Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil is one I lusted after, thanks to the many raves online when it first came out over a year ago. I hmmed and hawed for a while before eventually pulling the trigger, and ordering it online, because we don’t get the brand here in Malaysia.
I’ve had it for something like a year? Maybe more. I bought it not long after its launch (suckerrrr!) and I’ve been kind of struggling with this for the better part of a year now.
The biggest problem with the Sunday Riley Luna oil, is the price. I bought it for £85 which is a jaw-dropping sum of money to drop on a product I wasn’t sure about.
When I was first interested in it, the Luna Oil came highly raved by many big bloggers, who claimed it made their skin so smooth. Further, the addition of retinol in an oil was a unique formula. Sunday Riley claims that the Luna oil contains an advanced retinol complex, that visibly lessens lines and wrinkles, while correcting damage by the sun, time and exposure. And it does all this while you sleep, as it is an oil you want to use only at night. They even claim that pregnant women shouldn’t use this, indicating that the retinol content is high enough to transfer to the bloodstream and affect unborn foetuses. On top of everything, it claims to be non drying and to offer up plumped, luminous skin.
The problem is, I’m very conflicted about this product. On the one hand, I actually don’t mind it. It’s not bad. But on the other hand, I feel terribly cheated and that has made me side-eye all Sunday Riley products henceforth. I don’t even want to buy any other products from the brand (for which my wallet sighs in relief LOL! 😀 )
Now, first let me tell you about the product, because I’ve been accused of allowing my feelings to get the better of my review. Meh. Everyone has an opinion 😛
Sunday Riley Luna is that famous blue oil that you would see often on Instagram. It is distinctive and eye-catching and the bottle has lovely aesthetics.
This is targeted to be used only at night, which makes sense as it contains retinoids. Retinols tend to make the skin sensitive to the sun so using it at night is the best thing to do.
The texture is quite oily (not a dry oil texture) but it absorbs easily for me. I do use it on damp skin to make it go on more easily. I usually use about 3 drops each time. But as I read that some people experienced dryness (retinols can be drying) I made sure I upped my hydration whenever I use this. So I personally did not experience any dryness from using the Luna Oil.
When I use it regularly (nightly) I do notice that my skin likes it. Pores look smaller and skin looks more refined and smoother. It’s noticeable. On the flip side, a friend told me this breaks her out every single time she uses it. So, really, mileage will vary.
Because you only need so little product each time (2-3 drops, warmed up between your palms and applied to skin) it will last you a long while. And because you only use a little product, it does not actually stain your skin blue. I have read people saying that their skin takes on a blue tint when they use this. I personally do not notice this.
However, when I drop a drop on the back of my hand, and then blend it out, I do notice a very slight blue tint. See if you can see it in the picture below.
On right, where I blended out the Luna oil, you may notice how the skin looks a little ashy. But when I apply it on my face, I don’t notice it. It’s actually too light for me to notice.
So, just stopping right here for a moment. At this point, I’d be happy to tell you that it was worth the money I paid. My skin takes well to it, because I do notice the improvements and I like how lovely and smooth and refined it looks. The scent, which is floral and strong, and which I was warned about, didn’t trouble me as much as I expected it to.
In a normal situation, I’d say, I’d be happy to recommend it, if money was no object.
But I won’t because as I told you above, I felt cheated. You see, when Sunday Riley first launched the Luna Sleeping Night Oil, I was paying attention. It wasn’t hard to, because all the big skincare bloggers were touting it (I have also noticed that many of the big skincare bloggers no longer mention using it. Hmm…). It helped that it was blue, because it was unique and that made it stand out.
I remember quite distinctly, when questions were asked about why the oil was blue, the answer came quick and fast – because it contains blue tansy. That is listed right on the label, and it’s a known ingredient to soothe skin. It also has a very distinctive blue colour. I also encountered blue tansy in the May Lindstrom Blue Cocoon (which I love) which is also blue but May uses only natural blue tansy to achieve the colour, so each tub is different depending on the batch.
So, that was the story initially. The oil was blue, because it contains blue tansy, which makes it blue. It’s what many people still believe, whenever I come across more recent reviews. However, some intrepid people soon started calling out the bullshit, because on the ingredient list was listed colouring that made up the colour “blue”. Eventually, the brand acknowledged that the blue colour was due to the added colouring. That totally spoilt it for me.
I had been following the reviews and feedback for a while, and when the news broke that the blue was just pure and simple colouring, I was very disappointed in the brand. The colour was unnecessary and clearly, only a marketing gimmick, for otherwise, there would be no need to add colouring into the ingredients. Further, as many people had also pointed out, the ingredient list does not boast very many expensive oils. There is no real indication of how potent the retinol is, and there is quite a large number of fragrant oils that can be irritating to skin.
By this time, I’d already owned the Luna Oil for a few months, and as disappointed as I was, it was a large chunk of money I had dropped on it. So, I will use it. I still like its effects. But I don’t use it very often now. A few times a week maybe? I’ll make sure I use it up too. It’s all money spent! But I won’t repurchase, I won’t recommend it and I am no longer buying anything else from Sunday Riley. My wallet is very happy with this decision, as the products cost an arm and a leg (although I really did like using Good Genes) 😀
IN A NUTSHELL
The Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil is a facial treatment oil that contains retinol. It is meant to be used at night, as part of your evening routine. I use about 2-3 drops each time, on a mist-dampened face which helps it absorb more quickly without a residue. I also apply a moisturiser over and I up my hydration serum and lotions, because retinol can be drying on skin. I do find that with regular use, my skin looks more refined and pores actually look less noticeable. So, I quite enjoyed using it despite the floral scent. However, I will not recommend it as it contains colouring in order to get that blue (it is not blue tansy) and it costs far too much for a product that doesn’t have significant expensive oils in it.
PROS: Sleek packaging, With regular use it makes my skin look more refined and pores look smaller and skin looks clearer
CONS: Strong floral fragrance, Contains unnecessary colouring to make the oil look blue, Some of the oils can be irritating to sensitive skin
WHO WILL LIKE IT: Anyone who can afford it or who wants a fairly gentle product that refines skin
PRICE: £85 | US$105 for 30ml
WHERE TO BUY: Sephora (US), Cult Beauty, SpaceNK
Here is the ingredient list for the Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil:
Persea Gratissima (Extra Virgin, Cold Pressed Avocado) Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Organic, Cold Pressed Concord Grape) Seed Oil, Rubus Fruticosus (Cold Pressed Blackberry) Seed Oil, Salvia Hispanica (Cold Pressed Chia) Oil, Dimethyl Isosorbide (And) Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Chamomila Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Oil, Tanacetum Annuum (Blue Tansy) Oil, Anthemis Nobilis (English Chamomile) Oil, Eriocephalus Punctualatus (Cape Chamomile) Oil, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Neroli) Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Blood Orange) Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower (Ylang Ylang) Oil, Vetivera Zizanoides (Vetiver) Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil (And) Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, CI 61565 (Green 6), CI 60725 (Violet 2).
Have you tried this Luna oil?
It’s so expensive, but I think they had a set with a smaller bottle a while back that was a little more affordable. I personally do like it, but I can’t get over how cheated I feel about why the oil is blue. Perhaps it was because I remember when the whole story was about the colour being attributed to blue tansy, before people were brave enough to call them out on it. I’m not particularly averse to colouring in products, but I don’t like it when I’m fooled into thinking the colour is natural, when it isn’t. So yeah. No more Sunday Riley for me. Not that it matters to the brand LOL! 😛
Paris B
I loved reading your post on this, Paris! It’s such a good, critical look at Luna.
I have a friend who loves this stuff, but I have to admit: I’d be pretty disappointed to find that my blue tansy oil was actually mostly blue from an artificial dye.
If they had been upfront about it or if they had put a better spin on things (for instance, we added blue so that you’d be able to tell if you’d applied the right amount), I think I’d feel a lot better about it – but the way they did this was pretty shifty.
Yes Rae, the colouring was what really bummed me. It is an otherwise decent product IMO, that does what it says. I understand Blue Tansy is expensive, which might explain why there’s such a high price tag attached. But not when it’s colouring. As you said, if they had been up front about it I might have been more forgiving. But now I just feel duped. Incidentally, I read some apologists explaining that the blue tint was so people didn’t use it in the day. But as I don’t even see a blue tint on my skin, I think that would defeat its purpose right?
Okayyy.. didn’t read recent reviews and also, didn’t know about the unnatural colouring. I love this oil. Why brands have to do dishonest? ?
Does it change anything now that you know about the colouring Eesha? I’m just curious 🙂
I really appreciate your honesty and firm convictions. Keep it up!
Thank you Lidi! 🙂
Hi Paris, I would really like to recommend Pestle & Mortar’s Superstar Retinol Night Oil to you! I’ve been using it for the past one month and love the results it gave me! My skin is much more even toned, better texture and very bright overall… It actually contains the same type of retinoid as the Luna Oil for a cheaper price of 63 British Pounds..
Thanks for the recommendation! I have noticed the brand floating around but didn’t delve too much into it but now you have me intrigued! Still a whopper of a price tag, but you’re right, far kinder on the wallet than Sunday Riley! 😀 I’ll keep it in mind 😉
I think a few other commenters have said the Ordinary’s 2% retinoid is a better version of thid and I have to agree.
I have been using it for over a month daily with no peeling, it goes on slightly stingy if I use it daily but no redness when that occurs. I layer lots of hydrating layers under and over it and I have escaped the side effects! I know it’s working because at my last facial, hardly any extractions needed to be done!
It is a great training retinoid that I am now using prescription tretinoin which my derm compounds with niacinamide with no irritation.
Thanks for sharing Firn. I have broken my bottle open and giving it a go. No reactions as far as I can tell, but I do use a lot of hydration products so perhaps that might be why? I haven’t really noticed much results to be honest. But let’s see how it goes.
I’m new to your blog and already enjoying your viewpoint – nice to see someone who isn’t just agreeing with all the other “big” bloggers.
The oil thing…i think it’s actually a big racket in general. Most of the oils that go into these things aren’t expensive, i’ve been able to get a big bottle of Argan Oil (for example) in health food stores for around the £10 mark for years.
And the one really getting my goat right now is the Drunk Elephant Marula oil – contains nothing but the marula seed extract, and therefore must be identical to The Ordinary Marula oil which retails at £9 ish. (Sorry, UK prices, but you get the gist!). The Drunk Elephant one? Pushing £90. Ridiculous. And yet lots of bloggers rave about the brand, how can you trust them when they’re ripping people off so obviously on that one easily comparable item?!
I’ve not sprung for any of the Sunday Riley stuff yet, despite all the online raving. I’m slowly learning to look closely at the active ingredients and evaluate accordingly – and if something smells or feels lovely, to just be aware that what i’m paying for is the nice experience and not necessarily the results.
Having said that, i’m also on a lot of The Ordinary stuff and not seeing anything breathtaking from there either. My skin seems to be genuinely immune to everything except Tretinoin, which is making me dry and flaky and I trust will show some actual good results in a few months!!
Hi Kate, thanks for sharing your view and I’m glad you enjoyed this 🙂 I’ve been hearing a lot about the Drunk Elephant brand, especially the Vitamin C serum. I have to admit that the name itself makes me curious, but as we can’t get it here just yet and I’m not ready to spring for the shipping costs, I’m just biding my time right now. But from your example, goodness. That is quite a hefty price difference, and I did not expect Drunk Elephant to cost that much! :O I’ve been playing around with some The Ordinary products – like you I’m not wowed. I don’t know, something just seems to be lacking, although their price point does make it very affordable to just have a go!
I’m a 57 year old woman and since I started using the Luna sleep oil, people i haven’t seen in a while, look at me all wide-eyed saying how i look younger. Yep, don’t care what’s in it – as long as no animals are being harmed – it’s working for me. I use this at night, and Good Genes in the morning.
Glad to know Luna works well for you. Like you, I too experienced improvement in my skin and it does work very well with Good Genes doesn’t it? I guess we all have our tolerances 🙂
I bought the Sunday Riley school kit (I think.) It was smaller with good genes/Luna oil/ CEO oil cleanser and moisturizer . And like it so much I bought the power duo . And the oil is totally different in the 15ml. It’s really watery and dosent look or feel like my smaller bottle wondering if anyone else has had this issue . I love the product don’t get me wrong but I don’t understand why it’s such a big difference in the consistency.
My therapist said that the first week of using the oil that it will draw everything up from under the surface so that you really need to give it a good two weeks to get results, hence people saying that they break out. I am on day 4 now using the oil and have noticed more blackheads on my face, so I am guessing that this is what she is saying that it’s drawing everything to the surface first. My skin tone is appearing clearer with less redness.
I try Luna for 2 weeks now, I don’t think it works on my skin… I will go back to Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM, for me thats the best Retinol… especially for acne prone skin