# Sunday Riley Good Genes vs C.E.O. Serum

**Question answered:** Should I choose Sunday Riley Good Genes or C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum?

**Short answer:** Choose Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment if your skin looks dull or feels rough and you want a leave-on lactic acid exfoliant with licorice root. Choose C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum if dark spots and uneven tone are the main concern and you want a vitamin C serum you can use morning or night. Both list scented botanicals, so neither suits fragrance avoidance.

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 promise a brighter look, but by different routes. Rough, dull texture points to an exfoliant; spots and uneven tone point to vitamin C.

### The ingredient names, translated

Lactic acid is an AHA: it loosens the dull outer layer of dead skin so skin feels smoother. Vitamin C is an antioxidant used for the look of dark spots and dullness. C.E.O. uses tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, an oil-soluble vitamin C form, at a stated 15%, and also lists a little glycolic acid.

### How to decide

- Dull or rough texture? Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment.
- Dark spots or uneven tone? C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum.
- Using both? Don't start them in the same week, and use sunscreen daily.

### What to expect

An AHA can make skin look smoother within days, but overuse causes redness and peeling. Vitamin C works slowly over weeks. AHAs increase sun sensitivity. We haven't tested either product.

General guidance, not a test of these products: [FDA: alpha hydroxy acids in cosmetics (sun sensitivity)](https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredients/alpha-hydroxy-acids); [Topical vitamin C: benefits and formulation limits](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3673383/). Each product's label source is linked on its product page.

## Exfoliant vs vitamin C

[Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment](product:sunday-riley-good-genes-all-in-one-lactic-acid-treatment) is a 30 mL leave-on treatment. Its list leads with water and prickly pear, lady's slipper, agave, arnica and aloe extracts, then squalane and [lactic acid](/ingredients/lactic-acid/). Licorice root extract and lemongrass oil appear further down.

[Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum](product:sunday-riley-c-e-o-15-vitamin-c-brightening-serum) is a 30 mL serum with 15% tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, an oil-soluble form of [vitamin C](/ingredients/vitamin-c/). It also lists squalane, soybean sterols, tocopherol and [glycolic acid](/ingredients/glycolic-acid/). Sunday Riley says to use two pumps morning and/or night.

> **Skin Realist check:** "glow" is doing a lot of work in skincare marketing. Decide whether you're fixing texture or spots, then buy one bottle, not two.

## Label differences worth knowing

Both labels list scented citrus or lemongrass oils and fragrance allergens. Sunday Riley reports a 30-person survey for Good Genes; C.E.O.'s claims aren't tied to a study on the page. See our [vitamin C serum guide](/articles/best-vitamin-c-serum/) and [dark spot corrector guide](/articles/best-dark-spot-correctors/).

## Manufacturer sources

- [Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment](https://sundayriley.com/products/good-genes-lactic-acid-treatment)
- [Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum](https://sundayriley.com/products/ceo-vitamin-c-brightening-serum)

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

| Product | Key ingredients | Skin types | Fragrance | Flagged ingredients | Size | Source | Buy |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment](https://dermalguide.com/products/sunday-riley-good-genes-all-in-one-lactic-acid-treatment/) | Lactic Acid | Brand doesn't say | Marketed fragrance free; scent ingredients flagged | Cymbopogon Schoenanthus (Lemongrass) Oil, Citral, Geraniol, Limonene | 30 ml | [Manufacturer label](https://sundayriley.com/products/good-genes-lactic-acid-treatment), checked 2026-10-10 | [Amazon (affiliate)](https://amzn.to/4jctr1b) |
| [Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum](https://dermalguide.com/products/sunday-riley-c-e-o-15-vitamin-c-brightening-serum/) | Vitamin C (THD Ascorbate) 15% | Brand doesn't say | Scent ingredients flagged | Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Citrus Tangerina (Tangerine) Peel Oil, Linalool, Limonene | 30 ml | [Manufacturer label](https://sundayriley.com/products/ceo-vitamin-c-brightening-serum), checked 2026-10-10 | [Amazon (affiliate)](https://amzn.to/4e0IU0M) |

## Which to choose

Consider Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment when: Your skin looks dull or feels rough and you want a leave-on AHA; You want licorice root alongside the exfoliant.

Consider Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum when: Dark spots or uneven tone are your main concern; You want a stated 15% oil-soluble vitamin C.


## Questions

### Do they contain essential oils?

Good Genes lists lemongrass oil with limonene, citral and geraniol. C.E.O. lists orange and tangerine peel oils with linalool and limonene.

### Does C.E.O. contain an acid too?

Yes. Its ingredient list includes glycolic acid, an AHA, though vitamin C is the featured ingredient.

### Can I use them on the same day?

Some people use C.E.O. in the morning and Good Genes at night. Both list an AHA, so cut back if your skin gets red or tight.