Protini™ Polypeptide Cream

Think of Drunk Elephant Protini™ Polypeptide Cream as protein for your face: a moisturiser loaded with nine signal peptides, amino acids and pygmy waterlily, aimed squarely at tone, texture and firmness. It's one of the brand's best-known products — and the jar is now refillable.

What it actually does

• Targets slack, tired-looking skin. The signal peptide complex — nine peptides built from amino acids — binds moisture to skin, which Drunk Elephant credits with visible plumping, firming and restored bounce.
• Replenishes with pygmy waterlily. A stem-cell extract the brand describes as rich in antioxidants and nutrients, with moisturising and calming benefits.
• Adds folic acid via ferment. A soybean-derived B vitamin the brand says helps maintain elastic, youthful-looking skin, particularly after sun exposure.
• Low pH, clean formula. pH 4.0; free of fragrance, silicones and essential oils; vegan and cruelty-free.
• Brand-reported clinicals: in Drunk Elephant's study of 31 people over 8 weeks, 96% showed improved tone, radiance and luminosity, 93% improved texture, and 90% improved hydration. Individual results vary.
• A shelf of awards, per the brand — including CEW and Harper's Bazaar honours in 2019.

How to use

1. Apply morning and night to clean, dry skin as your moisturiser step.
2. Or blend it: Drunk Elephant suggests mixing a pump with B-Hydra and Protini Serum in your palm for a firmer, more hydrated finish (each sold separately).
3. To refill: unscrew the pump, lift out the spent inner jar, seat the new pod in the outer jar, remove its film seal and re-tighten the pump immediately — without touching the product or the pump's underside. The empty pod is recyclable.

Is it right for you?

Questions

Can I use it with retinol or vitamin C?

Drunk Elephant designs its range to be combined — the brand's "smoothie" approach — so Protini can be mixed with any of their serums or treatments. The sole exception they name is their Umbra sunscreen, which should sit on top of skin, unmixed.

Is this listing the jar or the refill pod?

Check the variant at checkout. The pump jar is the reusable piece; refill pods drop in when you run out.

How long does delivery take?

Delivery takes 3 to 21 working days, depending on availability. In-stock items arrive faster; items ordered in for you take longer.

How can I pay?

Credit card, debit card, Instapay and mobile wallets — no cash on delivery.

What can I return?

Only items that arrive defective, damaged or expired, reported within 1 day of delivery. Verified refunds are issued to the original payment method within 15–30 days.