Sunday Riley Good Genes

What is it?

'A brightening, multitasking, radiance treatment and mask.'

'Naturally brightens and improves radiance, texture and circulation.'

It's an AHA exfoliant.

Who is it for?

Ideally for someone concerned with the texture of their skin or pigmentation and scarring issues.

What’s in it?

Agave Tequilana (Blue Agave) Leaf, Cypripedium Pebescens (Orchid), Opuntial Tuna (Prickly Pear) Fruit, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract & Saccaromyces Cerevisiae (Yeast), Glycyrrhiza Glabra Extract, Lactic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (Coconut Oil), Butylene Glycol, Squalene, Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone, PPG-12/SMDI Copolymer, Stearic Acid Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) extract , PEG-100 Stearate, PEG-75 Meadowsol, Lemongrass Extract, Arnica Extract, Triethanolamine, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Steareth-20, DMDM Hydantoin

What's not in it?

parabens

mineral oil

sulfates

phthalates

shea butter

Possibly acne/allergy/troubling for some ingredients?

40% lactic acid so no good for really sensitive skins

PEGs

Natural? Organic? Man made? Vegan?

Man made/natural/vegan

Tested on animals/sold in territories that advocate testing?

No/No

How does it smell?

Fresh, citrus-y

How does it feel on the skin?/Absorption rate?

Like a lotion, absorbs easily

How do you use it?/Where to use in your routine?

Daily as a serum or when required as a treatment mask. I would suggest using it in the evenings under an oil or a moisturiser. And yes you can use it after exfoliating acid toners. Maybe not P50, but certainly the milder ones.

I've seen a few reviews recently of people from people that are using it AM and PM as a serum. Personally, I think that's overkill and you may be opening yourself up to milia and broken capillaries. I'd keep an eye on your skin to ensure it isn't over-exfoliated. And make sure you are adding moisturiser/oils afterwards. 

How long before you should see results?

If you are new to acids you will see results in a day or two. If your skin is acclimatised to acids it may take a few more days, but it generally works quickly.

How long did I test it for?

A few months

How much is it? /Size/Approximate cost per usage?

£85.00 for 30ml - hard to say but it should last around 2 months if using a few evenings a week (from my experience). 

What’s good about it?

Good Genes gets all the praise because the effect is almost immediate. It contains 40% unneutralised lactic acid which gives it a very low PH. As lactic acid works on the surface of the skin - more topical than its counterparts, the irritation risk is less than with other acids such as glycolic and salicylic. 

I prefer to use it in the evenings simply because it is so effective at resurfacing that I find my makeup can have a tendency to go patchy if I use it during the day. 

It is purposely used in a soothing, calming base to counteract any potential irritation from the strength of the lactic acid, and this seems to work well.

What’s not so good about it?

The high % of lactic acid could be too much for some skins. 

Works well with?

You can mix it with Sunday's Ceramic Slip cleanser for a 'Flash Facial'. Sunday Riley recommend using this over Luna, but I have always done it the other way around. Good Genes first, then Luna. 

What’s the website like?

It's being revamped as of 25.03.16 and thus unavailable.

Similar products?

Obagi ExfoDerm Forte

Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Glycolic Night Serum

Cosmedix Purity Clean

Sunday Riley Good Genes is £85.00 from CultBeauty.co.uk and $105.00 from Sephora.com

Not a sponsored post, links may be affiliates.

Acid Toning Part One

Oh it was always going to be a long one wasn't it?

If you are a new reader (WELCOME!) you can read more about the importance of acids on the cheat sheets over there----->

The rest of you will be au fait with my thinking so let's crack on with the products in Part 1.

P50/V/W/1970 Biologique Recherche - Lactic, usnic, salicylic and ascorbic acids. Niacinamide - brill. The first and still far and away one of the best. Around £50.00

Bravura Purifying Calendula Toner - 10% glycolic, 3% lactic. Lots of info on the website - the PH is 3.8. Marvellous! And it WAS £8.00 and 39p. A great budget buy.

Cane & Austin Retexturizing Treatment Pads - 10% glycolic, retinyl palmitate and ubiquinone - great ingredients designed for anti-ageing and pigmentation. (Also available from Beauty Bay - not just SpaceNK as I say in the video)

Colbert MD Intensify Facial Pads - Bromelain (pineapple enzymes), lactic acid and glucosamine. Exfoliating discs designed to mimic the effects of microdermabrasion. Glycolic-free. Beautiful product.

Colbert MD Tone Control - These are aimed at damage caused by pigmentation and contain inflacin (massive anti-inflammatory), Phytomoist Qusome (400 times more active than sodium hyaluronate), CoQ10 and ubiquinone. perfect for an older skin plagued by/worried about pigmentation.

Dennis Gross M.D. Alpha Beta Peel Original Formula - Disc One contains glycolic, lactic, malic and salicylic acids, genistein. Disc Two contains green tea extract, phospholipids and sodium bicarbonate. Gentle enough for every day use without losing efficacy. 

Dennis Gross M.D. Extra Strength Alpha Beta Peel - Disc One contains glycolic, malic, lactic, citric, mandelic and salicylic acids. Disc Two follows up with retinol, genistein, ubiquinone and resveratrol. Hardcore. Brilliant for anti-ageing.

Dennis Gross M.D. Alpha Beta Glow Pads - contain vitamin D, glycolic and lactic acid along with DHA to both be anti-ageing and impart a glow.
N'est pas que le génie ?

Environ AVST Toner - niacinamide and lactic acid make this another glycolic-free option. The Environ website is awful so this links to the UK distributor which carries more info.

First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads - Affordable, gentle enough for daily use. Lactic and glycolic in an aloe vera base. One of my most-used products this year.

Thanks for watching. Part Two is coming.

Cheat Sheet - Anti-ageing

Anti-ageing.

We're all so used to this phrase that we don't even question it. If a product says it is anti-ageing on the box then it must be - right?

WRONG.

If ever a phrase has been overused it is this one. There are few ingredients that are indeed anti-ageing.
Although to be fair some should be called 'ageing prevention' as they don't reverse signs of ageing - they just slow them down or prevent them from getting worse.

Before we get on to the ingredients a reminder from your friendly nag about the 3 worst things you can do for your skin.

Sun, Sugar and Smoking

Sun - get a little - not a lot. Be sensible.

Sugar - probably one of the best (and hardest) things you can do for yourself, your health and your skin is to cut out sugar.
In a nutshell - sugar destroys your collagen - think of collagen as scaffolding for your face. Every time you eat/drink sugar it is like taking a piece of the scaffolding away - saggy baggy and drawn. Enjoy that cola won't you. And I'm not preaching here - I struggle every day with leaving sugar alone!

Smoking - No need to go into detail. I could not possibly be more anti-smoking. I was once able to tell a client how she blew her smoke out of her mouth (straight up her face from her bottom lip) because of the condition of her skin in that area.
Smoking leaches the oxygen out of your face with every puff. Smokers have grey skin. Yes. Grey. If you smoke - get help and stop - as soon as you can.

So - digression over. The next time you pick up a product that claims to be anti-ageing what you need to look out for is one of these:

• SPF      
  SPF is anti-ageing. Proven, undoubtedly, unequivocally. Although if you're younger you could argue that it belongs in the 'prevention' category. It doesn't fix what has been done. That is the job of:
• Vitamin A   
  Vitamin A is the only other ingredient along with SPF that the FDA will legally let you claim to be anti-ageing in the USA. Vitamin A reverses the signs of ageing. Rebuilds collagen, repairs sun damage and is an all round good egg. There are varying degrees of vitamin A - if you have previously used a product with vitamin A in it and reacted badly - it may just be that you haven't found the right one for you yet.
• Glycolic/Lactic/Salicylic Acids   
  Acids used in the right way can be beneficial to the skin - when applied as topical exfoliants they resurface the epidermis allowing better product penetration and in the case of some well formulated AHA's - help rebuild collagen.
  Glycolic and Lactic are better for a dryer skin - Salicylic for oily/combination. Don't go too strong straight away and don't go mad. Less is sometimes more. 
• Vitamins C and E
  These two work well together as vitamin C is traditionally water-based (newer formulas include oil-based vitamin C) and vitamin E is oil based thus protecting both parts of the cell. Both are anti-oxidants and so in the 'prevention' category.
• Niacinamide
  Newer than the others, this is vitamin B3 by another name. When used on the skin it has shown to stimulate the dermis and in turn increase the fatty content of the cells along with aiding in the retention of water. As it is shown to enhance barrier function of the epidermis it has had good results with acne sufferers by protectng against bacterial attack.

Honestly?

That's about it.

Other ingredients may be and are beneficial to the skin in other ways - but if anti-ageing is the aim - you need some of these in your product - not all at once - let's not give the epidermis a heart attack.

And what age to start using anti-ageing?

I'm 'nutshelling' again but here goes:

SPF - from birth - no brainer. But please don't cover your babies in SPF50 until they are white. They need SOME sun.

Vitamin A - 30+ depending on lifestyle - if you're a sun worshipper start earlier.

Glycolic/Lactic/Salicylic - again depends on lifestyle and skin type. If you have acne you can use Salicylic topically from a fairly early age. The other two can be introduced 25+.

Vitamins C and E - from the word go. As soon as you start your skincare routine choose something with these in. Good move.

Niacinamide - 25+ ish again depending on lifestyle and skin. Acne? Crack on.

The basic thing to remember with anti-ageing is that our collagen production is linked directly to our ovaries.
When we are at our most fertile our skin is is usually at its height. As you near menopause and go through peri-menopause you will notice huge changes in your entire system, not just your skin. Hitting menopause has a direct link to your collagen, its a bit like someone takes away a little of the scaffolding that supports your facial structure with each passing year.

So start taking care of your skin when you get your periods - and step it up a notch when you get to 35+ (before if you go into early menopause or have a full hysterectomy).

And when you DO start using these products - all of them but especially the Vitamin A - DO NOT FORGET YOUR SPF.
During winter I get my SPF from my foundation, but I live in the northern hemisphere and work predominantly indoors. Once the sun is out its time for a dedicated SPF on top of your moisturiser and underneath your foundation. More of which here: www.carolinehirons.com/spf-cheat-sheet

And if you DO smoke? Scrap all that advice and use all of the above - now.

Biologique Recherche

Those two words fill my heart with joy.  Not only did I do some of my advanced facial training here (brilliant memories of hazy Paris days and nights!) but this renowned Parisian establishment is also home to my favourite beauty product of all time. P50.

Never before has a product been so unknown by so many and so beloved by those that have had the privilege/honour/joy of using it. I was introduced to P50 by Sylvie and Olivia Chantecaille - and when these two ladies recommend something - you pay attention.

Situated in a lovely courtyard off the Champs Elysee - no. 32 - Biologique Recherche is the home of the renowned Alloche family.

 Yvan and Josette Alloche founded BR 30 years ago when its main purpose was to devise formulations for companies tired of the same old products.  If you have ever had a Carita Lifting facial - the machine they use was originally developed by  the late Monsieur Alloche -a biologist passionate about providing skin care that gave immediate and lasting results.
His wife, Madame Alloche (recently deceased Jan 2014) - was a physiotherapist and professor of osteopathy obsessed with improving the skin through external manipulation (clearly a woman after my own heart - and a fearsome woman to train under!).  Their son, Philippe, runs the U.S. leg of the business and is a doctor providing the knowledge for a range of products that are truly medicinal.

P50 is the backbone of the BR range and comes in 3 strengths.  All BR skin care treatments start with P50 - although newbies should start with the P50V or P50W - the original may be too much to begin with.

P50 contains (amongst others) Glycerin, Lactic Acid, Usnic Acid, Witch Hazel extract, Myrrh extract, Myrtle extract , Onion extract, Sage extract, Ascorbic Acid,  Sulphur,  and Phenol. Personally, I think it's a mixture of the acids - not the usual mixture - and the phenol. 
It's really all about the Phenol for me. Slightly acidic, Phenol is a disinfectant, bacteria killer and get this - the best part - a slight anaestethic. It does temporarily, slightly numb after application and the smell is so distinctive that I switched the usual family Germolene for the one that contains Phenol just so I could smell it. 

 

Sad I know.

Applied morning and evening the P50 (not the Germolene!) gently exfoliates, regulates excessive sebum secretion, moisturises and helps maintain the epidermis' acid PH.
That all sounds lovely I know - but what it actually does is make your skin look BRAND NEW, feel like SILK and make everything you put on top of it work ten times better.
It was number 1 in Allure magazine's Top 50 Products of All Time a few years ago - and yet still is a bit of an industry secret.

For more info on P50 and distributors in your country look here: www.biologiquerecherche.com