Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil for dry sensitive skin
Retinol
Blue Tansy
Avocado Oil
Grape Seed Oil
Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil
Low
- AverageDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A weak match for dry sensitive skin; the serums alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry sensitive skin: flakiness, tightness, redness, fine lines, and wrinkles. 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 dry and sensitive skin, as hydroxypinacolone retinoate helps minimize fine lines and wrinkles while blackberry seed oil and salvia hispanica oil provide essential hydration.
- The formula includes emollient oils that offer supportive benefits for dry or flaky skin, though it lacks sufficient humectant ingredients for optimal hydration.
How to apply
- Use this PM routine for your evening skincare. Start using the serum 3 times a week and increase to daily use if your skin feels comfortable.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer. This step locks in deep hydration for dry skin.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin using your palms. Let it absorb completely for a minute ⏱ before applying your next product.
- Since your skin is sensitive, apply the serum on completely dry skin for better tolerance and less irritation.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Always do a patch test before your first use to ensure your skin reacts well.
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
Why is Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil a weak match for dry sensitive skin?
Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil is a weak match for dry sensitive skin because it offers only moderate treatment and lacks sufficient water-attracting ingredients for optimal hydration, even though it includes soothing oils. Dry sensitive skin needs a product of this type to provide excellent hydration and barrier support from ingredients like ceramides and multiple forms of vitamin C without any risk of irritation.
Which ingredients make this oil a poor fit for dry sensitive skin?
This oil is a weak match for your dry and sensitive skin because it lacks sufficient moisture-holding ingredients for deep hydration. A product of this type needs soothing oils and moisture-attracting humectants, along with barrier-supporting ceramides and vitamin C, to properly care for dry and sensitive skin without irritation.
What does Retinol do for dry sensitive skin?
Retinol is often too strong for dry sensitive skin because it may cause scaling and stinging, so a product of this type needs gentle soothing ingredients and extra moisture to keep the skin calm and smooth.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019Toxicology Letters, 2003
What does Blue Tansy do for dry sensitive skin?
Blue Tansy helps calm dry sensitive skin and keeps it soft by soothing redness and supporting the moisture barrier. This type of skin needs gentle plant oils with strong calming benefits and barrier-protecting ingredients to stay comfortable.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2020
Where does it go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
For dry sensitive skin, this treatment goes in the evening after cleansing and toning, and before moisturizing. Because this product is a weak match for your skin, a suitable product of this type needs soothing ingredients and plenty of hydrating ingredients to keep your skin calm and comfortable.
Can I use it with vitamin C, and in what order?
It is best to separate vitamin C and retinol products by using vitamin C in the morning and this treatment at night to help avoid irritation on sensitive skin. Layering them together may be too harsh, so applying vitamin C after your morning cleanser and this oil in your evening routine keeps your skin calm and comfortable.
How often should I use it?
This treatment is meant for your evening routine, and a product of this type for dry sensitive skin needs soothing plant oils and plenty of hydrating humectants to keep skin soft and comfortable.
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil is unlikely to cause breakouts for dry sensitive skin, as very few reviewers report this issue. However, because this product is an oil, it has a heavy feel on the skin.
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 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, 2017Topical 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, 2019Silicone 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 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
Why other serums fit dry sensitive skin better
A formulation containing glycerol (5%) and xylitol (5%) applied twice daily for 14 days increased skin hydration, filaggrin protein quantity, interdigitation index, and biomechanical properties, and decreased transepidermal water loss compared to untreated and vehicle-treated skin in twelve volunteers with dry skin.
Acta Dermato-venereologica, 2017In 50 participants with sensitive skin, a Ceramide NP C15-containing emollient improved skin barrier function with a significant reduction in transepidermal water loss and induced modest changes in skin microbiota compared to the vehicle.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2026
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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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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