PRODUCT REVIEW: SUNDAY RILEY GOOD GENES ALL-IN-ONE LACTIC ACID TREATMENT – BEST LACTIC ACID SERUM, BEST EXFOLIATING SERUM WITH LACTIC ACID
SUNDAY RILEY | GOOD GENES ALL-IN-ONE LACTIC ACID TREATMENT
This product review was originally part of my blog article titled, Lactic Acid Treatments I'm into from Sunday Riley, Kat Burki and Drunk Elephant – Best Lactic Acid Serums, Best Exfoliating Serums with Lactic Acid. You can catch the full piece here.
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A sub-zero cryofacial, like the ones I get weekly at my favorite new-age spa, isn’t the only way to get your skin lit. Today, there are multiple skincare treatments and active ingredients that can instantly brighten a dull looking complexion. Both Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) and Vitamin C are proven skin brighteners with the additional benefit of antioxidant protection, skin strengthening and even retexturing the skin surface.
In fact, I use high concentrations of each vitamin in my daily skincare routines. And, in the case of Niacinamide, I use multiple products twice daily, including serums, toners and moisturizers that are infused with the antioxidant powerhouse. It’s central to what I refer to as pore maintenance. Daily pore maintenance is the act of deep cleaning pores each day to keep skin functioning at its optimal best!
And I make no secret of the fact that I believe the Paula’s Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster to be among the best anti-aging serums on Earth. It’s the star product at the heart of my daily pore maintenance regimen and not a day goes by that I don’t use it at least once.
Which means I go through about a bottle of it a month!
PRODUCT REVIEW: PAULA’S CHOICE 10% NIACINAMIDE BOOSTER – THE BEST NIACINAMIDE SERUM
While Niacinamide and Vitamin C serums make superb skin brighteners, they aren’t the only topical skincare products that can get even the dullest complexion glowing. A well-formulated exfoliating acid treatment does the trick, too.
Like vitamin-infused products, acid treatments come in multiple forms. There are acid serums, acid masks and, perhaps the most popular, acid toners infused with exfoliating alpha hydroxy acids, or AHA’s, like Glycolic Acid and my personal fave, Lactic Acid, made from milk.
There are toners infused with beta hydroxy acids, or BHA’s, like Salicylic Acid that power wash pores. There are even toners formulated with both AHA’s and BHA’s; lately many are also made with the newest and gentlest of the exfoliating hydroxy acids, PHA’s — or polyhydroxy acid. Among the new class of PHA’s are Gluconolactone and Lactobionic Acid.
ACID TONERS – SOME OF THE BEST BHA / AHA TONERS FOR FACE FROM PAULA'S CHOICE, FARMACY AND MORE
I love a good acid toner, but have to confess that my skin doesn’t always tolerate them very well. And that’s okay. I’ve made peace with the fact that Glycolic Acid isn’t my BFF. Except when using it to deodorize my underarms as my daily deodorant! So, we’ve found a way to coexist. Psst…you can catch my article titled, Skincare Hacks: Glycolic Acid Is the Natural Deodorant that Works! on the blog here.
Even though Glycolic Acid is considered the best acid to exfoliate the skin and instantly brighten the complexion, I prefer its kinder, gentler sibling, Lactic Acid. Like Niacinamide, my skin loves Lactic Acid in multiple products, multiple times a day, and at any concentration.
What Is Lactic Acid and What Does Lactic Acid Do for the Skin?
Lactic Acid is my favorite of the range of alpha hydroxy acids. That’s not something I can say about it’s more powerful AHA partner in crime, Glycolic Acid. But what makes it so uniquely effective? There’s a great piece on the benefits of Lactic Acid written by the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team titled, Lactic Acid for Skin. You can catch the full article here. Here is an excerpt:
Lactic acid is a skin care ingredient that quickly delivers numerous benefits when applied in a well-formulated exfoliating product. When used in a pH-correct formula (whether designed to be left on skin or in a high-strength peel that’s rinsed after several minutes), lactic acid works by gently breaking the bonds that hold dead, dry skin cells to the surface.
If you’re using a rinse-off peel with lactic acid, do so once weekly or every other week. Apply the peel to cleansed skin, leave on for the designated amount of time, rinse, and follow with the rest of your skincare routine.
These dead cells shed on their own when we’re young, but sun damage, aging, and certain skin issues can slow or even stop this process, leading to a buildup of dead skin that creates a dull, older-looking complexion. Regular use of an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) like lactic acid can turn this around.
As with other acids, research shows lactic acid’s ability to exfoliate effectively depends on the product’s acid concentration, with amounts between 5-12% having reliably impressive results.
And because I love Lactic Acid-infused products so much, I’ve amassed quite a collection of what I consider the best Lactic Acid serums, toners, moisturizers and masks anywhere. I’ve narrowed my recommendations down to a handful and am happy to share a few of them below.
Among my favorites are the Kat Burki Goji Essence — one of the most effective Lactic Acid toners I’ve tried. It’s also an absolute pleasure to use and brings me a ridiculous amount of skincare joy. #iykyk
Perhaps no article about Lactic Acid would be complete without the iconic Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment from Sunday Riley. Hands-down, I consider it to be the OG Lactic Acid serum.
New to the scene, and following in the footsteps of Good Genes, is the peptide-powered Drunk Elephant Protini Powerpeptide Resurfacing Serum. I’m a longtime fan of Drunk Elephant’s Protini Polypeptide Cream and believe that, at $68, it’s the most expensive moisturizer I would ever buy.
PRODUCT REVIEW: DRUNK ELEPHANT PROTINI POLYPEPTIDE MOISTURIZER – BEST ANTI-AGING MOISTURIZER
The fourth and final of my Lactic Acid recos is the microbiome-balancing, supremely pro-skin health Layers Probiotic Serum. The new Layers brand is focused on overall microbiome health — from the inner gut to outer skin surface. I recently reviewed the brand here.
With that, let’s take a look at one of the Lactic Acid products my skin absolutely can’t get enough of…
Sunday Riley | Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment
I’m a big fan of Sunday Riley! Two of my favorites from the popular brand are the Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment and the brand’s newish Pink Drink Firming Essence. Psst…you can catch my review of the Pink Drink fermented essence on the blog here.
In my mission to try every Vitamin C serum on Earth, I was fortunate enough this year to finally discover Sunday Riley’s iconic C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum. With its light, milky texture, it’s become one of my favorite Vitamin C serums in my brightening arsenal. In fact there are times where I wash my face, apply my go-to Niacinamide serum (ahem, the Paula’s Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster) then the C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum — and go straight to bed! The stuff makes a perfectly legitimate brightening moisturizer when you don’t want or need anything too heavy.
PRODUCT REVIEW: SUNDAY RILEY C.E.O. 15% VITAMIN C BRIGHTENING SERUM - BEST VITAMIN C SERUM FOR FACE
But I’m here to talk Lactic Acid. And the Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment is the OG. It was among the first Lactic Acid exfoliating treatments I tried — and could very well be the very first. In fact, as I recall, Sunday Riley’s Good Genes put Lactic Acid on the map for me.
To start, let me say that this stuff isn’t cheap! At $85 for 1 oz. (30mL), you could be forgiven for having really high expectations of the iconic Lactic Acid serum — as I did. It’s certainly one of the most well-formulated and effective exfoliating treatments. So at least you’re getting something that’s legitimately pro-skin health for the money.
When I first started using it again this year, I wanted to really put the product to the test and pushed the envelope. I used Good Genes nightly for three straight nights. I know people who use it daily, which is great if your skin can tolerate that. But I gotta say I was surprised that I saw no irritation on any of the following mornings. (Psst…I dialed it back anyway to every other night.)
Why? Because I don’t believe skin needs or can often tolerate daily exfoliation. In fact, our skin doesn’t actually need us to do anything when it comes to exfoliation. Hydration, sure. Cleansing, sure. But exfoliation? Nah, skin is good doing that on its own.
In fact, every skin cell originating in the lower levels of the skin rises to the surface within 28 days — where it’s freed from the body like pollen cast into the wind from a wild poppy.
How Often Should I Exfoliate My Face and Is it OK to Exfoliate Face Everyday?
Personally, in my experience, I don’t believe it’s necessary to exfoliate every day. Over time, over-exfoliation can sensitize the skin. Of course, it depends on the type of exfoliation (e.g. chemical vs. physical) and the strength of the product you’re using.
I found a really cool piece on the Byrdie website titled, Ask a Dermatologist: How Often Should I Exfoliate My Face? Here are a few excerpts from the article, which you can read in its entirety here.
What are the main benefits of exfoliating your face?
Let’s start from the top: Why exfoliate your skin in the first place? According to celebrity esthetician (and Byrdie's favorite skincare guru) Renée Rouleau, there are a plethora of benefits to regular exfoliation for all skin types. For those prone to blemishes and clogged pores, exfoliation should be the main focus of your routine. There are a few different types of exfoliants (which we'll get to in a second), but for these acne-prone skin types, Rouleau recommends using a chemical exfoliant formulated with beta hydroxy acid (try her BHA Clarifying Serum), which will work "to reduce bacteria on the skin while exfoliating and cleaning clogged pores."
How often should you exfoliate your face?
The answer to our million-dollar question is pretty universal across the board: You should exfoliate your face about two to three times a week. (An acid serum two to three nights a week, plus a weekly mask or peel is a great routine to shoot for.) You may have heard only once a week, but dermatologists say that for most skin types, that's not enough. According to Dove dermatologist Mona Gohara, MD, "We lose 50 million skin cells a day, and if they remain on the skin, it can look dull and dry." Encouraging that extra layer of skin cells to go on their merry way two to three times a week is the secret to smooth, glowing skin.
That said, gentle exfoliation like the kind that Sunday Riley’s Good Genes Lactic Acid delivers helps to speed up that process, leaving the complexion free of dead skin, enhancing the penetration of actives and boosting your glow. I get a bit of that glow I was expecting with this stuff, yet without the irritation common to acid treatments.
I think the reason for that more gentle effect is the product’s blend of soothing ferments and healing aloe and arnica. All of them are at higher concentrations than the Lactic Acid itself.
Not that it’s such an exact science, but Sunday Riley has clearly the right balance. What makes it iconic? Well, it’s gentle, yet effective, has a dope name (hah!) and is a whole sensorial experience. It smells great, too! (Maybe as a result of the Lemongrass Extract.) Plus, I gotta admit that it’s priced like it’s iconic…
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment for $85 here.
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WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW
THE YEAR’S BEST VITAMIN C SERUMS WITH THE ORDINARY, CLINIQUE, BEAUTY STAT & MORE!
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW
AMPERNA PROBIOTIC SKINCARE AND TWO OF THE BEST ANTI-AGING SERUMS FOR SENSITIVE SKIN
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
The Ingredient List of the Kat Burki Goji Essence:
KB5™ Complex (Arnica Montana (Arnica), Centella Asiatica (Gotu Kola), Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender), Calendula Officinalis (Calendula), Matricaria Recutita (Chamomile)), Goji Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Globularia Cordifolia Callus Culture Extract (Plant Stem Cells), Silk Protein Amino Acid Blend (Sodium Pca, Sodium Lactate, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Glycine, Alanine, Lecithin, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine), Matrixyl-3000 (Glycerin, Water, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Polysorbate-20, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide), Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C), Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (Green Tea), Ubiquinone (Coq10), Sodium Lactate (Lactic Acid), Bursera Linaloe Wood Oil (Linaloe), Citrus Aurantium Flower Oil (Orange), Citrus Aurantium Leaf Oil (Orange), Citrus Reticulata Peel Oil (Mandarin Orange), Caprylyl Glucoside (Plantasol), Natural Fragrance, Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene.
The Ingredient List of the Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment:
perf, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract 
so|emo|h, Cypripedium Pubescens Extract, Opuntia Vulgaris Leaf Extract, Agave Tequilana Leaf Extract, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae (Yeast) Extract h, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate amic|pres, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride emo, Squalane sii|emo 0 1, Lactic Acid 
exf|h|buff, PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer emo, Propanediol solv|h, Butylene Glycol h|solv|vc 0 1, Stearic Acid emo|vc 0 2-3, Dimethicone emo 0 1, Cetearyl Alcohol emo|vc|emu|surf 1 2, Phenyl Trimethicone emo, Disiloxane, Ceteareth-20 emu|surf 3 2, Glyceryl Stearate emo|emu 0 1-2, PEG-100 Stearate surf|emu 0 0, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate so, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract so|sb, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus (Lemongrass) Oil, Potassium Hydroxide buff, Phenoxyethanol pres, Xanthan Gum vc, Caprylyl Glycol h|emo, Chlorphenesin pres|amic, Sodium Phytate chelThe Ingredient List of the Drunk Elephant Protini Powerpeptide Resurfacing Serum:
sii|h 0 0, Lactic Acid exf|h|buff, Dicaprylyl Carbonate emo, Squalane sii|emo 0 1, Sodium Hydroxide buff, Glycine Max (Soybean) Seed Extract, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil emo, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil h, Sodium PCA sii|h 0 0, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride emo, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil so|emo, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide h, Tocotrienols, SH-Oligopeptide-1 cci, SH-Oligopeptide-2 cci, SH-Polypeptide-1 cci, SH-Polypeptide-9 cci, SH-Polypeptide-11 cci, Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14 , Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 cci, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 cci, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 cci, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 cci, Tripeptide-1 cci, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract h, Propanediol solv|h, Sodium Hyaluronate sii|h 0 0, Panthenol so|h 0 0, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer sii|aox|h, Sodium Lactate buff|h, Pca sii|h, Alanine sii, Arginine sii, Glycine sii, Histidine sii|h, Isoleucine sii, Phenylalanine sii, Proline sii, Serine sii, Threonine sii, Valine sii, Adenosine cci, Nymphaea Alba Root Extract, Bacillus/Folic Acid Ferment Filtrate Extract aox|h, Symphytum Officinale Callus Culture Extract, Dextran vc, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil aox|emo, Linoleic Acid sii|emo|surf, Linolenic Acid sii|emo|surf|perf, Butylene Glycol h|solv|vc 0 1, Acetyl Glutamine, Coconut Alkanes emo|solv, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate emo, Pentylene Glycol solv|h, Isomalt h, Lecithin emo|emu, Xanthan Gum vc, Aspartic Acid sii, Phytosphingosine sii|cci|aacne|amic, Phospholipids sii|emo, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Sterols emo, Tocopherol aox 0-3 0-3, Citric Acid buff, Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Polyvinyl Alcohol vc, Phenoxyethanol pres, Sodium Benzoate pres, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin , Polysorbate 20 emu|surf 0 0, Caprylyl Glycol h|emo, Phenylpropanol perf|solv, Chlorphenesin pres|amic, Carbomer vc 0 1, Glyceryl Caprylate emo|emu, Ethylhexylglycerin presThe Ingredient List of the Layers Probiotic Serum:
Water, Pentylene Glycol, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Stearyl Heptanoate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Polyglyceryl-3 Laurate, Orobanche Rapum Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Lactic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Maltodextrin, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyisobutene, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Tocopherol, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Fragrance.
