Its very true that
you should never judge a book by its cover or choose an item of skincare based
on its appearance, however I’m happy to admit that when I first saw Sunday Riley’s Luna Sleeping Oil (£85) I was
found myself intrigued by its enchanting name and the bewitching blue hue of
the oil itself.
Marketed as a ‘next-generation
retinoid oil’ that reduces the appearance of pores and wrinkles while fighting
the signs of premature ageing and redness, I was sold.
I didn’t know an
awful lot about retinoids so decided to do a bit of research before I started
using the oil.
Retinoid products are
chemically related to Vitamin A and help with acne, anti-aging, and
hyper-pigmentation.
They work by aiding
in the normalization of hyperkeratinization, which means they help your skin to
get rid of dead skin cells at a more normal rate so that the cells don't bind
together and clog your pores.
Aside from helping
your skin shed more normally, retinoids also have some anti-inflammatory
effects, reducing redness and helping to calm signs of stressed skin.
Luna is a retinol
rich night-time treatment which helps to combat the signs of ageing while you
sleep, if you hadn’t guessed by its etherial name.
Marrying traditional
skin care ingredients with hi-tech processes is what Sunday Riley does best and
the combination of powerful ingredients within Luna combine to promote skins
strength, resilience, health and radiance.
The key hero elements
within Luna are retinol (obvs!) and something called Blue Tansy.
A Trans-retinol ester
helps to fight the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and loss of skin
elasticity while correcting the damage caused by external aggressors such as
sun damage, pollution and stress.
Blue Tansy is the
ingredient which gives this oil its eye catching hue. This deep-blue green oil
is high in azulene and helps to heal damaged skin thanks to its strong
anti-inflammatory properties. Its particularly helpful with the treatment of
eczema and dermatitis, something that I personally suffer from.
German Chamomile, and
Cape Chamomile (also high in azulene)
work to treat inflamed, irritated skin and helps to lower any potential
irritation associated with retinol use resulting in calm, soothed skin.
Cold pressed avocado
seed oil, chia, and concord grape seed oils rich in Vitamins A, B,C,D, and Omega 3 offer
further anti-inflammatory properties and help top plump the skin, reducing the
appearance of fine lines.
The oil itself is
wonderfully rich and a decadent, midnight blue hue.
Delicately
fragranced, you require only a few drops of this magic oil at night time.
Applied to clean, dry
skin, the blueish tinge of the oil becomes clear as you gently massage it into
your face.
Quickly absorbed
despite its high oil content, it instantly leaves your skin feeling soft and
incredibly hydrated.
Come the morning my
skin still feels fresh and firm, moisturised and healthy, ready for the day
ahead.
I’ve been using Luna
nightly for several weeks and while I haven’t noticed a massive difference to
the appearance of fine lines, I will say that my pores appear to have reduced
in size and my complexion has become more even toned and healthy looking.
Dry, red patches have
all but disappeared and I’m left with a far more radiant looking complexion,
even on the nights where I don’t get a full 8 hours sleep.
Pores have reduced in
appearance to the extent that I often don’t feel the need to wear primer, so that’s
a pretty good indication that something has changed!
I will say that
because of the high retinol content, if you suffer with particularly sensitive
skin it might be worth trying a patch test with the product first to ensure
that your skin can cope.
Also, apologies to
any mums-to-be but Luna isn’t suitable for use during pregnancy.
Sunday Riley Luna is
available now from Cult Beauty and costs £85 for 35ml or £45 for 14ml.
