When I put moisturizers on top of tretinoin, this really does help to cut back on some of that dryness that can happen a few days later. I just really really love this moisturizer."
MY NIGHTTIME ANTI-AGING SKINCARE ROUTINE | P.M. SUMMER SKINCARE ROUTINE | OVER 30
"This cream is perfect for all skin types including dry skin. When my skin is at its driest, I feel like this does an excellent job to keep the skin comfortable, but if you have oily skin I think you will also really like this because it is lightweight. When I put moisturizers on top of tretinoin, this really does help to cut back on some of that dryness that can happen a few days later. I just really really love this moisturizer. I used to use this a lot back several years ago and I'm back using it again because it really is one of my favorites."
MY NIGHTTIME ANTI-AGING SKINCARE ROUTINE | P.M. SUMMER SKINCARE ROUTINE | OVER 30
"It is lightweight so this just ensures that my skin has that extra layer on there for moisture. When I put moisturizers on top of tretinoin, this really does help to cut back on some of that dryness that can happen a few days later. I just really really love this moisturizer. I used to use this a lot back several years ago and I'm back using it again because it really is one of my favorites."
Skip
"I had this in a little kit that I got for Christmas. This has never been one of my favorite creams, but it was just a convenience at the time. I thought why not give it another try. Again, it's probably best for normal skin types. There's nothing really special about this formula that makes my skin look any different. It's just a basic moisturizer. So this will not be a repeat purchase for me."
~Mixed
"This is a peptide cream that firms the skin, helps fight against premature aging, and deeply moisturizes. The combination of firming, aging-focused ingredients with the unique texture is the reason why it's so popular. It truly is a very unique formula, and it was really hard to find a dupe for."
Skip
"It feels nice and smooth, you've got all those glycerins and things like that in there, but it's got a little bit of oil based so we know that it's mainly olive oil and a skin conditioning agent. Now if you put olive oil in your skin it's going to feel like this, it'll feel good. But hey, you are overpaying for this product. You know it's marketed as a polypeptide cream, but the peptides are so low down on the ingredients list that it may as well not be a peptides cream. It's basically an olive oil cream."
You might also like

Similar products worth a look.

Other products the same gurus have weighed in on, plus more from this brand and category.

This week's top beauty news, in your inbox.

A weekly read of the takes worth catching up on: the raves, the splits, the ones the gurus won't shut up about. Free, no spam, unsubscribe whenever.

Subscribe to the digest