A few months ago you simply couldn't avoid the hype surrounding Sunday Riley and her skincare brand. Although her products command an eye-watering price tag (£85.00 for a night oil!) bloggers, beauty experts and celebrities alike hailed her as the queen of skincare. Sunday Riley’s products also made their presence known backstage at fashion weeks as the official makeup and skincare sponsors of Jason Wu, Stella McCartney, Victoria Beckham, Helmut Lang, Temperley, Issa and Vanessa Bruno. You don't get that kind of credibility without doing something right. Offering a 'perfect union between pure, potent botanicals and advanced chemistry,' this brand has been born out of a passion for great skin rather than gap in the market that needed to be filled; although there are rather unique claims, colours and textures on offer, from my first dip into the pool of Sunday Riley I'm seriously impressed with what they have to offer.
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Each product within the range contains its own unique blend of technology-driven active ingredients, delivered not only at maximum purity, but also at maximum concentrations. They claim: 'As such, products can be layered and blended to achieve the benefits of hundreds of anti-aging breakthroughs.' The line launched in 2009, but it took a few years for the hype to set in and for the blogging world to start obsessing over their simplistic bottles. (First things first, if you're under the age of 28 you really don't need the majority of Sunday Riley products: they're designed with 'anti-ageing' in mind and provide a great deal of technology in one bottle, but your skin before this age is perfectly beautiful just the way it is. Too much faffing will only cause issues that you didn't have in the first place.)
I've heard great things about the Luna Night Sleeping Oil, so was excited to get to grips with the Good Genes serum which they claim to be 'the closest thing to an elixir of youth outside of a fairytale!...' Hmmmm *puts skeptical hat on.* This multi-tasking treatment can be used both as a serum and intense mask (when applied liberally and left for ten minutes,) that smooths, refines, clarifies and brightens, whilst improving your skin's thickness and elasticity. It features Lactic Acid to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, Liquorice to combat uneven skin tone and Lemongrass to improve circulation and protect from environmental aggressors.
Essentially, Lactic Acid is the wonder ingredient here: sourced from sour milk, it helps to slough away dead skin cells from the surface of skin while encouraging collagen production. It also allows for the penetration of moisturiser to deeper levels than would otherwise be possible, as there's less obstruction on the surface; that's why it works even better when used in conjunction with a face cream, as it will 'boost' the performance practically instantly. When applied as the first step in my routine after cleansing, it instantly lifts and plumps my complexion while helping to smooth out fine lines and imperfections. I've taken to applying this when I know I want to look my best or have had a rubbish night's sleep; it's also great as a little treatment before bed, helping to awake with a clearer and brighter complexion.
At £85.00 this isn't cheap, but I've yet to try another product that provides practically instant results that I can rely on. Most other products provide a cumulative effect over a number of days or weeks, but from the first use I noticed a difference and wanted more; I've taken to rationing this so I don't use it up too quickly, turning to it only when I know I need a little boost. Although ridiculously priced skincare products seem to be becoming the norm, they're somewhat like a designer handbag: they provide a smug feeling of satisfaction, instant impact and something to show off to your mates. You may not be able to justify £85.00 on a night oil or serum, but the idea is that you dream about the quality of them just as much as the smell of a hand crafted leather Mulberry handbag. The test is whether or not I would part with my hard earned cash for another bottle of this stuff...
And you know what? I totally would.
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The Sunday Riley 'Good Genes' Treatment is available from Cult Beauty, priced £85.00.
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Each product within the range contains its own unique blend of technology-driven active ingredients, delivered not only at maximum purity, but also at maximum concentrations. They claim: 'As such, products can be layered and blended to achieve the benefits of hundreds of anti-aging breakthroughs.' The line launched in 2009, but it took a few years for the hype to set in and for the blogging world to start obsessing over their simplistic bottles. (First things first, if you're under the age of 28 you really don't need the majority of Sunday Riley products: they're designed with 'anti-ageing' in mind and provide a great deal of technology in one bottle, but your skin before this age is perfectly beautiful just the way it is. Too much faffing will only cause issues that you didn't have in the first place.)
I've heard great things about the Luna Night Sleeping Oil, so was excited to get to grips with the Good Genes serum which they claim to be 'the closest thing to an elixir of youth outside of a fairytale!...' Hmmmm *puts skeptical hat on.* This multi-tasking treatment can be used both as a serum and intense mask (when applied liberally and left for ten minutes,) that smooths, refines, clarifies and brightens, whilst improving your skin's thickness and elasticity. It features Lactic Acid to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, Liquorice to combat uneven skin tone and Lemongrass to improve circulation and protect from environmental aggressors.
Essentially, Lactic Acid is the wonder ingredient here: sourced from sour milk, it helps to slough away dead skin cells from the surface of skin while encouraging collagen production. It also allows for the penetration of moisturiser to deeper levels than would otherwise be possible, as there's less obstruction on the surface; that's why it works even better when used in conjunction with a face cream, as it will 'boost' the performance practically instantly. When applied as the first step in my routine after cleansing, it instantly lifts and plumps my complexion while helping to smooth out fine lines and imperfections. I've taken to applying this when I know I want to look my best or have had a rubbish night's sleep; it's also great as a little treatment before bed, helping to awake with a clearer and brighter complexion.
At £85.00 this isn't cheap, but I've yet to try another product that provides practically instant results that I can rely on. Most other products provide a cumulative effect over a number of days or weeks, but from the first use I noticed a difference and wanted more; I've taken to rationing this so I don't use it up too quickly, turning to it only when I know I need a little boost. Although ridiculously priced skincare products seem to be becoming the norm, they're somewhat like a designer handbag: they provide a smug feeling of satisfaction, instant impact and something to show off to your mates. You may not be able to justify £85.00 on a night oil or serum, but the idea is that you dream about the quality of them just as much as the smell of a hand crafted leather Mulberry handbag. The test is whether or not I would part with my hard earned cash for another bottle of this stuff...
And you know what? I totally would.
The Sunday Riley 'Good Genes' Treatment is available from Cult Beauty, priced £85.00.
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