Smooths and brightens skin overnight for a softer, clearer, more even complexion without long waits.
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Looking for a budget alternative? The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA
Sunday Riley Good Genes is sold as a fast smoothing, brightening, skin retexturizing treatment. The promise is simple. Your skin looks softer, clearer, and a little more even without waiting weeks. The hero is purified lactic acid, which is an AHA that gently exfoliates the top layer of dull, uneven skin so new, fresher looking skin shows through.
This review walks through what it really does, who actually benefits from it, who should skip it, and how to use it without tearing up your barrier or wasting half a bottle.
Quick Verdict
Best for:
Skin that looks dull, splotchy, or rough to the touch. Mild texture bumps that you keep seeing under makeup. Fine lines starting to sit around the mouth and forehead. That gray, tired tone that makes blush look flat instead of glowy.
Skip if:
Your skin is already red, burning, or peeling from retinol or over-exfoliation. You are highly sensitive and sting from most acids. You want deep wrinkle lift or firming around the jaw. Good Genes is a resurfacing treatment. It will not lift sagging.
Texture and feel:
Lightweight serum lotion. Spreads easily, absorbs quickly, leaves a soft slip. Some people feel a mild tingle right after applying, especially around the nose and mouth.
Price band:
Premium. This is not a drugstore exfoliant. You are paying for a branded treatment step that markets fast visible smoothing.
Bottom line:
If you are uneven, dull, or textured and you want to wake up looking smoother, Good Genes is designed for you. If you are raw, flaky, or barrier damaged, you should not touch this yet.
Key Ingredients and What They Actually Do
Lactic acid (AHA):
Lactic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid that gently dissolves the bonds holding on to dead, dull surface skin. When you remove that buildup, light reflects better. That looks like brightness. It also helps soften the look of fine lines because smoother texture does not cast the same tiny shadows.
Soothing and hydrating support:
Good Genes is not just a plain acid toner. The formula includes humectants and conditioning ingredients so skin does not feel stripped or squeaky. The idea is: exfoliate, but also keep the skin cushioned enough that makeup goes on smoother instead of catching on dry flakes.
Brightening angle:
By clearing away that top dull layer, uneven-looking spots can appear softer over time. This is more of a “my skin looks muddy and uneven” fix than a hardcore dark spot corrector. Expect glow and smoothness first, tone evening second.
Finish:
Soft and slightly dewy, not greasy. You will usually still want moisturizer on top, especially at night, but skin does not feel tight or chalky after it sets.
How It Performs on Real Skin
Dull, tired face:
If you look in the mirror and everything just looks flat, like makeup is not sitting right and skin looks gray even when you slept, Good Genes is positioned as that overnight reset. Owner feedback consistently talks about skin looking “brighter and smoother the next day” instead of, “Six weeks later I maybe saw something.” This is the main reason people keep buying it even though it is pricey.
Texture and little bumps:
This is where lactic acid shines. It helps soften that rough, tiny clogged-feeling texture you get on cheeks, chin, and forehead. Your makeup sits better because there are fewer dry edges for concealer to cling to. You also see less of that makeup-collects-around-the-pores look.
Early fine lines:
Fine lines around the mouth, between the brows, and on the forehead can look softer when the surface is smoother and more hydrated. Good Genes is not a filler. It is not tightening your skin. What it can do is reduce the look of little crease shadows so foundation and powder stop exaggerating them.
Post-breakout marks:
When a breakout is gone but the area still looks a little blotchy or uneven, gentle chemical resurfacing helps new, fresher looking skin come forward faster. That is part of why people reach for this instead of a physical scrub. You are asking it to smooth and brighten without scratching.
Important if you are sensitive:
If you are already red, stinging, or flaking, this will feel spicy. Lactic acid is considered one of the gentler AHAs, but it is still an active exfoliant. Using it on a compromised barrier can make that barrier angrier. If your skin currently burns when you put on plain moisturizer, pause and fix your barrier before you try this.
Results timeline:
First use: Skin feels softer to the touch and makeup goes on more evenly the next morning.
One to three days: Tone starts to look more awake and a little more even. You get less “gray cast.”
One week: Mild texture and little bumps tend to look smoother. Overall look is brighter and more refined, especially on cheeks and around the mouth.
Who Should Use It (and Who Shouldn’t)
Best match if:
- You see dullness and uneven tone when you wake up
- Your skin texture looks a little bumpy under foundation, especially on cheeks and chin
- You want fast “my skin just looks better” payoff without waiting a month
- You are starting to notice fine lines catching makeup, and you want smoother application
Probably not for you if:
- Your barrier is already irritated, red, peeling, or burning
- You cannot tolerate exfoliating acids at all without stinging
- You are mostly worried about sagging or loss of firmness instead of tone and texture
- You need deep moisture and comfort more than resurfacing
How to Use It Without Wasting It
Night routine:
Cleanse. Pat dry. Apply Good Genes as a thin, even layer across the face. You do not need a thick coat. Follow with a comforting moisturizer once it has had a minute to settle. This helps seal in hydration and keeps skin feeling supported while the acid does its thing.
Day routine:
Some people like using it in the morning for immediate brightness under makeup. If you do that, apply a very thin layer and then follow with moisturizer and sunscreen. You absolutely still need sunscreen. Freshly resurfaced skin can be more sun sensitive.
Around the nose and mouth:
Those areas, plus the corners of the mouth, can sting first. If you are nervous, try a “zoning” approach. Apply a normal layer to the forehead and cheeks, then use whatever is left on your fingers around the nose and chin instead of doing a full swipe there.
Do not stack too much:
Do not pair Good Genes with a strong retinol, a scrub, and a peel pad all in one night unless you like waking up with a hot, angry face. If you want this in your routine long term, treat it like your main exfoliating step that night. Everything else should be calm and hydrating.
One caution:
If it burns, not tingles, wash it off. Burning usually means your barrier is already compromised. In that case, switch to barrier repair for a few nights. You can come back to acids when your skin is calm again.
Pros / Cons
Pros:
- Fast visible smoothing on dull, uneven, tired looking skin
- Lactic acid exfoliates without a gritty physical scrub
- Helps makeup sit better by softening texture and flakes
- Gives that “I slept” brightness even if you did not
Cons:
- High price for a daily or near-daily step
- Can tingle or sting on sensitive or over-treated skin
- Not meant for deep wrinkles or firmness, so do not buy it expecting lift
- You still have to wear sunscreen, because exfoliated skin can be more reactive to sun
Overall vibe from owners is, “It is expensive, but I actually see a difference in how smooth and bright my face looks,” especially for people who felt dull or textured.
Final Thoughts
Sunday Riley Good Genes is not a comfort cream. It is not here to baby your barrier. It is here to smooth, brighten, and retexturize fast so your skin looks more even and more awake. If you are dealing with dullness, tiny bumps, rough patches that catch foundation, early fine lines that makeup keeps sitting in, or a general gray film, this is the type of product that earns a spot in your night routine. That is why people talk about seeing a difference.
If you are already red, peeling, hypersensitive, or dealing with a broken barrier, this will feel like too much. Fix the barrier first with something calm and protective, then come back to resurfacing. Think of Good Genes as your “make my skin look fresher” step, not your “heal my skin” step.
See also
If your skin feels dry, hot, or tight when you smile, you are probably past resurfacing and straight into barrier recovery. Our CeraVe Moisturizing Cream Review walks through how thick ceramide style creams calm that overworked, stingy feeling. If you feel tight and shiny at the same time, the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Review explains how gel hydration can help combination skin stay comfortable without getting greasy.
If makeup is settling into lines instead of smoothing them, our Over 40 Makeup Routine That Lifts Without Caking shows placement tricks that brighten and lift instead of sinking into texture. If your skin just looks flat and uneven, read Dehydrated vs Dry vs Oily-Dehydrated: How to Tell at Home so you know whether you are missing water, missing oil, or both before you keep layering products. And if clogged looking pores are the main pain point, Pore Care Without Wrecking Barrier gives you a plan to clear them without tearing up your face.
FAQs
- Is Sunday Riley Good Genes safe for sensitive skin
It depends on the type of sensitive. If you get mild redness and you know you can usually handle lighter AHAs, you may be fine using a thin layer and slowly working up. If your skin is already stinging just from cleanser or moisturizer, skip acids for now. That is not the moment for resurfacing. - Can I use Good Genes with retinol
Not in the same routine if you are new to both. Most people alternate. One night retinol, one night Good Genes, then a recovery night with just moisturizer. If you stack too many actives at once, you risk burning your barrier and getting that hot, flushed look. - Will it help with dark spots
It can help soften the look of leftover uneven tone from old breakouts because exfoliation encourages fresher looking skin at the surface. It is not marketed as an intense pigment corrector. Think overall brightness and clarity, not targeted erasing. - Do I still need moisturizer after Good Genes
Yes. Good Genes is an exfoliating treatment, not a full moisturizer. Seal it with something calming and hydrating so skin stays comfortable overnight. During the day, always follow with sunscreen. - How fast will I see results
A lot of people report skin looking smoother and more even the next morning, mostly in terms of texture and glow. Deeper tone evening takes longer. If you have zero change after a week of steady use, either your main issue is not surface dullness, or your skin is too irritated to benefit yet.
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