Introduction to Sunday Riley.

I had been meaning to try Sunday Riley skincare for quite sometime, as so many bloggers had reported great things, however I knew it came with a healthy price tag. Having already collected a ridiculous stash of skincare, did I really want to spend lots of pennies on new skincare that may not even be as awesome as everyone says? Do you really have to break the bank to achieve the perfect skin? How many cleansers do I actually even need?

Caroline Hirons loves it, so it must be good, is what I told myself on the day I eventually caved.

Okay, so what did make me give in, asides the legendary skincare guru. For months I had been suffering from horrendous hormonal breakouts. To the point where you get out the shower and just want to cry when you look in the mirror, and then just sit in your towel on the floor wondering whether you should just save up for a skin transplant? I know my skin is not that bad, but some days you just really do not wish to see one single spot ever again and feel like everything you do is pointless. The battle for beautiful skin is a long one.

One morning, I just woke up and decided I needed to load up on acid.

Lactic acid.

That particular morning, I just so happened to be in Harrogate, where my favourite Space NK is located and I decided that I was going to treat myself to Sunday Riley.

I knew straight away that I wanted a cleanser and a serum. Without knowing too much I just picked out what sounded good for my skin type – I also did not bother looking at the price, and asked the cashier not to say out loud how much it came to, just to put the receipt into my bag. Yes I know, I am silly.

Ceramic Slip Cleanser

Talk about super posh packaging. I was impressed before I even took the bottle out of the box. With the promise of a doll like complexion, I definitely had to pick this up. Reading over the ingredients, French Green Clay, Vitamin C, Black Pepper, Jasmine and Sandalwood – it covered all the bases for what I knew would work well with my dehydrated, blemish prone skin. The formula focuses on drawing out impurities, stimulating collagen, evening out skin tone, boosting circulation as well as soothing and restoring the skin. I like to use this almost every other day, as a treat for my skin, but with it working so well, I may even begin to use it daily. It slides onto my skin and only forms a slight lather, nothing too foaming. I take my time with this cleanser, and thoroughly gently massage this into my skin, concentrating on areas that are more troubled and especially around my nose and chin. Once I have patted my skin dry, it feels so incredibly smooth and any red areas or sore blemishes are noticeably calmer. Is it worth £35? If this lasts me a good 3-4 months like my other cleansers, then yes absolutely, and the way it is going at the moment, I am pretty sure it will. I would 100% purchase this again.

Good Genes Treatment

This is where my acid fix comes in. The Good Genes Treatment serum is the holy grail product I had been really lusting over. It does everything from smoothing and clarifying to brightening the skin. I use this as a serum underneath my moisturizer about 2-3 times a week of an evening, and even though I could use it five days a week, due to the price – a whopping £85 – I again have chosen to use this as more of a treat. I have not yet used it as a mask, but I believe if you put quite a generous layer on the skin and leave it for ten minutes it takes off years. A super anti-aging kick! With my hormonal breakouts leaving lots of scarring along my jaw line and neck, having heard this helps to heal scar tissue, this was one of the main reasons for picking it up. Has it helped the scarring? A little. I haven’t seen a major difference as of yet, but I am hoping over the next few weeks of use I will see more of a change. The only downside to this serum – whenever I wear it my boyfriend freaks, he really does not like the smell. I however, don’t mind it – liquorice and lemon gress smell a little medicinal but refreshing at the same time. Overall, my skin definitely has a glow about it, that was lost before and this makes me very happy indeed.

What is your opinion on luxury skincare? Have you tried Sunday Riley? What should I pick up next?