Sunday Riley’s Good Genes. This has been a product I have wanted to try for a while now because I have heard some amazing things about this… and I finally got to try it. This is a multi-tasking under moisturiser treatment and mask that claims to smooth, refine, clarify and brighten, whilst improving your skin’s thickness and elasticity.

The first thing I did as this is a very active product is do a patch test – and viola, no issues! I did feel a slight tingle, but nothing too drastic and this is a Lactic Acid treatment.

What’s in it?

Lactic acid – this product contains an astounding 5% lactic acid, which works to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It exfoliates the surface layers of the skin to reveal a fresher, smoother complexion, fighting the natural build up of dead skin cells and excess sebum that can lead to dull, congested skin.

Liquorice combats uneven skin tone with naturally brightening properties to help improve the skins radiance.

Lemongrass which works to improve circulation and protect from environmental aggressors, leaving you with a toned complexion.

Arnica will soothe the skin. This is actually also known to be taken as a herbal supplement as will help reduce swelling.

How to use:

Use five days a week as a serum, either alone or under your moisturiser. For a more intensive treatment, apply a thicker layer to cleansed skin and leave for five to ten minutes. You barely need to use a whole pump for your whole face when using it as a serum.

It is also in an airtight container with a pump, which reassures me that the ingredients will be kept active as it won’t be exposed to air each time I reach for it. It comes in a luxurious glass bottle, so it looks very classy and cool on my shelf.

A warning

It is a very active product so it would not be suitable for sensitive skin types. As always, please make sure to do a patch test before applying to to your whole face in case of any reactions. As it includes an AHA, make sure to use sunscreen every day while using this product as your skin will be extra sensitive to the sun, so you might like to use this in the evening before going to bed to minimise any damage.

About the serum

The serum certainly has a scent, but this isn’t too offensive for me and the smell doesn’t linger. It’s a white liquid and sinks into the skin quickly, I use less than a pump each time and then massage it into my skin. It has a great pump – it twists to close it and you can distribute the exact amount of product onto your hand. Once this is absorbed in, I feel like my moisturiser has a really smooth surface to be applied to. It’s quite wet, a little more like a lotion in consistency than a serum.

With regular use, this bottle will last you roughly two months if you use a pump each time. It can be used both as an under moisturiser treatment and as a mask but I prefer to use this just as a serum rather than a mask – it’s quite a pricey product so I feel like I don’t want to waste it by washing it off!

The results

After one use – my skin felt brighter and plumped and certainly softer. It makes you look instantly glowy, which I love. It’s great to use particularly when my skin is feeling a little lackluster – to plump it up a little and make it glow, even when I’m not feeling my best.

After a few uses – skin definitely looks glowier and a little smoother and plumped, particularly on my cheekbones around my eyes. I felt like it looked more plumped and generally brighter. It didn’t reduce the small breakouts I tend to experience, but as they’re hormonal breakouts I didn’t expect them to be reduced particularly.

Overall, I have been really enjoying using this very luxurious serum from Sunday Riley. It gives my skin that boost it needs so I can have glowing, lovely skin every day whilst working away to exfoliate and smooth the skin over time, but the fact it has that instant effect is what makes this product really great. You can see it get to work immediately. If anything, my skin becomes so glowy I need to keep it under control with a little powder… but then again, who doesn’t like to glow?

Buy it for £85 from Cult Beauty

(*PR GIFT/SAMPLE)