Sunday Riley's New Vitamin C Moisturizer Gave My Skin a Facial-Worthy Glow

Let's be real: we're all looking for ways to achieve healthy, luminous skin with as minimal effort as possible. You know—the kind of skin you have when you layer on a whole slew of dewy skincare products or walk out of a luxurious facial with. And, while those two options are definitely fun (who doesn't love a good facial?), they can also be time-consuming and pricey.

Thankfully, the brand behind the uber-popular, C.E.O Glow Vitamin C Serum ($80) has finally decided to add just what we need to their lineup: the C.E.O Afterglow Brightening Vitamin C Gel Cream ($65). The new Sunday Riley cream is super lightweight and intends to give you a gorgeous, hydrating glow immediately after application.

Curious to know more about the newest Sunday Riley Launch? Keep reading for all the details.

The Inspiration

With customers constantly requesting a vitamin c moisturizer, Riley was set on giving the people what they wanted, which is how C.E.O Afterglow was born. "I wanted to add a lightweight, but active and transformative moisturizer to the lineup," she says. "Our vitamin C line is on fire—and we had a ton of customer requests for a vitamin c moisturizer as a 'sister' to the serum—so really, it was created to give our customers what they were asking for!"

The Formula

Since vitamin C—the key ingredient in the new launch—is notoriously tricky to work with, the brand's new formula was a labor of love. "For me, the process also focused on creating a lightweight texture that sinks in quickly for all skin types but still hydrates skin for 24-hours," says brand founder Sunday Riley.

Its hero ingredients—vitamin C, ergothioneine (an amino acid with antioxidant properties), and sodium hyaluronate (a moisturizing agent)—are intended to target visible signs of premature aging by protecting against UV-B exposure and brightening the appearance of skin overall. In other words, it'll not only give you heaps of hydration but also other incredible skincare benefits, too.

In the end, the product took hundreds of iterations to get right—but ultimately she achieved her goals. "My favorite part—aside from the scent—is the bright yellow pop of color from the antioxidants," Riley adds.

Sunday Riley C.E.O. Afterglow Brightening Vitamin C Moisturizer $65.00

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How To Use

Riley recommends using this moisturizer twice a day. It should be applied in the morning after serums but before SPF and at night as the last step in your skincare routine. You can also apply it to your neck and décolletage, too.

"At night, during cold/dry weather periods, I even layer it under another moisturizer, the Ice Ceramide Moisturizing Cream ($86)," explains Riley. Another one of her favorite tips: Using it every morning underneath makeup (and SPF, obviously). "Since it sinks in so quickly into my skin and gives me a glow in seconds, I put it on every morning under makeup (if I wear any) to give my skin a burst of radiance," she says. "I feel like this little jar of magic is my secret weapon."

The Review

While I've always been a *HUGE* fan of the CEO glow vitamin C serum, I was a bit skeptical about the new moisturizer. You see, typically when I adore a product, I'm not usually as impressed when the brand adds a new sister product to the lineup—but I was absolutely wrong about Afterglow. Not only does it feel utterly luxurious when I slather it on, but it also has a crisp citrus scent and makes my skin get the "I just walked out of a facial" glow. All I can say: snag this moisturizer as soon as you can, you will not regret it.