Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil for sensitive skin
Retinol
Blue Tansy
Avocado Oil
Grape Seed Oil
Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil
Average
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
Works for sensitive skin; other serums fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers moderate skin treatment for your normal skin with sensitivity due to hydroxypinacolone retinoate, which helps minimize fine lines and wrinkles, while blackberry seed oil and salvia hispanica oil provide emollient action and barrier repair.
- The formulation includes chamomile and tansy oils to address redness and irritation, though these may not be specialized enough to fully counteract potential retinoid derivative risks for your sensitive skin.
How to apply
- Use your serum in the PM routine, starting 3 times a week before building up to daily use if your skin is happy.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toning, but before putting on your moisturizer for the best results.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and wait a minute ⏱ for it to soak in.
- Since your skin is sensitive and easily irritated, apply the serum on completely dry skin to help keep it calm.
- Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid getting the serum too close to your eyes .
People Say
★4.3Overall rating based on 3.8k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with diverse skin types, particularly those with acne-prone, mature, or sensitive skin, frequently praise this oil for its ability to simultaneously calm redness and refine texture. The combination of retinol and blue tansy is widely credited with delivering a "morning glow," reducing the appearance of pores, and soothing inflammation, though the herbal scent and high price point are common points of contention.
Highlights
Calms redness & irritation Mostly Mentioned
- “Instantly calms the skin”
- “Soothes visible redness”
- “Neutralizes signs of sensitivity”
- “Reduced redness overnight”
Delivers radiant glow Often Mentioned
- “Woke up with a beautiful glow”
- “Skin looked brighter and revitalized”
- “Gives a hydrated glow”
- “Luminous complexion by morning”
Smooths skin texture Often Mentioned
- “Pores look smaller”
- “Skin feels glass-like”
- “Texture is significantly improved”
- “Smoothed out fine lines”
Expensive price tag Often Mentioned
- “Ridiculously expensive”
- “Jaw-dropping sum of money”
- “Price is steep”
- “Not worth the splurge”
Unpleasant scent Often Mentioned
- “Smells like Vicks VapoRub”
- “Scent is somewhat grandma-like”
- “Smells like old oil”
- “Overpowering earthy scent”
Clears acne & breakouts Sometimes Noted
- “Skin looks clearer”
- “Doesn't break me out”
- “Saved my skin from acne”
- “Helps with hormonal breakouts”
Oily or heavy feel Sometimes Noted
- “Feels a little cloying”
- “Heavy on the skin”
- “Very oily residue”
- “Takes a long time to sink in”
Causes breakouts Rarely Noted
- “Gave me horrible acne”
- “Breaks me out every time”
- “Ruined my skin”
- “Caused deep cystic bumps”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, influenster.com, ulta.com, spacenk.com, cultbeauty.co.uk, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil work for sensitive skin?
Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil works as an average fit for sensitive skin because its retinoid derivative and essential oils may cause irritation, even though chamomile and tansy help calm redness. Treatments that fit sensitive skin better need ingredients like niacinamide and snail secretion filtrate to soothe redness and irritation safely without allergens.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025
Which ingredients make this oil a good fit for sensitive skin?
Blackberry seed oil and salvia hispanica oil make this oil a fit by softening the skin and helping repair its barrier. Chamomile and tansy oils are also included to help calm redness and irritation. Sensitive skin needs treatments with soothing ingredients like niacinamide and snail secretion filtrate that target redness without the risk of irritation from essential oils.
What does Retinol do for sensitive skin?
Retinol is generally too harsh for sensitive skin and may cause stinging, scaling, and irritation. A product for this skin needs gentle ingredients that smooth and calm without causing redness.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019Toxicology Letters, 2003
What does Blue Tansy do for sensitive skin?
Blue Tansy helps calm sensitive skin by reducing redness and soothing irritation. Its natural plant properties may also protect dry or reactive skin from daily stress.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after your soothing toner and before your moisturizer. A product of this type needs calming ingredients like chamomile and tansy oils along with barrier-repairing plant oils to keep sensitive skin calm and soft.
Can I use this oil with vitamin C, and in what order?
You can use this treatment oil with vitamin C by applying your vitamin C in the morning and saving this retinoid oil for your evening routine. Using both at the same time may increase the likelihood of irritation on sensitive skin, so separating them helps keep your face calm and smooth.
How often should I use it?
Use this treatment in your evening routine once you start it. Sensitive skin needs a product with soothing ingredients and gentle hydrators to calm redness while smoothing fine lines.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025
Can this oil clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This oil is unlikely to clog pores or cause major breakouts for sensitive skin, as reviewer complaints about breakouts are low, though it has a moderately oily feel. Sensitive skin still needs soothing ingredients like chamomile and blue tansy alongside gentle barrier-repairing oils to keep the face calm and smooth.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Hydroxypinacolone retinoate and retinyl propionate at a 5:9 weight ratio synergistically enhanced antiaging gene expressions in vitro and improved skin wrinkles, smoothness, transepidermal water loss, and elasticity in 42 Chinese urban women over an 8-week period without adverse reactions compared to retinol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023A topical serum containing hydroxypinacolone retinoate and peptides used twice daily for 16 weeks achieved parity or statistically significantly better improvement in facial aging parameters compared to a single fractional CO2 laser treatment in women with moderate global photodamage.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Topical bakuchiol 0.5% applied twice daily compared with retinol 0.5% applied daily significantly decreased wrinkle surface area and hyperpigmentation with no statistical difference between the compounds in 44 patients over 12 weeks, while retinol users reported more facial skin scaling and stinging.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019Topical 0.4% retinol significantly increased epidermal thickness, dermal vascularity, and extracellular matrix production by stimulating keratinocyte proliferation, endothelial cell proliferation, and fibroblast activation in naturally aged human skin compared to vehicle.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017Silicone particles encapsulating retinol increased its half-life by 9-fold and yielded 12-23% lower skin irritation in human subjects compared to Microsponge particles while maintaining biological activity.
Journal of Controlled Release, 2018Topical stabilized retinol treatment induced HAS gene expression and increased hyaluronic acid production in human skin in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo compared to vehicle.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2017Topical chamazulene treatment mitigates UVB-induced photoaging in mouse skin by upregulating fatty acid metabolism genes, restoring fatty acid homeostasis, enhancing non-essential amino acid metabolism, and downregulating the p38 MAPK/COX-2 pathway, likely via PPARα/γ activation.
Antioxidants, 2025Topical cream containing saffron extract and avocado oil improved wrinkle grading, reduced nasolabial fold area and volume, and increased skin elasticity in twenty healthy volunteers over 12 weeks without allergic reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Topical treatment with SSFAO 50% or avocado oil increased wound contraction, reepithelialization, collagen density, and tensile strength while showing anti-inflammatory activity compared to petroleum jelly in rats.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013Grapeseed oil-loaded dermocosmetic nanoemulgel applied on the cheeks of healthy volunteers significantly reduced skin melanin, erythema, sebum production, and pores while increasing moisture and elasticity compared to a placebo.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Topical treatment with cranberry oil and grape oil improved wound healing in rats, with cranberry oil showing an 88.1% wound area reduction and grape oil showing 84.6% compared to 74.1% in controls and 78.4% in the mupirocin standard group on day 13.
Phytotherapy Research, 2011An ionic liquid-based grapeseed oil emulsion increased transdermal penetration by 4.63-fold and improved skin hydration, firmness, elasticity, and facial wrinkles after 28 days of continuous use compared to ordinary emulsion.
Pharmaceuticals, 2024
Ingredients
Blackberry Seed Oil, Salvia Hispanica Oil, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Chamomilla Recutita Oil Flower Matricaria Oil Flower, Tanacetum Annuum Oil Blue Tansy Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Oil English Chamomile Oil, Eriocephalus Punctualatus Oil Cape Chamomile Oil, Citrus Aurantium Amara Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil Blood Orange Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil Ylang Ylang Flower Oil, Vetivera Zizanoides Oil Vetiveria Zizanoides Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Sunflower Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract Rosemary Leaf Extract, Ci 61565 Green 6, Ci 60725 Violet 2
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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