Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Oil promises to be the Next Big Thing. With the latest in retinoids — retinol esters — Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Oil claims it will help to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles while simultaneously correcting damage caused by the sun, time, and pollution. Studies (cited below) affirm it: Trans-retinol ester softens the look of fine lines, wrinkles, and loss of skin elasticity with regular use over time.
The other factor I love in this oil is the fact that it is a deep-absorbing oil-based formulation, perfect for dry to normal skin types. (I recommend a retinol serum, not an oil, for those with normal to oily skin types instead). Use Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Oil before bed to notice smoother skin in the morning.
On the other hand, I’m a little wary of the essential oils in Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Oil for those with skin sensitivity issues. For more science of beauty, read on!
Retinol Esters are So Genius, I Wish I Had Thought of Them First
Science proves it: Retinol esters may be more effective than retinol at comparable concentrations. A 2011 study in Skin Research and Technology determined that 0.060% retinyl retinoate cream decreased depth and area of wrinkles as well as a 0.075% retinol cream. (In case you hate math: If fewer retinol esters produce the same effect as retinol, retinol esters must be more potent.)
In the study, which was double-blind, randomized and controlled, 11 Korean women used a 0.060% retinyl retinoate (retinyl ester) cream for three months. Every four weeks, a series of measurements including a global photodamage score, photographs and image analysis were taken. Further, the visual wrinkle improvement and maximum roughness improvement rate (R2) for 0.060% retinyl retinoate cream were 22% higher than that of 0.075% retinol cream after 12 weeks.
Retinol esters also beat retinol in terms of gentleness and stability, two of the greatest problems with using retinol in the first place. A 2010 study in the Journal of Dermatology and a 2012 study in the International Journal of Dermatology found that retinyl retinoate induces less transepidermal water loss than other forms of retinoids. Retinol esters may therefore retain more water in the skin and be able to help to prevent retinoid-associated irritation. Another study found that retinyl retinoate is more stable in the presence of light and heat than retinol (Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, 2008). An increase in stability matters because it indicates that retinyl retinoate does not necessarily need to be microencapsulated or have another special delivery system in order to get deep within the skin to work.
Score three huge points for Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Oil in terms of retinol esters’ efficacy, gentleness, and stability over regular retinol!
Avocado Oil is as Beneficial for Skin as it is Tasty
Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Oil also contains avocado oil.
Avocado oil is rich in vitamin E, an antioxidant that can help cut the chain of free radical reactions (Encyclopedia Britannica). This essentially means avocado oil is awesome in helping to work against UV exposure damage and saving your skin from long-term signs of sun damage (Skin Pharmacology and Applied Skin Physiology).
Avocado oil also aids in carotenoid absorption when used in conjunction with high-carotenoid fruits and vegetables (The Journal of Nutrition). Carotenoids are wonderful antioxidants that seek out free radicals and help to stop lipid peroxidation (Carotenoids). They’re photoprotective for the skin, which means they aid in protection against UV damage. Eaten in high enough doses, carotenoids can lessen the risk of melanoma (The Role of Phytonutrients in Skin Health).
When used at night, when your body’s basal body temperature is the highest, avocado oil will be quickly absorbed into the skin. Avocado oil can help your skin feel softer and more plush come morning.
If You Have Sensitive Skin, Proceed with Caution
The only potential issue I have with Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Oil is the use of essential oils.
Yes, the parent company of the product claims that the oils are “pure essential oils.” But there really is no such thing as a 100% pure essential oil.
Let me explain: Salespeople will often tell you that one of the benefits of essential oils is that they are perfectly safe and non-toxic when compared to synthetic products. Yet this is not the case. Synthetic ingredients must be tested for purity based upon stringent FDA standards before their inclusion in over-the-counter products, but many natural and organic ingredients — including essential oils — do not.
And pure essential oils are dirty business. Due to the mode of extraction, a process known as distillation, essential oil production involves heating plant extracts, causing them to vaporize, and then collecting the oils. This can be a messy, toxin-ridden process. Essential oils have been found to contain a variety of volatile molecules such as terpenes and terpenoids, phenol-derived aromatic components and aliphatic components (Food and Chemical Toxicology, 2008) — the very “toxins” natural and organic customers wish to avoid.
Some pure essential oils can actually increase free radical production within the cells. Though they are considered by many to be antioxidants, some pure essential oils “can act as prooxidants affecting inner cell membranes and organelles such as mitochondria” (Food and Chemical Toxicology, 2008).
The good news is many of these compounds are present in very low concentrations. But keep in mind products with essential oils may have just as many if not more “toxins” than chemically-based products. It is just that the toxic chemicals in essential oils are listed on ingredients lists solely as the name of the essential oil itself, which sounds completely healthy.
Still, your best bet is to avoid essential oils if you have sensitive skin. And even if you don’t, use pure essential oils with extra antioxidants added for protection. Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Oil has extra antioxidants added for protection, so I say it is A-OK, unless you have sensitive skin.
Personal Opinions of Sunday Riley Luna Night Sleeping Oil
I’ll be blunt: The label and bottle for Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Oil are art deco style and beautiful, but the formula itself has a dark midnight blue tinge. I cringed a little as a dripped some onto my hands, and then onto my face, but thankfully, there was no coloration to make me look like a Smurf or a University of Michigan sports fan. Rather, it drank into the skin colorless and absorbed quickly. It did have a strong scent, reminiscent of the essential oils, but that too wore off after about a minute or two.
Overall, I do love Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Oil, and I recommend it for dry to normal, non-sensitive skin.
Bottom Line
Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Oil is a solid addition to any skin care regimen for those with dry to normal, non-sensitive skin. When using it, apply 3-5 drops after cleansing and toning, and wait at least a minute before applying a moisturizer. Avoid use with acids!
Love it!
Ingredients in Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping 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).