Drunk Elephant vs SkinMedica — side by side, no bias.
Our pick
TNS Advanced+ Serum
9/10 · SkinMedica
| B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum | TNS Advanced+ Serum | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Drunk Elephant | SkinMedica |
| Category | serum | serum |
| Editor Rating | 8.4/10 | 9/10 ★ |
| Category | serum | serum |
| Texture | Watery serum | Thick peach-pink serum |
| Finish | Plumped, dewy | Silky smoothing |
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| Verdict | The hyaluronic acid + B5 (panthenol) serum that Drunk Elephant builds the rest of its 'biocompatible' line around. Lighter than SkinCeuticals B5 Gel, slightly more elegant texture, includes pro-vitamin B5 plus pineapple/orange/lemon AHAs at low concentration for mild brightening. The DE 'smoothie' philosophy — mix it with their other products in your palm before applying — is a marketing fiction; just layer it like any HA serum. Genuinely good performance, just expensive for the formulation density. | The US cosmetic-derm world's post-procedure gold standard. TNS — Tissue Nutrient Solution, a growth-factor complex derived from human fibroblast conditioned media — paired with signal peptides and barrier support. Clinical data on photoaging is published and serious. $295 is genuinely expensive, but the 4–6 week post-Fraxel case is exactly what this product was built for. |
