# Sunday Riley A+ vs Luna Sleeping Night Oil

**Question answered:** Should I choose Sunday Riley A+ High-Dose Retinoid Serum or Luna Sleeping Night Oil?

**Short answer:** Choose A+ High-Dose Retinoid Serum if you want a serum with two retinoids (retinol and hydroxypinacolone retinoate) and no essential oils on the label. Choose Luna Sleeping Night Oil if your skin is dry and you want a retinoid in a face oil, and you're fine with blue tansy, chamomile and citrus oils. Both are night products; start slowly and wear sunscreen by day.

By Nora Ellison. Published 2026-10-28. Data is taken from manufacturer labels; the products have not been tested.

## What this means for you

### Start with what you notice

Both are evening retinoid products for fine lines and texture. The choice is serum or oil, and whether you want essential oils on your face.

### The ingredient names, translated

Retinoids are vitamin A ingredients that speed up skin cell turnover. A+ pairs encapsulated retinol with hydroxypinacolone retinoate in a water-based serum. Luna uses hydroxypinacolone retinoate in a blend of plant oils, including several essential oils that give it scent and its blue color.

### How to decide

- Want a serum and no essential oils? A+ High-Dose Retinoid Serum.
- Dry skin and you like a face oil? Luna Sleeping Night Oil.
- Pregnant, trying to conceive or breastfeeding? Ask your doctor or pharmacist before using either.

### What to expect

Retinoid results build over months. Both can cause dryness or irritation at first, so start a few nights a week. We haven't tested either product.

General guidance, not a test of these products: [AAD: retinoid or retinol?](https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-secrets/anti-aging/retinoid-retinol); [FDA: fragrances in cosmetics](https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredients/fragrances-cosmetics). Each product's label source is linked on its product page.

## Serum or oil, scented or not

[Sunday Riley A+ High-Dose Retinoid Serum](product:sunday-riley-a-high-dose-retinoid-serum) is a 30 mL serum with [hydroxypinacolone retinoate](/ingredients/hydroxypinacolone-retinoate/) and encapsulated [retinol](/ingredients/retinol/). It also lists honey extract, prickly pear, bisabolol, shea butter and blue-green algae. Sunday Riley sells it as fragrance free, and the label lists no essential oils.

[Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil](product:sunday-riley-luna-sleeping-night-oil) is a 35 mL blue face oil. It leads with grape seed, blackberry seed, chia seed and avocado oils, then lists hydroxypinacolone retinoate and a run of essential oils including blue tansy and chamomile. Sunday Riley says to massage it in until the blue turns clear.

> **Skin Realist check:** pretty blue oil, real retinoid. Treat it with the same patience as any other vitamin A product.

## Label differences worth knowing

Luna's list includes several citrus oils and ylang ylang, which matters if scented botanicals irritate you. Sunday Riley says not to use Luna during pregnancy. For pregnancy cautions on retinoids, see our [pregnancy skincare guide](/articles/pregnancy-skincare-ingredients-to-avoid/). For more, see [retinoids compared](/articles/retinoids-compared/) and [moisturizer for retinol peeling](/articles/moisturizer-for-retinol-peeling/).

## Manufacturer sources

- [Sunday Riley A+ High-Dose Retinoid Serum](https://sundayriley.com/products/a-high-dose-retinoid-serum)
- [Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil](https://sundayriley.com/products/luna-sleeping-night-oil)

Sources and label-check dates are recorded on the product pages.

| Product | Key ingredients | Skin types | Fragrance | Flagged ingredients | Size | Source | Buy |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Sunday Riley A+ High-Dose Retinoid Serum](https://dermalguide.com/products/sunday-riley-a-high-dose-retinoid-serum/) | Retinol + Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate | Brand doesn't say | Marketed as fragrance free | Alcohol | 30 ml | [Manufacturer label](https://sundayriley.com/products/a-high-dose-retinoid-serum), checked 2026-10-10 | [Amazon (affiliate)](https://amzn.to/4yCp3NI) |
| [Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil](https://dermalguide.com/products/sunday-riley-luna-sleeping-night-oil/) | Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate | Brand doesn't say | Marketed fragrance free; scent ingredients flagged | Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Flower Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Oil, Cananga Odorata (Ylang Ylang) Flower Oil, Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil, Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile) Flower Oil, Tanacetum Annuum (Blue Tansy) Flower Oil, Eriocephalus Punctulatus (Cape Chamomile) Flower Oil | 35 ml | [Manufacturer label](https://sundayriley.com/products/luna-sleeping-night-oil), checked 2026-10-10 | [Amazon (affiliate)](https://amzn.to/4ylCssB) |

## Which to choose

Consider Sunday Riley A+ High-Dose Retinoid Serum when: You want two retinoids in a serum; You want a label with no essential oils.

Consider Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil when: Your skin is dry and you prefer a face oil at night; You're comfortable with blue tansy, chamomile and citrus oils.


## Questions

### Which retinoids does each contain?

A+ lists hydroxypinacolone retinoate and retinol. Luna lists hydroxypinacolone retinoate.

### Does Luna contain essential oils?

Yes. Its list includes bitter orange flower, orange, chamomile, ylang ylang, vetiver, blue tansy and Cape chamomile oils. A+ lists none.

### Can I use them together?

Sunday Riley suggests applying a few drops of oil before A+ for sensitive skin. Stacking two retinoid products raises the risk of irritation, so most people use one.