Between debunking unsubstantiated claims and decoding complicated ingredients lists, we beauty editors pride ourselves on being fastidious about ensuring that the skincare products that we recommend truly live up to their claims. Therefore, it’s rare that much-hyped skincare brands can be said to deliver on the buzz once editors have unscrupulously tested the products and unpicked their claims. However, there’s one brand that basically every beauty editor I know adores and that’s Sunday Riley—a skincare brand that’s undoubtedly worth the hype.
Celebrities far and wide note Sunday Riley products as some of their most adored. Maya Jama, for example, is reported to use the brand's Auto-Correct eye cream, Paris Hilton relies on the cult vitamin C serum and Lizzo is a big fan of the face oil.
Launched back in 2009, Sunday Riley is the eponymous brainchild of a cosmetic chemist and product formulator with years of experience developing skincare products prior to the brand’s conception. And it only takes trying these products to understand the knowledge, testing and development that have gone into these formulations. Undoubtedly, skincare can be a bit of a slow burn—you need to give products a few weeks to really work and to see results—but Sunday Riley’s offering is so efficacious that you often see changes to your skin within days, if not immediately.
However, with moisturisers selling for around £60 and serums upwards of £70, these are considered skincare purchases. I’m all about investing in good skincare, but if you want to know exactly which products are worth parting your hard earned cash for then I’ve pulled together a list of the very best Sunday Riley products to invest in. Between my personal recommendations, brand bestsellers, and the products that I know my fellow beauty editors swear by, it’s the perfect introduction to Sunday Riley’s offering.
1. Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum
This is undoubtedly my favourite product in the entire Sunday Riley lineup, and I say that as someone that is obsessive about vitamin C serums and fussy about the formulations that I use. This one contains a decent 15% dose of vitamin C, but it’s the type of vitamin C that it uses which makes it so effective—tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate which is a stable, oil-soluble format which is easily absorbed into the skin. I have very visible pores and some pigmentation on my skin from old spots, and also from the sun, and this serum instantly makes my complexion appear more even, smoother and, most importantly, luminous. I adore it.
2. Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip Cleanser
If you have oily, spot-prone or congested skin then this balancing cleanser is ideal for drawing out dirt and excess oil without over-drying the skin. It uses a trio of French green clay, bentonite and white clay to deeply cleanse pores and target impurities within the skin, but there’s also olive oil and rice oil esters to prevent dehydration and avoid tightness after cleansing. My skin is always left bright, fresh and comfortable after using it. The only downside is that I don’t use it on my eyes, so you’ll need a separate eye make-up remover or cleanser for that purpose.
3. Sunday Riley Auto Correct Brightening and Depuffing Eye Contour Cream
I used to be incredibly inconsistent when it came to using eye creams and, despite fellow beauty editors raving about this product for years I never really got what the fuss was about. That was until I had kids and finally understood what a dark circle looked like. If you too are used to burning the candle at both ends and have the shadows and puffiness to prove it then this blend of caffeine to de-puff, ginseng root to smooth and brighten and shea and cocoa butters to hydrate and nourish. The reviews online speak for themselves, but I can attest to how instantly illuminating this eye cream is—I can almost kid myself that I’ve had a full night’s sleep after applying it.
4. Sunday Riley Ice Ceramide Moisturising Cream
If your skin is seriously parched then this intensely hydrating face cream will make light work of quenching its thirst. The main aim of the moisturiser is to strengthen and maintain a healthy skin barrier via a healthy dose of ceramides and vitamin F, but there’s also coconut, beetroot and red algae to provide that much needed hydration. It has a luxuriously rich and thick texture that sinks into skin and leaves it smooth, comforted and deeply moisturised.
5. Sunday Riley Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment
Although I’ve dabbled with glycolic acid treatments over the years, few have become staples in my skincare routines as oftentimes I’ll find that my skin becomes sensitised or it triggers breakouts. However, I’ll make an exception for this serum as it’s so brilliant at helping to regenerate the skin and minimise the effects of damage. Whether it’s acne scars, discolouration, or large pores, the tiny glycolic acid molecules do an expert job at reducing congestion, sloughing away dead skin cells, and renewing and clarifying the skin. You can apply it morning or night (just remember SPF) but I prefer to use it at night when I can slather on a generous layer and wake to bright, beaming skin.
6. Sunday Riley 5 Stars Retinoid and Niacinamide Eye Serum
If you’re looking for an eye cream that’s potent but doesn’t feel harsh then this innovative formula ticks all the boxes. Infused with a 6% retinoid complex to target fine lines, wrinkles and uneven skin texture, along with smoothing niacinamide and nourishing ceramides, it’s a lightweight yet effective eye cream that truly reduces the appearance of lines and reduces dark circles. And to keep things balanced, there’s olive oil and shea butter to inject some much-needed hydration and moisture into the delicate eye area while you snooze.
7. Sunday Riley C.E.O. Vitamin C Rich Hydration Cream
Not only is this basically glowy skin in a tub, but this nourishing cream is packed with skin-friendly ingredients designed to look after your complexion long-term too. It has a lower dose of the same vitamin C in the aforementioned C.E.O. serum, but might make a better option for more sensitive complexions. It offers antioxidant protection while brightening skin, supporting your natural collagen production and evening skin tone for skin that looks fresh, plump and juicy.
