An innovative cleansing balm that melts all traces of dirt, makeup, and sunscreen from skin, removing even water-resistant formulations.
– Sephora
I received Drunk Elephant’s Slaai Makeup-Melting Butter Cleanser as a free mini in one of my previous Sephora purchases (because I am not paying for a full size one lol . . . I like indulging in skincare but I’m not dropping the money Drunk Elephant wants lol) and I was eager to try the brand for the first time. As the first step in a 2-step cleansing routine, the butter cleanser is essentially a cleansing balm meant to replace micellar water or an oil cleanser — as such it has a thick, smooth consistency that crumbles when clumped. For me, this balm was a bit to dense and hard to comfortably spread across the face (which made me worried about how aggressive a person would need to be to apply it). While it completed the job of removing residue, overall, I didn’t find it particularly unique or more effective than my previous 1-step cleanser – Bioderma’s Sensibo Micellar water.
Ingredient Pros and Cons
Ingredients: Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Lauryl Laurate, Polyglyceryl-3 Laurate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil, Actinidia Chinensis (Kiwi) Fruit Extract, Fragaria Ananassa (Strawberry) Seed Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Seed Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-2 Caprate, Citrullus Lanatus (Watermelon) Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Schinziophyton Rautanenii Kernel Oil, Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Fruit Extract, Ximenia Americana Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Glycerin.
Significant Pros
- Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil (moisturizing)
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (moisturizing)
- Actinidia Chinensis (Kiwi) Fruit Extract (antioxidant)
Significant Cons
- Ethylhexyl Palmitate (comedogenic, but you should be using this product as the first step in your 2-step cleansing routine anyways)
The Takeaway
It’s okay! While I certainly don’t see myself repurchasing this product, the ingredients don’t contain anything particularly worrying and it completes the cleansing job well enough that I can see why others may use it. For me, the intense rubbing application the product requires as well as knowledge of less expensive – equally effective – alternatives discourages me from further use. As for others, if you’re a big Drunk Elephant fan then there’s nothing wrong with following through on this product. If not, you’re not missing out on much, so don’t worry about it!
Skincare for Introverts 