Elf announces £12 Bronzing dupes that are a perfect Drunk Elephant dupe – here’s our honest thoughts
E.L.F. COSMETICS have been a hit with shoppers thanks to their low price point and impressive formulas and their latest drop is sure to be a hit, the hotly anticipated Skin Bronzing Drops.
Almost identical to Drunk Elephant’s sell-out D-Bronzi Drops, but at a fraction of the price, e.l.f’s Bronzing Drops are a must-have for summer.
Skin Bronzing Drops, £12 from e.l.f. cosmetics
e.l.f. cosmetics’ Skin Bronzing Drops are available to buy now and are priced at just £12.
Inspired by Drunk Elephant‘s D Bronzi drops, e.l.f. cosmetics’ Skin Bronzing Drops are a fraction of the price and promise a similar look – so we put them to the test.
Drunk Elephant’s original version sold out multiple times in the last year, and while it’s in stock now, it also retails for almost three times as much at £34 (FYI, you can currently shop it at numerous stockists, including Space NK, Sephora, Boots and Lookfantastic).
Both e.l.f. cosmetics’ Skin Bronzing Drops and Drunk Elephants’ D-Bronzi Drops are a hybrid between skincare, make-up cosmetics, and fake tan, as they work to hydrate and give a dewy sunkissed complexion without having to scrub the tan off after a few days.
The e.l.f creation has been infused with skin-loving ingredients to boost the skin’s hydration and luminosity from the inside and out.
The formula contains vitamin E, as well as nourishing sunflower seed, marula and raspberry seed oil, all of which work to target pigmentation, the skin’s hydration, as well as protect the skin barrier.
Similarly, Drunk Elephant‘s lightweight serum contains marula oil, as well as cocoa extract, platinum peptides and vitamin K.
e.l.f’s Skin Bronzing Drops will be available to shop in three liquid bronze shades, so there is a shade to suit all skin tones.
I tried e.l.f cosmetics’ Bronze 1, which is Rose Gold, as well as Bronze 2, Pure Gold, and I would say Drunk Elephant’s D-Bronzi are most similar to Bronze 2.
Although the original looks like it could be a slightly darker tone when you first apply, it is super lightweight and a lighter consistency so it eventually lightens.
Similar to Drunk Elephant’s, e.l.f’s Bronzing Drops formula is lightweight, blendable, and buildable, depending on how deep you want your sunkissed glow to look.
Both formulas do not clog the pores, and work similarly to a tinted moisturiser to give the skin a bronzed look, and an added glow.
They all work seamlessly to give the skin a natural-looking bronze sunkissed glow.
The main difference between the e.l.f. cosmetics and Drunk Elephant bronzing serums is the price, with the latter fetching a hefty £34.
Another difference is the texture and thickness of the liquid formula, which was only obvious when I swatched them on my hand side by side.
Drunk Elephant is a super lightweight liquid formula, with almost a water-like consistency, which means it blends easily, and has more movement to apply evenly over the skin without sticking in any contours of the face.
Whereas e.l.f. cosmetics is a slightly thicker consistency, however you can’t tell when it is on the skin, as it is not sticky, or greasy but still lightweight and breathable.
However, the thicker texture does mean you can get away with wearing less if you wish.
Both formulas contain the same amount of product of 1ml, but the Drunk Elephant packaging makes it look smaller – admittedly by a fingernail.
e.l.f, advise you to blend a few drops of the bronzing serum into a moisturiser, whether it is applied on the face or body for extra hydration, even application, and a subtle hint of a tint.
It can also be applied directly to your skin, and while some may wear on their own, others may use them as a base to apply other make-up products on top.
If you want your skin to shine through you can apply on moisturised skin as its base, though as you can see in my selfies, it doesn’t conceal blemishes or pigmentation.
However, if you want more coverage it can also be blended into tinted moisturisers or foundations.
This is my favourite of the looks, as it works a dream to get the best of everything – coverage, bronzed sunkissed glow, and a dewy complexion.
Admittedly I can’t tell the difference between the two when they’re on my skin, only when I applied side by side on my hand to swatch, and the make-up sits evenly with both products.
While I’d like to say the jury is out, the cost is the real deciding factor for me, as both products give a very similar look.
If you are fairer skin you may prefer e.l.f. because it has other options and tones to blend into your skin seamlessly for a subtle glow and natural tan, instead of Drunk Elephant’s one D-Bronzi. Having said that Drunk Elephant does have B-Goldi Drops, which are an alternative option to get that golden glow, though it does not necessarily give a subtle tanned finish.
There truly is very little in it, so with a £22 price difference we’ll be snapping up e.l.fs Bronzing Drops.
You can buy Drunk Elephants D Bronzi drops here, and e.l.fs Bronzing Drops here.
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