🇦🇺Australia

Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil for oily skin

Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil
  • Sclerocarya Birrea Oil
  • Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
  • Unrefined Sclerocarya Birrea Kernel Oil Sclerocarya Birrea Kernel Oil

Low

  • AverageOily Skin Fit
  • HighEffectiveness
  • ConcerningSafety

A weak match for oily skin; the moisturizers alongside fit it better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.

Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works

Lovi Assistant explains

  • Offers moderate suitability for oily skin as the emollient action of Sclerocarya Birrea Kernel Oil and Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil may not be ideal for managing excess sebum, though it provides excellent moisturizing benefits for hydrating and smoothing skin texture.
  • While the product offers general skincare benefits, these are mostly supportive and irrelevant for your oily shine concerns.

How to apply

  • Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine every day to keep your face fresh.
  • Apply this moisturizer after cleansing and toning, but right before your SPF in the morning.
  • Gently press a small amount into your skin and let it absorb fully.
  • Apply on clean, slightly dry skin to help control that oily shine.
  • Avoid the eye area and do a quick patch test before your first use.

People Say

★4.5Overall rating based on 5.6k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, this facial oil is widely praised for its ability to deeply hydrate and soothe dry, sensitive skin without feeling overly heavy, often leaving a noticeable glow. A significant portion of users find it difficult to justify the high price tag for a single-ingredient product, noting that much cheaper alternatives offer nearly identical results.

Highlights

  • Deeply hydrating Mostly Mentioned
    • “skin felt hydrated and soft”
    • “dry patches disappear”
    • “instantly moisturized”
  • Extremely expensive Mostly Mentioned
    • “not worth the price tag”
    • “costs a pretty penny”
    • “way too expensive”
  • Absorbs quickly Often Mentioned
    • “sinks in within a few minutes”
    • “doesn't leave an oily film”
    • “absorbs almost instantly”
  • Cheaper alternatives exist Often Mentioned
    • “The Ordinary is a dupe”
    • “sticking with rosehip oil”
    • “basic for the price”
  • Gentle on sensitive skin Sometimes Noted
    • “didn't break me out or irritate”
    • “calming and restorative”
  • Imparts a glow Sometimes Noted
    • “youthful glow”
    • “skin looks radiant”
    • “dewy look”
  • High-quality packaging Rarely Noted
    • “packaging is brilliant”
    • “airtight bottle”
    • “love the dropper”
  • Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
    • “broke me out”
    • “caused clogged pores”
    • “cystic acne flare-up”
  • Pipette issues Rarely Noted
    • “hard to get last drops”
    • “dropper is messy”
    • “leaked in bag”
  • Sits on skin Rarely Noted
    • “sat on top of skin”
    • “felt too heavy”
    • “looked greasy”

Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, drunkelephant.com, spacenk.com, ulta.com, influenster.com, and more

Questions and answers

Why is Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Oil a weak match for oily skin?

This oil is a weak match because its heavy moisturizing oils do not help manage excess shine on oily skin. A product of this type needs lightweight hydrating agents and peptides to balance moisture without adding oiliness or clogging pores, along with ingredients that support the skin barrier.

Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2015

Which ingredients make this treatment a poor fit for oily skin?

Sclerocarya birrea kernel oil and sclerocarya birrea seed oil make this treatment a weak match because their smoothing and softening action is not ideal for managing excess shine. Oily skin needs a product of this type that features peptides, light hydrators, and soothing extracts without heavy oils to balance moisture while staying lightweight.

Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2015

What does Marula Oil do for oily skin?

Marula Oil is less than ideal for oily skin because it tends to trap moisture and can feel too heavy. A product for oily skin needs to be lightweight and oil-free to keep your face feeling fresh and clear.

Where does this treatment go in a skincare routine for oily skin?

This treatment goes in the evening routine after your cleansing toner and before your moisturizer. Oily skin needs a product of this type to include lightweight hydrators and balancing ingredients like niacinamide that help manage excess shine while keeping the face smooth.

International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2015

Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?

This oil is a weak match for oily skin because its heavy smoothing oils may add to excess shine instead of helping control oil. For an oily skin routine with retinol, this product needs lightweight, oil-free hydrators and balancing ingredients that target shine.

How often should I use this treatment?

This moisturizing treatment is a weak match for oily skin because its rich oils may not help manage excess shine, though an oily skin routine needs ingredients that balance oil and keep pores clear.

Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?

This oil is a weak match for oily skin because its heavy oils may sit on the skin and are not ideal for managing excess shine. Oily skin generally needs lightweight, balancing, and non-clogging ingredients that hydrate without adding extra weight or triggering breakouts.

Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2015

Can I use this treatment around the eyes or on my body?

This moisturizing treatment is not a good match for oily skin because its rich oils do not help manage excess shine. Oily skin around the eyes or body needs lightweight hydrators and balancing ingredients that smooth skin without adding heavy oils.

Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2015

Ingredients

Unrefined Sclerocarya Birrea Kernel Oil Sclerocarya Birrea Kernel Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil

Behind this fit score

Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.

How does it fit your skin?

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Prices checked 2 Nov 2026

The Lovi Fit is the same in every country; only the stores and prices differ, and the ones here are for Australia.

How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.