Sunday Riley

Good Genes All-In-One AHA Lactic Acid Treatment.

Q: Is Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One AHA Lactic Acid Treatment worth it?

The gurus are split. 8 of the 11 gurus give it their stamp of approval while 2 would skip it, which lands it in the middle at a Guru Score of 74%.

Masks & Peels

About this product

A lactic acid serum designed to gently exfoliate while hydrating, targeting the appearance of pores, fine lines, hyperpigmentation, and dark spots.

Best for

Mature skin

Type

Masks & PeelsDrops & dropper

Key actives

AHASqualane

Formula notes

Fragrance-freeNo drying alcohol

Full ingredients

Aqua, Opuntia Tuna Fruit Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Cypripedium Pubescens Extract, Opuntia Vulgaris Leaf Extract, Agave Tequilana Leaf Extract, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae (Yeast) Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Lactic Acid, PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Stearic Acid, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phenyl Trimethicone, Disiloxane, Ceteareth-20, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus (Lemongrass) Oil, Potassium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Phytate

Guru Score

74%

Mixed

11 experts · Strong agreement

11Gurus

8Approved

1Mixed

2Skip

#4 in Masks & PeelsSee the ranking →

What the gurus are saying

This serum delivers visible smoothing and a glow within minutes, though it runs stronger and lower in pH than some gurus think necessary for lactic acid to work. Most reviewers praise how gentle it is for sensitive and mature skin, and many return to it repeatedly, especially those nervous about starting exfoliating acids. A few note it can be potent, so patch testing first is wise if your skin is easily irritated. One expert flagged that it may occasionally cause chapped lips and another cautioned about arnica content, though most found it leave skin soft and refined rather than over-exfoliated.

Synthesized from 11 expert reviews · most recent take July 2026

Where to buy

Find it at Amazon → Compare prices on Google Shopping →

How it works Independent by design. Every take comes from a creator we have no relationship with. We do not ask anyone to review, and affiliate links never move a score.

Every take, in full

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Approved takes Critical takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

Beyond50Skin

31k subs

~Approved

"This serum is lactic acid, beautiful for mature skin. It's a serum I can always confidently recommend, it's always on my back shelf and I'm currently out of, so I'll be restocking. You get a duo and it's better than the discount that I have. I would definitely pick this up if you are a Sunday Riley Good Genes fan."

All 8 takes from Beyond50Skin

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"This is one of those exfoliating treatments that I do in the winter time because it's so gentle. You can use this in the morning. You can use this in the evening. If you have mature skin and you're kind of maybe a little bit nervous about doing an exfoliation step, this is a great first start. This was my entryway into exfoliating acids about six years ago when I was really nervous. I didn't really know what they were. I wasn't sure how my sensitive, dry skin would react. This is absolutely gorgeous and one that I return to and repeat purchase all the time."

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"Sunday Riley's Good Genes, you can use it A.M., you can use it P.M. It has lactic acid. Perfect for gently exfoliating mature skin and hydrating mature skin. I personally have loved this lately because I've been getting a few breakouts here and there and it has a touch of salicylic acid. Perfect overnight for smooth, baby soft skin when you wake up in the morning. But it is on the potent side. So definitely do your patch test. If you have a little bit more sensitive skin."

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"I've also jumped over to using Good Genes. It's a lactic acid exfoliator. And for mature skin, it can be hydrating and also gently exfoliating. That's a great one to kind of rely on through the winter months. It's kind of one that I actually return to every winter."

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"Sunday Riley Good Genes was at the top of everyone's list last year -- it kind of made a bit of a comeback. It is one of the best treatment serums that I've ever tried, especially for mature skin."

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"Sunday Riley Good Genes is one of my skincare empties that's always on repeat purchase, I can't give it up. It's hydrating and moisturizing, and it has a little bit of exfoliation, so it just makes your skin so luminous and glowy. You can use this AM and PM. I love this. I've used it since I purchased it about five years ago."

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"I love Good Genes, it's been one of my all-time favorite skin resurfacing treatments for my evening routine."

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"Sunday Riley Good Genes is an oldie but a goody for your morning skincare routine. If you're looking to address fine lines, it's one of my top recommended serums, I gifted it to my cousin a few years ago. It helps reduce pigmentation along with plumping up the skin, the lactic acid is great for mature skin, it plumps up those lines and has a slightly exfoliating property, so it's an all around great morning serum, and you can also use it in the evening."

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Dr. Aleksandra Brown

131k subs

~Approved

"Sunday Riley Good Genes Lactic Acid. This one's much gentler, really nice, layers really good with your skincare, especially if you have sensitive skin."

All 3 takes from Dr. Aleksandra Brown

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"The Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment is a lactic acid serum that targets the look of pores, hyperpigmentation, and dark spots. It's clinically shown to reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles as well. It's a very gentle exfoliant but it also deeply hydrates, so it's going to leave your skin plump and radiant. Key ingredients here are things like purified lactic acid, which will hydrate and exfoliate the surface layers, smooth the texture, and improve the look of fades and wrinkles. It also contains a little bit of licorice and lemongrass, which will brighten the appearance of dark spots and skin discoloration, as well as pearly pear extract, which soothes the appearance of surface redness and sensitive skin."

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"Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment is a lactic acid HA serum that targets the look of pores, hyperpigmentation, and dark spots. It is clinically shown to reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles. It gently exfoliates and deeply hydrates, leaving your skin really nice and plump and radiant. The key ingredients are purified lactic acid, which hydrates and exfoliates the surface layer of the skin, smoothing the texture and improving the look of fine lines and wrinkles and visibly clarifying some blemishes. It also has licorice and lemongrass, which together help brighten the appearance of dark spots and skin discoloration, and contains prickly pear extract which will soothe the appearance of surface redness and sensitive skin."

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"Sunday Riley Good Genes Lactic Acid. This one's much gentler, really nice, layers really good with your skincare, especially if you have sensitive skin."

The Style and Beauty Doctor

220k subs

~Approved

"I use the Sunday Riley Good Genes lactic acid exfoliator which I love. I tend to not use the tretinoin on that same night just because you know to avoid irritation."

All 3 takes from The Style and Beauty Doctor

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"I use the Sunday Riley Good Genes lactic acid exfoliator which I love. I tend to not use the tretinoin on that same night just because you know to avoid irritation."

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"With the Good Genes lactic acid treatment you can see results within minutes of putting it on. Obviously you need to use it over time consistently to get your real results, but you can see a difference in your skin when you first put that on."

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"For exfoliation I currently use the Sunday Riley Good Genes. What's amazing about this is you can get some immediate results where you can see a marked difference in the radiance of the skin. However you do want to use it over time to get the full benefits."

No BS Beauty

89k subs

~Skip

"I don't love it because the pH of it is very low for what it needs to be to be effective."

All 3 takes from No BS Beauty

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"I don't love it because the pH of it is very low for what it needs to be to be effective."

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"Sunday Riley Good Genes, which smells like sour milk and is super strong, much stronger lower pH than it necessarily needs to be to be effective, but it's a holy grail for a lot of people."

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"The Sunday Riley Good Genes, that one's very low pH, very strong."

Allie Glines

830k subs

~Approved

"This is the Sunday Riley Good Genes lactic acid treatment. Oh my gosh, this really makes a difference in my skin. I haven't used it for years. I used to use it all the time back in like 2017, 2018, back then my skin was super acne prone. I do remember really liking this, but I don't remember it being this good. Maybe it's because I've really healed my acne and so now when I use a lactic acid, I feel like I'm able to actually see the results. It's like one of those products that gives you basically instant results, which is always amazing when it comes to skincare products. My skin has looked way better since incorporating that back into my routine. 10 out of 10 loving this all over again. I'm definitely going to buy the big bottle after I run out of this."

Tea with MD

107k subs

~Approved

"This product is a lactic acid based exfoliant, so it's a chemical exfoliant. It also has licorice root which is meant for brightening, it has aloe for calming down your skin as well as lemongrass for helping with skin radiance. I have sensitive skin and exfoliants are usually pretty harsh on my skin and can cause me to turn red or sting, but this one has been very gentle and it has left my skin feeling really smooth. I use this on nights when I'm not using my retinoid, and I find that this leaves my skin texture feeling really smooth, it helps to unclog my pores, and it's just a really nice gentle treatment that gives me all the benefits of an exfoliant without leaving my skin feeling stinging or over exfoliated."

Nadine Baggott

164k subs

~Approved

"I do love the original Good Genes lactic acid by Sunday Riley. Lactic acid is particularly good if you've got a drier skin that needs resurfacing. I love it if you've got an older drier skin that's a perfect thing to resurface your skin."

Lab Muffin Beauty Science

858k subs

~Approved

"The Sunday Riley Good Genes which is mostly lactic acid, my skin just really loves it. It gives me a really lovely smooth glow, it keeps away closed comedones, and it makes my pores look smaller."

Dr Dray

2.67M subs

~Skip

"It was a lactic acid thing, the Good Genes. It was not bad, I will say, but it wasn't a miracle worker either and it caused me lip irritation too. It has lactic acid which is good for softening and hydrating the skin, but you have to be careful when you use Alpha hydroxy acid on your face to not get it around your lips or eyelids because it can cause irritation there, and for me that was the case with this. I put petroleum jelly in those areas to avoid that, but even doing the petroleum jelly I still managed to get chapped lips every time I used it. There's so many similar equally performing products out there."

All 3 takes from Dr Dray

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"Sunday Riley's Good Genes is very much over hyped although it is an effective product. Lactic acid is good for rough and bumpy skin, it's also good for improving hyperpigmentation, smoothing the skin surface. If you have mature skin, lactic acid can help with skin cell turnover which tends to get a little slow with age and that leads to dull skin. This has lemongrass in it and you can definitely smell that. One of the other things about this is that it has arnica in it, the funny thing about arnica is it's mostly anecdotal, the benefits of arnica, and you definitely can develop allergy or problems with it."

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"Tried out Sunday Riley Good Genes, gave me consistently gave me chap lips no matter if I protected them with petroleum jelly. That wasn't overall horrible though if I'm being honest, that was actually pretty good. It left my skin soft and smooth."

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Darnell Cox | 50+ Healthy Aging Expert

54k subs

~Approved

"This by Sunday Riley is a lactic acid, so when I use a chemical peel on my neck because my neck is super sensitive, I will do more of a mandelic acid, still an AHA, or a lactic acid, still an AHA. This is my favorite amongst all of the AHAs at home because you can use this once a week, which I do."