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Camera-Ready Skincare: My Secret to a Dewy Glow with Sunday Riley Good Genes
Like everyone else in the world, I’ve been jumping on Zoom or House Parties during isolation and it’s caught me many a time with a face free of makeup. If you’re ready to get glowy skin even for a pixelated screen, this post about Sunday Riley Good Genes is for you.
Right now is a great time to work on your skincare routine. So many of my friends consider washing their face and applying moisturizer a “good enough” routine. But the truth is, if you’re old enough to remember life before the internet… your skin might be ready for more love than your bar soap and water routine!
My Struggle with Hyperpigmentation
I’ve never particularly struggled with “bad” skin. I’m lucky that my acne is and always has been mild. But I tend to “pick” at every imperfection, and it leaves me with a permanent reminder of my inability to not pop/poke/pinch whatever has decided to make its home on my face.
This leaves me with hyperpigmentation. Basically, it’s a darker patch of skin that for me, just looks like an annoyingly placed freckle. Because my breakouts are almost always related to my hormones, they’re usually in my T-Zone and especially prominent on my chin.
Acne at an All-time High
Last year my hormonal acne hit a record high. Y’all, I was crying about my acne scars because I was so overwhelmed with how bad it was getting!
Eventually, I went to get some professional peels and while they did help, I wasn’t seeing the results I wanted for the price. I also needed to feel like I was participating in fixing my skin.
Searching for a Solution
So, I got to work. I researched products until I was blue in the face (I get really obsessive until I know all the answers to my questions!) and I found a few key tools to help me get to a glowing complexion sans makeup.
I have to start with my ride or die: Sunday Riley, Good Genes.
If you’re drinking the beauty kool-aid, you’ve seen this everywhere. But if you’re new to this realm of beauty, this is your new bestie.
The website does a great job of explaining all the active ingredients and they regularly educate about their products on Instagram, so I won’t get into the details here. But be sure to read about them because it’s really important to understand exactly what about the product is actively working for you!
Active Ingredients
A quick recap: Lactic acid is a chemical exfoliation ingredient. It works on the surface layers of your skin to lift the dead and dull upper layers of your skin. That encourages the brighter skin to appear at the surface, giving you a glow that makes you feel like you stepped right out of the spa!
Plus, all of this combined with the licorice root (and I’m also pretty sure magic) helps to lighten the pigment buildup gently encouraging my dark spots to disappear!
This isn’t cheap, but a really amazing product can sometimes be an investment. A great way to try out these products is by using one of Sunday Riley’s Best Seller Kits.
Also, if you’re on the fence, it’s a great time to try them out because right now they’re offering 20% off everything on their site, as a thank-you to their customers during this difficult time.
Other Products I recommend from Sunday Riley:
Power Couple
This is a great way to step up your skincare game. Start by incorporating GG in the morning just to see how it feels. Then at night, add in Luna. Luna oil is an amazing product that cares for your skin by protecting it and balancing it during your body’s natural regeneration window (while you sleep). Don’t be scared of oils, they’re your friend!
Dynamic Duo
Ready to start glowing? If you’re feeling dull or need an effective combo to say bye-bye to hyperpigmentation, Good Genes and C.E.O. are here for you. C.E.O is a brightening Vitamin C treatment that you can wear during the day. Between the Vitamin C (a powerful ingredient on its own) and the Turmeric (anti-inflammatory), your skin will glow.
Superstars Kit
This is a “Go Big or Go Home” for beginners kit. Looking for something for your eyes? Auto Correct has rave reviews. And while I haven’t tried it myself, if it’s anything like the rest of the line, I can’t imagine it’ll disappoint! A+ is a Retinol product and I genuinely think that if you are old enough to remember using CDs without irony, and getting the first iPhone, it’s time you start using a Retinol! The C.E.O. Vitamin C Serum is a major player when it comes to tackling discoloration because of it’s high levels of Vitamin C (seriously, Vitamin C is amazing. But that’s for another day!).
Here’s how I use my Good Genes:
In the morning
I apply this after I’ve cleansed and toned my face. Then I apply a moisturizer and sunscreen. This product causes photosensitivity (sensitivity to light) because of the AHAs and BHAs so do not forget your sunscreen!
At night
I cleanse, tone, and then apply my Sunday Riley Good Genes, followed by an oil. If you’re not using an oil then be sure to follow your Good Genes with a moisturizer, too!
A few tips…
Be careful…
Not to layer too many active ingredients from different product lines! The benefit of using a product line is you know they’re intended to work in harmony. When mixing brands, make sure you test them out so you don’t have a negative reaction!
Don’t forget to…
Let the products rest in-between applications or you’ll apply them, and they’ll pill right off your face! It takes time to absorb into your skin so give them a few minutes to absorb before you go lathering them on back-to-back! And you should always do this, but definitely while using an active ingredient, don’t forget to wear your sunscreen!
Exfoliate!
Because it’s an exfoliating product, don’t just assume your layers will automatically shed! They need a little assistance to make sure in the morning you do a good job of encouraging the layers to leave! A clean washcloth will work just fine!
If I have to use one product for the rest of my life, this Sunday Riley Good Genes definitely the one. I’ve been a fan for about 4 years now and while it’s relatively expensive, it’s worth the investment. I cut myself off for a while in search of another product that might give similar results but I never found a good substitute so I’m back to nurturing my genes with my Good Genes. When it comes down to it Sunday is my girl!