I’ve been lucky enough to try a lot of beauty products and not pay for any of them. It’s a fun perk of my job, and has proven to be a real lifesaver (financially-speaking) when freelance writing gigs are low on the ground. You name it, chances are I’ve probably tried it in some form. Snail mucus? Sure. Aztec clay? Naturally. VI Face Peel? Why not?

Because of this, I’ve become pretty (okay, incredibly) picky when it comes to replenishing my bathroom cabinet using my own, hard-won cash. Without sounding too jaded, it’s shameful how many beauty brands and treatments don’t deliver on their promises. I’ve experienced $800 anti-ageing facials with minimal results, $300 face creams that have frankly done fuck all, and a dodgy conditioning treatment that semi-permanently dyed my blonde brows dark brown.

The reason for all of this preamble is because I want you to believe me when I say that Drunk Elephant’s T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial is the best beauty product I’ve ever been gifted and then bought again (and again). In a nutshell, it works. That’s it! Simple! It. Works. Using a potent blend of 25% AHA, 2% BHA, and naturally-derived antioxidants, plus glycolic, tartaric, lactic, citric, and salicylic acids, it delivers on its promise to resurface the skin and reveal greater clarity, improved skin texture and tone, and a youthful radiance.

Using my favorite at-home facial product is also super-duper uncomplicated—a boon if you’re impatient with things requiring too many steps (like me). Slather an even layer onto clean skin a couple of times a week (I like to do this at night so I wake up with fresh, baby-soft skin), leave on for 20 minutes, enjoy the tingling sensation, and rinse with warm water. Slap on a good layer of high-quality facial oil and/or serum, et voilà!

In keeping with Drunk Elephant’s brand ethos, the product also contains no nasty bits. No alcohol, animal fats, sulfates, or parabens, which have all been proven to irritate the skin. It’s pretty easy to buy Babyfacial in America (you’ll find it online as well as at most Sephora stores these days), but beauty buffs in Australia and elsewhere might have a harder time locating it. If that’s you, the best substitute I’ve found is Ren’s Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask.

Words, Elsa de Berker. Photography, Shelby Rodriguez.