Sunday Riley Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment

 (sample)

 Sunday Riley Good Genes had a huge moment a few years ago but did you know that the Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment is now the brand’s global number one best seller? Back in the day, Good Genes was hailed as a first-of-its-kind of formula that exfoliated and brightened the skin, giving us that coveted healthy looking and glowing complexion, with fast results. At the time, the Good Genes we had here in the UK was formulated with Lactic Acid but it’s since been reformulated with Glycolic Acid.

Why was Sunday Riley Good Genes reformulated and is it as good? 

Basically, EU regulations (which differ from the U.S) were changed in recent years to state that Lactic Acid products with a concentration of 10% or more could no longer be sold. This was a real blow to lovers of Good Genes in the UK so Sunday Riley set about creating a new treatment for the U.K market which incorporates exfoliating Glycolic Acid with Lactic Acid salt and so Sunday Riley Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment was born. I had only previously tried (and loved) the old formula, so this is my first foray into the Glycolic Acid version.

Sunday Riley Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment is designed to:

• Exfoliate the skin
• Improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
• Target sun damage, dullness and congestion.

Does it work? In short, yes. Below is my experience of using the treatment.

When I first pumped out a dollop of the treatment I was met with that familiar Good Genes scent – a refreshing whiff of lemongrass. Lemongrass is part of the formula to act as an astringent that tones the complexion and I love that you can actually smell it. Prickly Pear is also in the mix to soothe and calm the skin while the Glycolic Acid is, of course, there to exfoliate and improve the appearance of congestion and sun damage.

I’m determined to stick to a retinol regime this year, so Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment will be my morning serum and I’ll use it at night on the in-between retinol days. I’ve only been using it daily since Boxing Day (so around two weeks) and I can already see results in terms of my skin looking brighter and clearer. I can usually feel a little bit of congestion on my chin but now there’s just smooth, even skin. The same goes for around my nose – I sometimes feel and look a little congested around my nostril folds but Good Genes seems to be taking very good care of that too. It instantly adds glow too, almost in the same way that a tinted moisturiser might. I love it. Truly. It’s worth mentioning that if you are someone who finds Glycolic Acid irritating (I do in some products), this does not personally irritate my skin because the acid is buffered with the soothing Prickly Pear. Sunday Riley do recommend you start off using it every other day and then using daily once skin is used to it.

Overall, I’m SO pleased to be using Good Genes again and I’m actually delighted that my skin does not seem to be reacting to the Glycolic. I need to be strict with the SPF now because not only do I have retinol going on at night, the Glycolic Acid is also going to be increasing sensitivity to the sun. Now to find a lightweight, no-fuss SPF I can mindlessly apply every morning so I don’t undo all of the work my skincare is doing!

You can find Sunday Riley Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment at lots of retailers but I’ll probably be buying mine from Space NK (it retails for £85 for 30ml and £128 for 50ml).

 

Sunday Riley Juno Antioxidant + Superfood Face Oil

(affiliate links)

 Until recently it had been a while since I had a Sunday Riley face oil in my stash. I remember absolutely loving the now discontinued Artemis facial oil and have been through a few bottles of the much-loved Luna retinol oil. But I had never got around to trying Juno before a few weeks ago.

Juno is considered a great all-rounder facial oil, suitable for virtually everyone.
A blend of organic, cold pressed 'super food' seed oils selected for their antioxidant properties, Juno is a dry oil formula that leaves the skin feeling nourished and looking dewy and glowing, without a greasy feeling. 

What are the ingredients in Juno?

The antioxidant formula includes a range of berry seed oils, specifically Blueberry, Blackberry, Cranberry and Red Raspberry, blended with Chardonnay Grape Seed Oil, Carrot Seed Oil, Black Cumin, Broccoli and Meadowfoam.

The oils combine to make a formula that is rich in the aforementioned antioxidants, as well as omegas and vitamins for a healthy looking and feeling, perfectly hydrated complexion.

I love the yellow and purple layered look that the oils create in the bottle – before I gently shake the bottle to mix and apply.

Speaking of application, you can really use as many drops as you like, depending on how your skin is feeling. I tend to use a couple for daytime and a few more for night.

The oil can be used before or after moisturiser, on its own or mixed into other products. It’s also perfect for rubbing into cuticles (I just rub the excess into my fingers/backs of hands) and can be applied to the ends of hair – it’s a very versatile skincare product!

The oil feels very comforting and calming on the skin, in fact I have been loving it on my slightly scaly nostrils (sorry) that have been subjected to a lot of nose-blowing recently.

 

Juno has a sort of organic, almost hay-like smell to it, that I find quite pleasant, but it does dissipate quite quickly so if you don’t love the scent it shouldn’t be a deal breaker.

 

Juno Antioxidant Superfood Face Oil is available in 15ml and 35ml glass dropper bottles for £27 and £54 respectively. I love that Sunday Riley offers smaller bottles of the oils these days – it makes the products much more financially accessible, more convenient for travel and great for trying out without potentially wasting a lot of product if it’s not for you. I bought my bottle of Juno at Space NK

 

 

Sunday Riley Blue Moon Tranquility Cleansing Balm Review

I love a balm cleanser and I love Sunday Riley so I knew that a balm cleanser by Sunday Riley was going to be something that needed to get on my face. To me, the blue balm was probably one of the most exciting beauty launches of 2015 and I know it's already gained quite a few fans since it hit the shelves back in October.
The first thing that really grabbed my attention when I saw it in in person was the sheer size of the product - the 100g of balm is served up in a rather generous round tub made from resilient plastic. I like how big it is and to be honest I was actually expecting a lot less, despite the high end price tag.
The tub may be big but it's still quite dainty and minimalist in a way and something that could proudly be displayed in your bathroom.
Blue Moon Cleansing Balm is quite a solid balm and has a Cocoa Butter and Moringa Butter base so it essentially melts down to an oil when worked between the finger tips or on your face.

Essential oils in the balm include Blue Tansy, German Chamomile, Vanilla and Sweet Orange, which results in a rather subtle, relaxing scent. I kid you not - this cleansing balm is an absolute joy to use and it smells delicious. Besides the fact that everything about Blue Moon is luxurious, the thing that really sets it apart from a lot of cleansing balms on the market is that it rinses away with very little effort. The balm turns into a sort of milk when you add warm water, making it very easy to remove. I use it with a flannel or a muslin cloth but you could get away with just rinsing it off if you're not into the whole wet-washcloth thing. The cleanser removes make up quite well but I find that eye make up (especially waterproof eyeliner!) requires a quick swipe of micellar water/ make up remover beforehand.
The cleanser can also be used as a mask (as I'm sure pretty much any good quality balm cleanser could be) by leaving it on for about 20 mins for a moisturising boost. I have been known to smother it on before doing the washing up but I recommend you do something more relaxing, like soaking in the bath.
I love this stuff and I think it's going to last quite a few months before I need to restock or try something new. Sunday Riley Blue Moon Tranquillity Cleansing Balm is available at Cult Beauty for £46. You can find it here.

Sunday Riley Artemis

Artemis is a facial oil I reach for daily so I'm a bit surprised with myself that I haven't been bothered to write about it until now. The dropper bottle of yellow tinged oil brings a little bit of joy to my day because I'm just so darn fond of it. I love the slightly lemony smell, the thick texture and above all, the fact that it's positively packed with delicious, skin nurturing oils that leave a gorgeous glow.

Sunday Riles Artemis Hydroactive Cellular Face Oil contains an array of plant oils including:

Pomegranate Seed Oil- Improves skin texture, contains high levels of anti oxidants and is rich in Vitamin A, C, E and K. A good all rounder really.
Milk Thistle Seed Oil- Combats redness and is increasingly included in herbal anti-acne products.
Pink Grapefruit Essential Oil- Conditioning and high in Vitamin C to revitalize the skin.

Black Cumin Seed Oil- An anti inflammatory oil that's known for its effectiveness in combating acne. It's also rich in moisturizing fatty acids and allegedly fights infection.
Lemon Ironbark- Part of the Eucalypt family, Lemon Ironbark is soothing, calming and is responsible for the lemony scent of Artemis.
Lemon Myrtle- An Australian medicinal oil widely used for its cleansing and purifying properties. It grows naturally in Queensland (where I'm from) and New South Wales and is a natural antiseptic.

Flax Seed Oil- Rich in Omega 3 fatty acids. Anti inflammatory.

One of the most interesting things about Artemis is that it is particularly good for combination skin types, congestion, and those with oily complexions. While the thought of putting oil on an already oily face may seem like a big no no, so long as they are the right oils, it can have a great effect in clarifying and clearing the skin. I suppose this is why Artemis has become a firm favourite among oily/combo skinned folk- if the reviews are anything to go by.

A little bit of this oil really goes a long, long way - I use about a fifth of a pipette/ one drop for my whole face- and the dry oil formula means it absorbs beautifully, leaving you with a slightly dewy glow rather than an oil slick.

You can find Sunday Riley Artemis Hydroactive Cellular Face Oil at Space NK, Cult Beauty, Net a Porter and Blow Ltd for £60 for 30ml.  

Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil Not Suitable for Pregnant Women?

So I have been coveting a little blue bottle of Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil since its release and today I finally have the pleasure of owning a bottle of this ludicrously priced yet much loved night time treatment. As I gleefully unwrapped it this morning, one of the first things I noticed was that the pretty dropper bottle comes complete with a very bold warning: Not for use during pregnancy.

At first this was a bit of a wtf moment - is the secret ingredient in this an intricate cocktail of booze, fags and sashimi or something else we're warned about consuming whilst with child? It sort of threw me a bit to be honest - after all, did I really want to be eagerly smothering my face with something that's actually harmful to my hypothetical foetus?

As it turns out, the potentially threatening ingredient is Trans-retinoic Acid - the very thing that makes Luna such a unique and (according to multiple reviews) effective product. Trans-retinoic Acid is basically Vitamin A and Luna is kind of special as it's a blend of natural oils and Vitamin A that makes it relatively more suitable for sensitive skins. That said, I'm yet to actually put it on my face, but I have high hopes.

So what's the issue with Vitamin A/ Retinol and pregnancy?

According to various studies, the oral consumption of excessive amounts of Vitamin A are known to cause birth defects, while the topical use of Vitamin A may be harmful to unborn babies.
I searched (googled) high and low and could not, for the life of me, find any studies that have actual, documented proof that retinol is not safe to use on your face/body if you're expecting. It seems that it's more of a precaution and hopefully wouldn't actually do any harm, unless you're literally downing bottles of the stuff.
If you've come across any studies on this, please feel free to drop a link in the comments as I'm kind of intrigued by the whole thing!

All in all, I think it's responsible of Sunday Riley to include this warning but I can certainly see that it has the potential to put some people off thinking about using the oil at all.