Sunday Riley 5 Stars Retinol + Niacinamide Eye Serum

Editor's Take

Here’s the rare pricey eye serum with real retinoid muscle, though Dimethicone and fragrance keep the clean-beauty halo from landing.

Four-pillar formula scores

• Performance: 8.8 / 10
• Innovative Ingredients: 8.5 / 10
• Clean Standards: 6.4 / 10
• Formula Sustainability: 7.3 / 10

The Verdict

Performance is the point here: efficacy is Strong at 8.8, and the technology is Highly Advanced, with Niacinamide, Retinol, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, and Ceramide NP doing credible work around the eye. The clean score is more mixed at 6.4, pulled down by Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-100 Stearate, and Polysorbate 20, so this is not a purist natural formula. Sustainability lands Good, which fits the blend of plant oils, barrier lipids, and synthetic polish. Worth it as a serious retinoid eye step for crow’s-feet, texture, and uneven tone, not as a clean-beauty trophy.

Full INCI list

WATER/EAU/AQUA, CAPRYLYL CAPRYLATE/CAPRATE, PROPANEDIOL, NIACINAMIDE, PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRAETHYLHEXANOATE, C13-15 ALKANE, DIMETHICONE, GLYCERIN, METHYLPROPANEDIOL, POLYGLYCERYL-3 METHYLGLUCOSE DISTEARATE, CETEARYL ALCOHOL, MACADAMIA TERNIFOLIA SEED OIL, BEHENYL ALCOHOL, PERSEA GRATISSIMA (AVOCALDO) OIL, OLEA EUROPAEA (OLIVE) FRUIT OIL, BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) BUTTER, RETINYL SUNFLOWERSEEDATE, HYDROXYPINACOLONE RETINOATE, RETINOL, CENTELLA ASIATICA EXTRACT, PAPAVER RHOEAS EXTRACT, CERAMIDE NP, CERAMIDE AP, CERAMIDE EOP, DAPHNE ODORA CALLUS EXTRACT, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED OIL, PANTHENOL, SODIUM HYALURONATE, BOSWELLIA SERRATA EXTRACT, SODIUM POLYACRYLATE, TOCOPHEROL, SODIUM LAUROYL LACTYLATE, ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF JUICE POWDER, PHYTOSPHINGOSINE, CHOLESTEROL, JASMINE OFFICINALE (JASMINE) FLOWER EXTRACT, GLYCERYL STEARATE, PEG-100 STEARATE, LECITHIN, SODIUM ACRYLATES COPOLYMER, POLYSORBATE 20, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, PENTYLENE GLYCOL, XANTHAN GUM, CARBOMER, DISODIUM EDTA, PHENOXYETHANOL, POTASSIUM SORBATE, TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891)