Sunday Riley has lately become one of my favorite skincare brands. Their products are so good, especially the CEO Face oil, the CEO Vitamin C serum and the Good Genes serum. I got my hands on these products as part of their Wake Up With Me kit and I have been using these ever since. My skin couldn’t feel any better!
If you’re in the skincare game, then you know that it’s more of a long term routine. It takes time, research and many trials-and-errors to figure out what products work best for you. And from my research, I had found that Sunday Riley is a brand that makes products to make your skin feel healthy, radiant and smooth. And it’s also a cruelty-free brand which means that all of its products are vegetarian and packed with great ingredients. That’s why I decided to give this brand a shot.
The Wake Up With Me kit from this brand is used as part of the morning routine and it comes with 7 products. I bought this kit from Sephora almost 4 months ago and have tried all of the 7 products together and in different combinations to understand what works best for me. From the many online reviews that I have read, it seems like this kit is geared more towards those that have dry skin. If you have oily skin like me, using all these products together can really feel greasy and heavy. And that’s why I didn’t continue their suggested sequence and skipped a few products as part of my daily routine. I have, though, tried all the products in this kit to understand which ones work best for me.
So here’s all the products that come in this kit (in their suggested order of use) and my honest review on each of them. If you have oily skin like me, I hope you will benefit from my review and get a better direction.
Ceramic Slip Cleanser
I like this cleanser because it’s light and soft. It’s a very gentle cleanser so it doesn’t strip the skin and is suitable for all skin types. It’s made with white and green clays, white rice and olive oil. It didn’t irritate my skin or cause any breakouts. However, I haven’t really found this to be super effective on my skin. I prefer exfoliating cleansers that can really work to remove all dirt and makeup effectively so I have better options than this. Plus, for the price that it comes at, there are better and cheaper options that can do the same job. So, I wouldn’t buy this one again.
Pink Drink Essence
This is a skin mist and I really like it. It comes in a very cute baby pink color and is super soothing on the skin. This mist feels very light and refreshing on my skin and has firming properties. It works great under a serum or under makeup. I have tried both ways and it works well. It definitely gives my skin a nice glow and I can see my skin feeling bouncier. Although it’s a bit on the expensive side, I’d recommend giving it a try, especially to those with dry skin.
CEO Glow Face Oil
I have usually stayed away from face oils because as I said, I have oily skin so face oils just make my skin feel more greasy which leads to breakouts. So, I usually only go for lighter serums. And when I bought this, I was a bit skeptical of using the face oil but the ingredients looked so good. With Vitamin C and Turmeric, it is a perfect blend to make the skin look healthier and radiant. It also works well to fight hyperpigmentation, which was one of my concerns. I have seen visible results after using this oil consistently. And to my surprise, the consistency of this oil was so light that even after applying 2-3 drops, my skin didn’t feel greasy and my skin actually has developed a healthy glow. I also didn’t have any breakouts. Plus, I love the smell of this oil.
So, all in all, this face oil is a keeper and I’d highly recommend it no matter your skin type. This face oil is a great addition to your morning routine if your skin goals include having a healthy, glowing, soft and even-toned skin. One mistake to avoid though, if you have oily skin, is to not apply any more products after using this face oil. The instructions on the kit recommend applying the serum and cream over this face oil but the oil is enough to provide you the moisturization you need so you don’t need to use any more products through the day. However, if you have dry skin you can totally mix it with the Vitamin C serum that comes in the kit to get more moisturization.
CEO Vitamin C Serum
I absolutely love the Vitamin C serum as well! This serum pretty much does the same job as the face oil i.e brightening and boosting radiance. The difference is that this has a cream-like consistency and it gives a bit more glow than the face oil. On days when I don’t use the face oil, I use this serum because I really like how it feels on my skin. My skin feels very soft and radiant and the moisturization lasts throughout the day. Plus, Vitamin C is a great ingredient to smoothen the skin complexion. I am already on my second bottle!
So, if you’re looking for a good Vitamin C serum this can be a good but expensive option. If you’re willing to splurge then give this a try. You can always start with the mini bottle and then decide. Even though I have been using this product for 4 months now, I have to say that I have seen small effects. So this serum is slow and won’t have significant impacts in a short time but from my short term experience and the online reviews, it does seem like a promising product.
Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment
This is my favorite product in the kit because my skin literally shines after applying it. This serum also has a cream-like consistency so if you have oily skin, you can avoid using it completely on days when you’re using the face oil or Vitamin C serum. Or you can use just 1-2 pumps over the face oil or Vitamin C serum because this serum can feel a little heavy. I sometimes also use it as part of my night routine and mix it with the retinol serum from this brand. And sometimes, I also use it under makeup to get that glow.
According to the fine print, it’s designed to target dark spots, pores, and wrinkles by utilizing a high-potency form of lactic acid to exfoliate away the dead skin cells that make the complexion look dull or congested. So, this serum does a good job at lightly exfoliating and making the skin feel naturally more soft. This is my first lactic acid product so I really didn’t know what to expect but after 4 months of use, I think this serum has done a good job in making my skin look more clear, plump and radiant. I would definitely recommend this serum as well.
CEO Afterglow Moisturizer
I am not a fan of this moisturizer, honestly. Firstly, it feels a bit heavy on my skin and I don’t like layering too many products. So, I prefer using a Vitamin C face oil or serum rather than a moisturizer. Secondly, this moisturizer wasn’t really effective in doing what it said it would do i.e. skin brightening. I have tried using this moisturizer in combination with their serum and also on its own. Either way, I haven’t found it to be as effective. So, I can get better moisturizers for way cheaper and I wouldn’t recommend it.
Auto Correct Eye Cream
This is the last product in this kit and it focuses primarily on brightening the under-eye area. I like the texture of this cream and it has a slightly dewy look when you apply it under your eyes. It is designed to provide brightening and de-puffing under the eyes and I think it does the job well. I haven’t used it religiously as I use the Estee Lauder day eye cream more regularly so I cannot speak to its long term effects. But the few times that I have used this cream, it has provided good hydration. It’s more for people that have visible dark circles or puffiness. I have also used this once or twice under my concealer and it’s done a good job of holding my under eye makeup and making my under eyes look brighter. But I am yet to experience the long term effects.
That’s all as far as my review goes. Since a while now, I have really been giving a lot of attention to my skincare routine and I keep trying different products. And I am glad that I was able to get my hands on this kit because I came across some amazing products. One last piece of advice – If you’re curious to try this brand but don’t want to spend a lot, then buying this kit can be a good option. Because for $95, which is a 50% savings from the actual price of these products individually, you get to try 7 products and get introduced to this brand.
So, I hope you found my review on Sunday Riley product range useful. Let me know what you think in the comments section.
For more product reviews, read on my blog here.
