Sunday Riley Good Genes is a great product that has become the holy grail in many people’s skincare routines. It’s a multitasking serum that gives both instant and long-term results.
Good Genes has a number of star ingredients which get to work on a multitude of skin issues. It tackles things like dark spots, uneven skin tone, dullness and the look of fine lines.
Sunday Riley Good Genes retails for $85 USD (or £70 / €80) for the 30ml / 1 fl oz bottle.
If the Good Genes treatment is out of your beauty budget, don’t worry. You can get some good Sunday Riley Good Genes dupes and alternatives for a lot less money. The blend of ingredients in Good Genes is quite hard to find a dupe for as they are fairly unique. However, if you are looking for a good Sunday Riley Good Genes dupe to save some money these are the best options to get similar results.
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA
This is one of the most affordable alternatives to Sunday Riley’s Good Genes.
The percentage of lactic acid in The Ordinary’s serum is the same as Good Genes but the pH is higher, meaning it’s not quite as abrasive as Good Genes.
This is where Sunday Riley’s soothing ingredients come in to offset this acidic effect.
The Ordinary’s lactic acid serum contains Tasmanian pepperberry which soothes any irritation you may get from the lactic acid.
The Ordinary product also contains sodium hyaluronate, a derivative of moisture-retaining hyaluronic acid.
If this is too gentle for you, The Ordinary also has a Lactic Acid 10% + HA serum which is a stronger exfoliant.
The best part is that the price of The Ordinary products is ultra affordable.
Paula’s Choice Resist 10% AHA Treatment
This product contains a blend of AHAs and BHAs including lactic acid, glycolic acid, malic acid, salicylic acid and tartaric acid.
The combination of these different molecule sizes works together on blocked pores and uneven texture, giving you smoother and clearer skin.
To counteract any irritation you may get from using these acids, this Paula’s Choice product has several soothing and hydrating ingredients.
These include allantoin, ceramide NG, licorice root extract, adenosine, green tea and oat extract.
It’s more affordable than the Sunday Riley products and a great alternative to Good Genes.
Paula’s Choice also have a great dupe for SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Vitamin C Serum.
Farmacy Honeymoon Glow AHA Hydrating Night Serum
Although the price of this Sunday Riley Good Genes dupe is only slight lower than the real thing, it’s definitely worth mentioning.
This is because many people say they actually get better results from Honeymoon Glow than they do from Good Genes.
That is a reduction in the ageing effects of sun damage like dark spots and fine lines, and a bright and glowy look to the overall skin tone.
Honeymoon Glow’s ingredients include a cocktail of acids which are lactic acid, glycolic acid, salicylic acid, citric acid and other fruit acids.
It brings the glow with a combination of grape seed oil, honey extract, hyaluronic acid, safflower seed oil, and a ton of other extracts which retain moisture and plump the skin.
Biossance Squalane + 10% Lactic Acid Resurfacing Serum
Biossance’s serum is a well-loved product in its own right and not just as a less expensive alternative to Sunday Riley’s Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid product.
It has a 10 percent concentration of lactic acid, an amount which is said to increase collagen production.
This product also contains squalane to soothe and moisturize just like Good Genes, but it also contains extract of clover.
Clover amplifies the skin renewal process and this and the lactic acid work together to reveal fresh and brightened skin overnight.
It is still on the expensive side but is a fair bit cheaper than Sunday Riley.
Mad Hippie AHA Exfoliating Peel
This Sunday Riley Good Genes dupe gets great reviews.
Alongside the exfoliation you get from the acids in this serum, there is a whole host of brightening ingredients too that will give you that same Good Genes glow.
Mad Hippie’s product contains glycolic and lactic acids to work on skin texture and bumps.
It also has an anti-ageing blend of ingredients like apple stem extract and the peptide Matrixyl Synthe ‘6.
You also get hyaluronic acid, brightening niacinamide, antioxidant-rich white tea and goji berry plus Vitamin E, ceramide 3 and squalane.
All in all it contains a powerhouse of skin-friendly ingredients which provide gentle exfoliation and which gets to work on acne scars and fine lines.
This is much more affordable serum than Good Genes too.
Pixi Clarity Concentrate
Pixi’s lightweight serum is another version of these lactic and glycolic acid treatments that has other great benefits aside from exfoliating dead skin cells.
This Sunday Riley Good Genes dupe also has salicylic acid which is great for clearing debris from pores and regulating oil production.
It has other ingredients in common with Good Genes like licorice root extract and aloe vera.
Clarity Concentrate is suitable for all skin including sensitive skin types.
It’s also a really great Good Genes dupe if you have acne or congested skin as it is great at unblocking pores and calming inflammation.
Why is Sunday Riley Good Genes so good?
Sunday Riley’s Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment is so popular because of its key ingredients.
They work together to create a powerful chemical exfoliant which is still gentle enough to be used on the most sensitive skin.
Good Genes has several soothing ingredients which benefit all skin types and contribute towards an instantly radiant complexion.
The Sunday Riley Good Genes ingredients
The ingredient list of Sunday Riley’s Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment contains the following standout components:
Lactic acid: Good Genes contains 5% of this gentle alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) which works to break down dead skin cells and lighten dark spots
Licorice root: an anti-inflammatory which soothes stressed skin and calms irritation
Lemongrass: a natural astringent that helps to reduce the appearance of pore size
Arnica: this has hydrating properties and also helps to soothe skin which is great when using an acid as well
Prickly pear extract: a cactus-derived ingredient that delivers fatty acids and antioxidants to the skin
Aloe vera: a soothing ingredient that calms redness, acne and other skin irritations
Squalane: helps the skin to retain moisture and plays a part in repairing a compromised skin barrier
The overall effect of these ingredients in Good Genes, and the reason people love this product so much, is brighter skin with a smoother texture, less acne, and less clogged pores.
Fans claim Good Genes gives them a glow like no other that you can see happening overnight.
The Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment that’s sold in the UK and the EU contains glycolic acid instead of purified lactic acid.
However it also contains potassium lactate which is a derivative of lactic acid.
Glycolic acid is a smaller molecule which penetrates deeper into the skin layers than lactic acid but works in the same way to exfoliate the skin.
The Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment also contains squalane, lemongrass and prickly pear extract.
The two different versions are designed to do exactly the same thing as each other.
Sunday Riley Good Genes is one of the most hyped skincare products of recent years, but it comes with a very high price tag.
It has a fairly unique combination of ingredients so it’s almost impossible to find a perfect dupe for Good Genes.
The best option is to try a different product like any of these Sunday Riley Good Genes dupes to see how they work for you.
Each one gets amazing reviews and the ingredients are very similar so they will work just the same way as Good Genes does in your skin care routine.
More of the best skincare dupes:
Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream dupes
Mario Badescu Drying Lotion dupe
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