Farmacy Honeymoon Glow is the latest in the “Farmer-Cultivated, Scientist-Activated” Farmacy line. They use natural ingredients like hibiscus flower and honey in conjunction with other effective ingredients like lactic and glycolic acid to create some really stand out products. (Check out my Farmacy brand review for some of my favorites!)

I started seeing other bloggers say that their exfoliating serum Farmacy Honeymoon Glow was a more affordable dupe for Sunday Riley’s Good Genes serum (a personal favorite of mine and almost everyone else on the internet.) Here’s what I think:

Grape Seed Oil

Grape seed oil actually has quite a few long-term benefits that make it beneficial in skincare. Because of its bioflavonoid, it strengthens capillaries, bringing more oxygen to the skin internally and improving it (Better Nutrition). It also contains phenols, and the same antioxidants that make wine beneficial to drink, make grape seed oil beneficial to the skin (Food Chemistry). There isn’t a wealth of evidence about the topical application — which has been said to improve skin elasticity and protect collagen. But the studies that do exist show that topical application of grape seed oil has also been found to provide protection against UVB radiation, promote wound healing, reduce vascular engorgement, and even inhibit Streptococcus bacteria. It is an excellent antioxidant because it contains procyanidins, which inhibit lipid peroxidation, the process in which pesky free radicals steal neighboring electrons from lipids in cell membranes to cause cell damage, a sign of microscopic aging (Phytotherapy Research). And, fun fact, supplements of grape seed oil have been found to increase antioxidants in the body and increase the potency of vitamins A and C (University of Maryland Medical Center).

Grape seed is one of my favorite natural ingredients and I’m a huge fan of its inclusion in the Farmacy Honeymoon Glow formula.

Honey

Of course, it wouldn’t be HONEYmoon glow without having honey in the formula. Many Farmacy products include honey, and it’s one of my other favorite natural ingredients. But only commercial, professionally-produced — NOT the kind of honey you buy at your local grocery store. Cosmetic-grade, sanitized honey has three popular roles in skincare: as a skin cleansing, antibacterial, and wound-healing agent. When using a mixture of olive oil, beeswax, and honey, 80% of eczema sufferers reported reduced itching, oozing, and scaling from their lesions, while 63% of patients with psoriasis also reported improved conditions (Complementary Therapies in Medicine).

The inclusion of honey in Farmacy Honeymoon Glow is for more than just a clever name though. As the Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery points out, honey’s ability to heal patients’ lesions and wounds may be due in part to its hydrating properties and hydrogen peroxide. When coupled together, these properties give wounds and skin a moist environment where it can regrow skin cells (epithelization) and promote granulate tissue growth (which is a sinewy tissue that covers fresh wounds) and overall healthy wound healing. Honey is also able to soothe inflammation and reduce edema (swelling).

The hydrating and healing properties in honey really do give your skin a nice glow.

Compared to Good Genes by Sunday Riley, I Do Think This is the Winner

The first big difference between these two products is the price. Good Genes (a fan favorite from Sunday Riley) will run you $105 for 1oz of product, and Honeymoon Glow from Farmacy is just $58 for 1oz.

The second difference is the blend of acids each serum utilizes. Good Genes uses lactic acid at 4% and Honeymoon Glow uses lactic acid, glycolic acid, willow bark, and hibiscus blend at 14% (10% lactic and glycolic blend, 1% willow bark and 3% hibiscus).

The inclusion of glycolic acid in addition to lactic is what makes me lean more towards Honeymoon Glow than Good Genes. Glycolic acid is the smallest of the alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), so it penetrates the skin better and faster than any of its AHA counterparts like lactic acid, malic acid, or mandelic acid. Both in vitro and in vivo tests have shown glycolic acid may increase collagen production, fibroblast proliferation, and cell turnover rates (Dermatologic Surgery). It acts as both a moisturizer and an exfoliator. With regular use, studies show it will increase the skin’s natural supply of hyaluronic acid. It also exfoliates by increasing the separation of skin cells, a process called corneocyte desquamation, resulting in even more cell turnover!

Bottom Line

Farmacy Honeymoon Glow is an exceptional serum. It has a beautiful light gel texture that sinks into the skin right away, without making your skin feel tacky. It has the typical acid smell which I don’t mind at all. I prefer it to Sunday Riley Good Genes because it is more affordable and uses glycolic acid in conjunction with lactic (Good Genes only includes lactic.) Overall, I definitely recommend! Unless of course, you are allergic to honey, then stay far away.