When you think of top skincare brands, Drunk Elephant likely comes to mind. But before her award-winning products – like the Protini Polypeptide and Lala Retro Whipped Creams – landed in Sephora and in the hearts of major celebs like Selena Gomez and Drew Barrymore, founder Tiffany Masterson considered herself a stay-at-home mom.
“I started working at 16 years old and then took a 10-year break from 30 to 40 to get my four children off the ground,” the Houston native tells The Cut. “Then at 40, I started working again selling a skin cleansing bar from Malaysia. That ignited a passion in me about skin and ingredients, and after taking a deep dive into researching how skin functions and what it needs to thrive, I formed a theory.”
And what was that theory? Through her research, Masteron began to think that the skincare industry needed cleaner products. “I saw that certain ingredients had the potential to be triggers for skin due to their inflammatory, sensitizing, or at least non-bioavailable properties that block absorbability,” she says. From there, Drunk Elephant was born in 2013.
When it comes to what’s kept Masterson’s foot on the gas pedal over the last decade, she credits her love of helping people. “If I’ve made a difference in someone’s life, I feel like I’m doing my part,” she says. After all, “real confidence doesn’t come from what you’re wearing or how you look, it comes from knowing you’ve worked hard and accomplished something.”
Below, Masterson details her beauty and self-care routines, from morning collagen shakes to nightly Epsom salt baths.
A.M. Routine
Every morning, I drink a collagen shake made with hydrolyzed collagen protein. I also drink Athletic Greens! I follow that with coffee — no sugars or sweeteners. And I can’t forget my supplements: AG1 and Bellabiotics by Dr. Kelly Ann.
I skip washing my face, given my skin is still moisturized from my skincare the night before. I end my morning with a workout, which on the weekday is some form of strength training and a long walk on the weekends.
I always start with C-Firma Fresh Day Serum for a surge of Vitamin C. Then I will go in with a skincare smoothie – which for me is A-Gloei Maretinol Oil, Protini Powerpeptide Resurf Serum, all three of our serum drops (D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops, B-Goldi Bright Drops, and O-Bloos Rosi Drops), and Protini Polypeptide Cream.
I always finish off with Umbra Tinte Physical Daily Defense SPF 30.
I prefer to go fresh-faced so I usually skip makeup. But, on the days where I do wear it, I reach for Polite Society Mascara, Westman Atelier Eyeshadow, and NARS Eyeliner.
I use only Drunk Elephant haircare because it doesn’t contain silicones, essential oils, or fragrances. I find that it helps my hair dry faster and I can also go longer in between washes. My frizz has also improved. I’ve been using the products since we launched them and I don’t have to worry about frizz anymore (which is impressive being in Houston!), my hair grows better, and the overall quality of my hair has improved.
In the shower for a cleanser I use either Kamili Cream Body Cleanser or Scrubbi Bamboes Body Cleanser. Then I apply my lotion in the shower while my skin is still wet, and I always reach for the T.L.C. Glycolic Body Lotion or Sili Body Lotion. To finish it off I only use Sweet Pitti Deodorant Cream – it’s the only deodorant I can use that doesn’t irritate my skin, and it works better than anything I’ve ever tried.
P.M. Routine
If I’m experiencing soreness from my workouts, I usually drink a cup of collagen hot cocoa and take an Epsom bath with Dr. Teal’s. Then, I’ll watch TV with my husband and check on my kids in the Life360 app so I can actually sleep.
I don’t use anything on my hair or body because I find it’s still moisturized from my daily routine. For skin, I always cleanse with Slaai Makeup Melting Butter Cleanser at night. Then I’ll go in with an exfoliant for the skin, and I usually reach for T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum. Then moisturize with Bora Barrier Repair Cream, because it has a rich formula that’s great for nighttime use. Then I top it off with F-Balm Electrolyte Waterfacial and Wonderwild Miracle Butter. I always wake up in the morning with no excess residue, just super moisturized skin.
On rest:
I really don’t have a problem sleeping; I’m lucky enough to fall asleep as soon as I get into bed. But I think there are a few things that help me with that, which is not drinking alcohol at night and avoiding coffee during the day. I also find that exercising every morning always lends itself to better rest, especially if I pair it with a hot bath with Epsom salt and magnesium to soothe my muscles in the evening. I also try to unplug at night and not dwell on anything that’s concerning me – not taking my problems to bed with me really helps me have a clear mind at night which leads to good rest.
On movement:
I do strength training workouts on the weekdays and couple that with long walks on the weekend. Stretching is also key for me because I spend a lot of time on the computer and on my phone. Moving my body helps me rest better.
