Many people want their face to have a radiant glow — but trips to the esthetician are expensive, and moisturizers at drugstores and beauty counters sometimes leave much to be desired. The search for the best face moisturizer can lead to an endless cycle of trial and error.
The Sunday Riley Vitamin C cream, however, may deliver the glow you’ve been searching for. Touted as a deep hydrator that protects and repairs, it promises to leave skin brighter and smoother. Designed by skincare experts and backed by science, the cream is said to deliver results through a formula of botanical extracts and vitamin C.
We wanted to see whether the Sunday Riley C.E.O. Vitamin C Rich Hydration Cream could live up to its claim of improving our complexion, so we decided to test it for a couple of weeks. Here’s what we found.
We tested the Sunday Riley C.E.O. Vitamin C cream with someone who has combination skin with hyperpigmentation and uneven textures. During the winter months, they used the Vitamin C cream twice daily for two weeks in place of their regular moisturizer.
Sunday Riley Vitamin C is a deeply hydrating face cream that claims to leave skin moisturized and luminous. It’s marketed as an ultra-rich, luxurious cream formulated with naturally derived ingredients, such as caviar lime extract. It’s a moisturizer for sensitive skin as well as other skin types that’s designed to restore dehydrated skin and shield it from pollutants that may damage and dry it out.
We used the Sunday Riley Vitamin C face moisturizer as part of our twice-daily skincare routine. In the morning, we applied it to our clean face and neck with our fingertips. After that, we layered the rest of our everyday skincare products over it, including sunscreen and foundation.
At night, we washed off our makeup and applied the Sunday Riley Vitamin C hydrating moisturizer to our face. To maximize morning results, we sometimes paired it with two more glow-boosting products by Sunday Riley, the C.E.O. Glow Face Oil and Good Genes All-in-One Lactic Acid Treatment.
If you’re wondering how the Sunday Riley Vitamin C clean moisturizer works, here’s an overview of the main benefits and ingredients.
Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream
This hydrating face cream contains a 30% hyaluronic acid complex that draws in atmospheric vapor and locks in moisture for up to 72 hours. It leaves skin supple and silky smooth.
Sold by Amazon, Macy’s, Ulta and Sephora
Youth to the People Superfood Air-Whip Moisture Cream
A lightweight formula suitable for all skin types, YTTP’s whipped face cream contains cold-pressed plant extracts with powerful antioxidant properties. The cream absorbs into the skin quickly and doubles as an effective makeup primer.
Burt’s Bees Renewal Firming Moisturizing Cream
This day-and-night cream firms skin with bakuchiol, a natural retinol alternative. It boosts radiance with vitamin E and smooths over uneven textures and fine lines.
Sunday Riley C.E.O. Vitamin C Rich Hydration Cream retails for $22 per 0.5-ounce jar and $65 per 1.7-ounce jar.
Sunday Riley C.E.O. Vitamin C face cream is available at Amazon, Sephora and SkinStore.
The Sunday Riley Vitamin C cream worked well with other skincare products, including some by the same company. It absorbs quickly and has a lightweight feel that provides the ideal foundation for makeup application.
It has a pleasant citrus smell, which is a welcomed departure from comparable heavy moisturizers that often have clinical scents or overpowering fragrances. Unlike other fragranced skincare products, the Vitamin C cream didn’t trigger reactions on sensitive skin.
Many people reported results after a couple weeks of use, including notable boosts in radiance, hydration and smoothness. Some individuals with hyperpigmentation felt the cream minimized the appearance of hyperpigmentation and under-eye circles.
While the Sunday Riley Vitamin C cream made our skin softer and more hydrated, there wasn’t a noticeable boost in radiance or reduction in hyperpigmentation. We recognize this may be due in part to our limited testing period of a couple of weeks.
The Vitamin C cream is a heavy formula that works well in the winter for many people, but some individuals may feel it’s too intense for summertime use. Some felt the cream is better suited for nighttime use only.
Based on our experience, the Sunday Riley Vitamin C Cream delivered the deep moisturizing experience its name and branding promises, which helped improve our skin. As a multidimensional product that manages several high-level skincare concerns, the Sunday Riley Vitamin C cream is ideal for individuals willing to spend more on an all-in-one moisturizer with premium ingredients.
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Sian Babish writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
