Sunday Riley Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment Review

Last Updated on February 1, 2026 by Giorgia Guazzarotti

My heart broke when Sunday Riley reformulated Good Genes with glycolic acid instead of lactic acid. I totally get it why she had to do it. A new EU law dictates that brands can’t sell lactic acid treatments that have a 10% concentration or a pH lower than 5. Thanks EU! Don’t you have better things to do than screwing up with our skincare? I know you’re trying to protect consumers, but no one has ever died from using Good Genes.

Plus, there are so few exfoliants suitable for sensitive skin. With this move, a lot of people with sensitive skin could switch to something that’s more irritating for their skin. Like, you know, glycolic acid… I can’t in good conscience recommend the new glycolic version of Sunday Riley Good Genes to anyone with sensitive skin anymore. 🙁 But what if you don’t have sensitive skin? If your skin can tolerate glycolic acid, Sunday Riley Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment is still a great buy:

P.S. Yes, that in the picture above is a sample size. I wasn’t sure I was gonna like the new version of Good Genes so I treated myself (read: bought with my own money) to a Sunday Riley holiday set with mini sizes of the brand’s bestsellers to find out.

Table Of Contents

What’s In Sunday Riley Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment?

GLYCOLIC ACID TO EXFOLIATE SKIN

The old Sunday Riley Good Genes used 7% lactic acid at a pH of 3. The new Sunday Riley Good Genes uses 7% glycolic acid + a lactic acid salt at 3% and a pH of 3.5. What’s the difference? Glycolic acid and lactic acid are both members of the Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) family, a group of exfoliants that dissolves the “glue” that holds skin cells together so they can slough off.

Glycolic acid has a smaller size than lactic acid. This makes it more effective (you’ll see results sooner) but also more irritating. That’s why I can’t recommend it for sensitive skin. Glycolic acid and lactic acid have another thing in common: they have water-binding properties that deeply hydrate skin.

In theory, glycolic acid goes even further: this acid is famous for boosting collagen production. The catch? It does it at 10%+ concentrations. Sunday Riley Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment has 7% glycolic acid so don’t expect it to do too much for antiaging. Here, it only exfoliates skin, smoothens out its texture, fades away dark spots, and gives the complexion a beautiful glow. Not shabby, is it? FYI, if you have oily skin or acne, salicylic acid is a much better exfoliant for you.

SQUALANE TO MOISTURISE SKIN

Everyone’s into squalane at the moment – Sunday Riley Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment uses it, too. What’s so special about it? For starters, it’s so similar to human sebum (your skin’s natural moisturiser) so it sinks in super quickly. That makes it super moisturizing too. Squalane strengthens the skin’s protective barrier, moisturises skin and keeps it soft and smooth for hours. The best part? It’s safe for everyone. It doesn’t cause irritations or give you breakouts. Heck, even people with fungal acne can use it without risking another flareup.

DIMETHICONE TO FILL IN FINE LINES AND WRINKLES

Yep, the base of Sunday Riley Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment is Dimethicone, a famous silicone many people love to hate. They say it clogs pores, suffocates skin and has zero benefits for the skin. I wouldn’t be so drastic…

It’s true Dimethicone has no antioxidants or soothing properties. But it makes the texture easier to spread, fillS in fine lines and large pores so they look smaller, and creates a barrier on the skin that keeps moisture in.

By the way, this barrier is breathable. Silicones have a particular molecular structure with wide gaps between each molecule. Skin can perspire through these gaps. While we’re busting skincare myths, Dimethicone itself doesn’t clog pores. It’s when you use it together with comedogenic ingredients that breakouts happen.

Related: Are Silicones Bad For Skin?

Struggling to put together a skincare routine that banishes dryness and makes your skin supple and dewy? Download your FREE “Best Skincare Routine For Dry Skin” to get started (it features product recommendations + right application order):

The Rest Of The Formula & Ingredients

NOTE: The colours indicate the effectiveness of an ingredient. It is ILLEGAL to put toxic and harmful ingredients in skincare products.

Green: It’s effective, proven to work, and helps the product do the best possible job for your skin.
Yellow: There’s not much proof it works (at least, yet).
Red: What is this doing here?!

Water/eau/aqua: This is your base solvent, it dissolves and carries all the other ingredients so they can actually penetrate your skin.
Caprylyl caprylate/caprate: A lightweight emollient from coconut oil that helps the formula spread easily and absorb quickly without that heavy oily feeling.
Ppg-12/smdi copolymer: A film forming polymer that helps the product stick to your skin longer and creates a smooth even finish.
Propanediol: A humectant and solvent from corn that pulls water into your skin and helps other ingredients penetrate better.
Cetearyl alcohol: Don’t let the alcohol scare you, this is a fatty alcohol that’s actually moisturizing not drying. It acts as an emulsifier and thickener to give the cream its rich texture and helps stabilize the formula so the oil and water phases don’t separate.
Potassium lactate: Part of your skin’s natural moisturizing factor, this humectant attracts and holds water in your skin while also gently buffering the pH so the glycolic acid doesn’t irritate as much.
Bis-stearyl dimethicone: A heavier silicone that adds extra slip and a velvety powdery finish to the formula. It’s here to make the product feel even more luxurious and help it spread smoothly without dragging or pilling.
Cymbopogon schoenanthus oil: Lemongrass oil, which is mostly here for fragrance because it smells fresh and citrusy. Iit can be irritating for sensitive skin.
Glycerin: One of the most effective humectants out there, it pulls moisture from the air into your skin and holds onto it like a sponge.
Potassium hydroxide: A pH adjuster used to neutralize the glycolic acid and bring the formula to a skin friendly pH.
Ppg-24-glycereth-24: A humectant and emulsifier that helps water and oil ingredients mix together smoothly while also pulling moisture into your skin.
Sodium phytate: A chelating agent from plants that binds to metal ions in the formula to prevent them from destabilizing the product or causing oxidation.
Xanthan gum: A natural thickener and stabilizer made from fermented sugar that gives the cream its gel like consistency and prevents the ingredients from separating.
Hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer: A synthetic polymer that thickens and stabilizes the formula while creating a smooth lightweight gel texture.
Glyceryl stearate: An emulsifier made from glycerin and stearic acid that helps blend oil and water ingredients together so they don’t separate.
Peg-100 stearate: Another emulsifier that works with glyceryl stearate to keep the formula stable and smooth.
Palmitic acid: A saturated fatty acid naturally found in your skin that acts as an emollient and helps repair your skin barrier. It’s here to add richness to the texture, lock in moisture, and support your skin’s natural protective layer.
Stearic acid: Another fatty acid that works as both an emulsifier and a thickener to give the cream its rich smooth consistency.
Phenoxyethanol: A preservative that prevents bacteria, yeast, and mold from growing in the product so it doesn’t turn into a petri dish in your bathroom.
Opuntia ficus-indica fruit extract: Prickly pear extract that’s rich in antioxidants and can help soothe irritation and protect against free radical damage.
Ceteareth-20: An emulsifying wax that helps keep oil and water ingredients mixed together in a stable cream.
Caprylyl glycol: A humectant and preservative booster that attracts moisture to your skin while also helping prevent microbial growth.
Chlorphenesin: A preservative that works with phenoxyethanol to keep bacteria and fungi out of the formula.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae extract: Yeast extract, yes like from bread or beer, that contains amino acids, vitamins, and beta glucans to hydrate, soothe, and potentially boost skin repair. It’s here to add some skin conditioning and calming benefits, though at this low concentration it’s more of a nice to have than a game changer.
Sorbitan isostearate: An emulsifier from sorbitol and fatty acids that helps stabilize oil in water emulsions.
Potassium sorbate: A preservative that prevents mold and yeast growth, especially in products with botanical extracts.
Sodium benzoate: Another preservative that works against bacteria, yeast, and fungi to keep the product safe and stable.

Texture

It’s got this lightweight lotion thing going on that just melts right into my dry skin. Like you put it on and two seconds later it’s gone, no gross greasy feeling sitting on top, no tackiness, nothing. The silicones in it make it glide on like butter and honestly it feels way fancier than the price tag would suggest.

Fragrance

There’s no fragrance in this thing. Okay technically lemongrass oil is in there but it’s buried so deep in the ingredient list that I literally cannot smell it. Maybe if you shove your nose in the bottle and really huff it you’ll get like a tiny hint of citrus but on your actual face? Nah, nothing.

How To Use It

Slap it on every other night after you wash your face. Don’t use it the same night as retinol or you’re gonna fuck up your skin barrier real quick. And give it a minute to sink in before you pile other stuff on top, especially if your skin’s sensitive, cos glycolic can be a little burny if you don’t let it chill first.

Packaging

Just a nice sleek bottle with a pump that actually works like it’s supposed to. None of that BS where it sputters or gets clogged or dumps out half the bottle in one go. It gives you the perfect amount every time and it doesn’t look ugly on your counter either.

Performance & Personal Opinion

If you’re expecting a change in pore size or blackhead removal, you’ll be disappointed. That’s a job for salicylic acid, not glycolic acid. But if you’ve got dry skin with small pores and no blackheads, you’re in for a treat. Already the morning after using Sunday Riley Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment, my skin was already brighter. It had a lovely glow to it.

My skin also got softer. Without all those dead cells on my skin, the whole surface was smoother and softer to the touch. All in all, Sunday Riley Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment did exactly what I expected it to do: it exfoliated the surface of my skin so that it looks smoother and more awake. Good job!

What I Like About Sunday Riley Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment

Makes my skin noticeably brighter overnight, like actually glowy not just shiny
Softens and smooths the surface of my skin so it feels nice to touch
Lightweight texture that sinks right in, no heavy cream sitting on my face
The pump dispenser actually works properly and doesn’t waste product

What I DON’T Like About Sunday Riley Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment

It’s expensive as hell for what’s basically just glycolic acid in a nice bottle
The lemongrass oil is totally unnecessary and could irritate sensitive skin for zero benefit
Won’t do anything for your pores or blackheads if that’s what you’re after

Who Should Use It?

If you’ve got dry skin with small pores and no blackhead issues, this is gonna work really well for you. It’s great for anyone who wants brighter, smoother skin and needs the hydration to balance out the exfoliation. Skip it if you’ve got oily skin with clogged pores, you need salicylic acid instead. Also maybe pass if you’re on a budget cos there are cheaper glycolic acid products that’ll do the same thing.

Does Sunday Riley Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment Live Up To Its Claims?

CLAIM	TRUE?
Clean, purified glycolic acid deeply exfoliates and repairs the look of dull, congested, and sun damaged skin for a visibly radiant, healthier-looking complexion.	It doesn’t help congested skin, but everything else is true.
Good Genes Glycolic penetrates the surface of the skin with tiny glycolic acid molecules, sinking deeper into the skin than other forms of AHA, to break apart pore-clogging debris and repair the look of sun-damaged, congested, wrinkled, or dull skin.	Mostly true. Glycolic acid is the smallest member of the AHAs family, so it does penetrate deeper into the skin for better results. But it can’t penetrate pores so it can’t break apart pore-clogging debris. That’s a job for salicylic acid.
With just one use, instant radiance and skin clarity are visibly boosted.	Yes, it does give skin a lovely glow. But every exfoliant does this.

Price & Availability

£70.00 at Cult Beauty

Do You Need It?

If you have dry, sun-damaged skin, this is a great option to consider.

Ingredients

WATER/EAU/AQUA, DIMETHICONE, GLYCOLIC ACID, CAPRYLYL CAPRYLATE/CAPRATE, PPG-12/SDMI COPOLYMER, SQUALANE, PROPANEDIOL, CETEARYL ALCOHOL, POTASSIUM LACTATE, BIS-STEARYL DIMETHICONE, CYMBOPOGON SCHOENANTHUS OIL, GLYCERIN, POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE, PPG-24-GLYCERETH-24, SODIUM PHYTATE, XANTHAN GUM, HYDROXYETHYL ACRYLATE/SODIUM ACRYLOYLDIMETHYL TAURATE COPOLYMER, GLYCERYL STEARATE, PEG-100 STEARATE, PALMITIC ACID, STEARIC ACID, PHENOXYETHANOL, OPUNTIA FICUS-INDICA FRUIT EXTRACT, CETEARETH-20, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, CHLORPHENENSIN, SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE EXTRACT, SORBITAN ISOSTEARATE, POTASSIUM SORBATE, SODIUM BENZOATE.

Beautiful With Brains

Is The New Sunday Riley Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment As Good As The Original Lactic Acid Treatment?