Sunday Riley

🔎 Decoding the label: “Fragrance” is not just one ingredient.

When you see fragrance or parfum listed on your skincare, hair care, scalp care, or makeup product, that single word can represent a complex blend drawn from a palette of 3,000+ fragrance materials.

And because fragrance formulas can be protected as trade secrets, the individual ingredients behind that scent often do not have to be listed on the INCI.

That hidden blend can include aroma compounds, solvents, stabilizers, fixatives, and materials that help a scent linger. And yes, in some cases, that can include certain phthalates.

Would I today put fragrance in a facial skincare product? Hands down, no. The potential risks are too high for the reward, in my opinion. Have I done it in the past? Yes, once. About 10 years ago, I put synthetic fragrance into a facial skincare product to make it more commercially appealing. I instantly regretted it and reformulated the fragrance out after only one production run. It still bothers me - it was the wrong choice to make (for me, and for this brand) and it’s weighed on my mind ever since.

For many people, fragrance is not an issue. But for others, repeated, cumulative daily exposure can show up as irritation, surface redness, itching, sensitivity, discomfort, or a barrier that just never looks calm.

I’m not anti-fragrance. I’m pro-conversation and ingredient transparency.

Because there is always more to a formula than what you see on the front of the bottle, and sometimes even more than what you see on the INCI list.

And remember: this is not medical advice or a diagnosis, just information.

Lutein ≠ just color. It’s a sunny yellow antioxidant (in this case sourced from marigold) that can engage with singlet oxygen, a reactive oxygen species. Excess, highly excited singlet oxygen can contribute to oxidative stress (think: damage) in the skin.

Lutein is one of the antioxidants that can physically quench singlet oxygen - meaning it can absorb that excess energy and release it as heat, helping the singlet oxygen return to its more stable, ground-state form.

So when you see lutein on the label, like in C.E.O. Afterglow, and you see its signature yellow color, know that it’s part of a thoughtfully designed antioxidant system intended to support overall skin wellness.

Ferments are a powerhouse blend of compounds. Pink Drink is a resurfacing, firming essence - and the ferment system is part of what helps create that effect. Ingredients like Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, yeast extracts, and fermented honey bring a complex mix of metabolites created during fermentation, like amino acids, organic acids, enzymes, and peptides.

Pink Drink pairs that nourishing ferment system with two firming peptides, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9 and Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11, that do the actual firming work. The ferments refine and nourish. The peptides firm. Together they’re why your skin looks smoother, clearer, and more lifted. 💗

So much fun at world, meeting everyone- we’re all still on a high! If we missed you, we are doing a national road trip of customer events and we’d love to connect with you there! Next stop, North Carolina! 🧡🩷🧡🩷

Most retinols can be intimidating if you struggle with breakouts and sensitivity, but this formula is different. AI Smart Retinoid serum for blemish-prone skin is engineered with a sophisticated dual-retinoid blend (Adapinoid and HPR) that is specifically designed for blemish-prone skin.

Why it’s a “Smart” formula:
Calm Under Pressure: It uses adaptogens like Holy Basil and Astragalus to help the skin cope with environmental stress and soothe the look of surface redness.

Pore Refinement: A specialized Peptide Complex works behind the scenes to keep your skin looking firm and refined.

If you’ve been looking for a way to upgrade your nighttime routine and tackle persistent texture, this is the gold standard. Just apply to clean, dry skin in the evening and let the science work while you sleep. .kendra