PRODUCT REVIEW: ACURE BRIGHTENING VITAMIN C & FERULIC ACID SERUM - What is Ferulic Acid? Is Ferulic Acid same as Vitamin C? Is Ferulic Acid necessary with Vitamin C?
ACURE BRIGHTENING VITAMIN C & FERULIC ACID SERUM
Earlier today, I had the great privilege of appearing on the From X to Z podcast about all-things skincare. The conversation spanned a multitude of topics – from my own skincare routine to trends I see in beauty. And everything in between!
What came up in between was a whole lot of talk about sunscreen and antioxidants – and in particular, Vitamin C. Why Vitamin C? Because I believe that the role Vitamin C plays in our overall health and, of course, the health of our skin, cannot be overstated.
In fact, I don’t think skincare marketers do a good job of heralding the essential nature of Vitamin C and its profound effects on the healthy appearance of the skin. While it’s not a sexy ingredient (marketers love sexy things!), Vitamin C is simply unrivaled. It has strong antioxidant activity against environmental damage. It helps to boost collagen production in the skin. It diminishes the look of dark spots and hyperpigmentation to brighten and even out skin tone – and more.
Every year, I try maybe two dozen Vitamin C face serums and I can say that the Acure Brightening Vitamin C & Ferulic Acid Serum is among the most interesting I’ve come across this year.
BEST VITAMIN C SERUMS & FACE CREAMS
As I said, the essential benefits of Vitamin C’s cannot be overstated.
Did you know that the human body cannot survive without Vitamin C? And in one of the greatest flukes of nature, it cannot store it either. The Vitamin C you ingest pretty much leaves your body the same day. Basic sources of Vitamin C like fruits and vegetables are essential for life – as is water.
Have you ever asked, How long can you survive without water? The answer is approximately three days. And without food, the body can only survive between one and three months.
But Google this question: How long can you survive without Vitamin C? You’ll find that Vitamin C deficiency, most often the result of a lack of fruits and vegetables in your diet, leads to a disease called scurvy. And scurvy’s effects on the body can kill you in a matter of months.
What is scurvy? According to Healthline, “Scurvy is a disease caused by low levels of vitamin C. It was common in the past among long-distance sailors because they didn’t eat enough fruit and vegetables.” Among the more notable symptoms of scurvy are: feeling tired and weak, aching legs and arms, swollen and bleeding gums, bruising, and wounds taking longer to heal. Left untreated, the final result is death.
PRODUCT REVIEW: PAULA’S CHOICE C15 SUPER BOOSTER - 15% VITAMIN C WITH VITAMIN E + FERULIC ACID
And while using a Vitamin C serum isn’t a life or death situation, a good Vitamin C serum can have dramatic effects on your skin health.
My skincare routines – both AM and PM – always feature a dedicated Vitamin C serum at the heart of my serum step. It’s an essential component of a triple-serum system I refer to as the Skincarma ABC method. This consists of a Retinol face serum (Vitamin A), a Niacinamide serum (Vitamin B3) and, yes, a Vitamin C serum.
Get it? ABC. No daily routine is complete without them.
Among my long-time go-to’s are Naturium’s Vitamin C Complex Serum, the Paula’s Choice C15 Super Booster and the Bubble Day Dream Vitamin C + Niacinamide Tone and Texture Serum – one of the best Vitamin C serums for oily skin. You can catch reviews of each – and all my picks of the best Vitamin C face serums – on the blog here.
Before I get to my detailed review of the Acure Brightening Vitamin C & Ferulic Acid Serum just below, I wanted to explore some of the most frequently asked questions about Vitamin C and its BFF Ferulic Acid – the co-star in so many Vitamin C face serums...
YES, I’M UNAPOLOGETICALLY SPF OBSESSED
1. What is Ferulic Acid?
Ferulic Acid is a natural phenolic compound found in various plant sources, including fruits, vegetables, and grains. According to sources like PubChem, the online science resource of the NIH, and Kiehl’s Since 1851, Ferulic Acid possesses antioxidant properties that can help protect against oxidative stress, environmental damage, and the photodamage resulting from unprotected UV exposure – the cause of up to 90% of signs of skin aging.
Ferulic Acid also has anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties, in addition to its benefits for skin health. Ferulic Acid is commonly used in skincare products and dietary supplements – and was popularized by the iconic Vitamin C serum, the SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic. The revolutionary $182 antioxidant serum was introduced by the brand in 2005.
Sources: PubChem, “Ferulic acid”; Kiehl’s, “What Is Ferulic Acid & How To Use It On Your Skin”
2. Is ferulic acid same as vitamin C?
No, Ferulic Acid and Vitamin C are not the same. Though often paired, the potent antioxidants are separate compounds with different chemical structures and properties. Ferulic Acid and Vitamin C are commonly combined in skincare products due to their complementary benefits.
And most importantly, according to the online resource Healthline, Ferulic Acid helps to stabilize pure Vitamin C, or Ascorbic Acid, in a water-based formula. This helps enhance the effectiveness of an anti-aging serum with Vitamin C in protecting skin against sun damage and other environmental stressors.
Vitamin C stabilization at high concentrations was not widely achievable until SkinCeuticals introduced their revolutionary C E Ferulic Vitamin C face serum in 2005. At the time, it was the most potent stabilized Vitamin C serum. Today, the SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic features a concentration of 15% pure Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid), 1% Vitamin E (alpha tocopherol), and 0.5% Ferulic Acid.
Sources: Healthline, “Ferulic Acid: Benefits, Side Effects, Dosage, and Interactions”; SkinCeuticals, “The Skinceuticals Story”
3. Is ferulic acid necessary with vitamin C?
While it is not necessary to pair Ferulic Acid with Vitamin C, the two possess complementary benefits. Because pure Vitamin C, or Ascorbic Acid, is highly unstable in a water-based formula at higher concentrations of 10% or more, Ferulic Acid is added to help stabilize Vitamin C in the formula for prolonged efficacy.
Because of Ferulic Acid’s ability to improve the stability and effectiveness of Vitamin C in skincare formulations, chemists often harness their synergies by using them together.
And, according to sources like SkinCeuticals and the online resource Healthline, combining Ferulic Acid with Vitamin C can provide enhanced antioxidant protection against free radicals and UV damage, as well as improve the overall appearance of the skin.
However, it is not necessary to use Ferulic Acid with Vitamin C.
Sources: SkinCeuticals, “C E Ferulic with 15% L-ascorbic acid”; Healthline, “Ferulic Acid: Benefits, Side Effects, Dosage, and Interactions”
4. What is a dupe for SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic?
There are numerous product dupes for the iconic $182 SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Vitamin C serum.
In an article titled, “8 SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Serum Dupes That Are Just as Effective & Cost Way Less” on StyleCaster, dupes include the $21.99 Timeless 20% Vitamin C + E Ferulic Acid Serum and the Paula’s Choice C15 Super Booster 15% Vitamin C with Vitamin E + Ferulic Acid. The Maelove Glow Maker Antioxidant Serum is also touted as a legitimate stand-in for SkinCeuticals’ C E Ferulic.
At $55, the Paula’s Choice C15 Super Booster is among my top picks of the best Vitamin C serums. You can browse my picks on the blog here.
Additionally, the Acure Brightening Vitamin C & Ferulic Acid Serum which I review below, is a superb Vitamin C serum with Ferulic Acid – though its concentration of Vitamin C is lower.
Sources: StyleCaster, “Best SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Serum Dupes”; Byrdie, “This $28 Serum Is Basically the Same as SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic”
5. Product Review
Acure Brightening Vitamin C & Ferulic Acid Serum Review
As I alluded to at the outset, the Acure Brightening Vitamin C & Ferulic Acid Serum is among my top picks of Vitamin C serums for 2023. I had never heard of Acure until I came across an article in the New York Post a few weeks ago titled, Best Niacinamide Serums for Clear and Glowing Skin, Per Dermatologists.
I’m a huge fan of well-formulated, affordable skincare and was intrigued from the start.
That same day, I ordered a half-dozen products from the brand, including the Niacinamide serum referred to in the article, the Radically Rejuvenating Niacinamide Serum. But I also couldn’t resist the Brightening Vitamin C & Ferulic Acid Serum.
Both face serums are well-formulated, easily layered, and a pleasure to use. While I do like the Niacinamide serum, the Brightening Vitamin C & Ferulic Acid Serum has been the most impressive of the six Acure products I’ve tried. At just $21.99, it’s quite an impressive, well-rounded anti-aging serum for the price.
I wouldn’t exactly consider Acure’s Brightening Vitamin C & Ferulic Acid Serum to be a dupe of the $182 SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic, which has a concentration of 15% pure Ascorbic Acid. Very few Vitamin C serums are.
By my estimation, the Acure Brightening Vitamin C & Ferulic Acid Serum is formulated with between a 2-5% concentration of Vitamin C in the form of Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, or THD Ascorbate. What is Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate? Well, it’s a stable, oil-soluble form of Vitamin C that is often used in skincare products due to its ability to penetrate the epidermis and provide anti-oxidant and anti-aging benefits. It is considered an analogue of L-ascorbic acid, or pure Vitamin C.
While not potent, the lower concentration in the serum doesn’t mean it’s not effective – or well-formulated. It’s a solid antioxidant face serum that’s accessibly priced and easily layered into an existing skincare routine. I use a Vitamin C serum of some kind twice daily so I’m fine with not using a stronger Vitamin C serum in both routines.
THE FIRST 100% MINERAL SPF TRANSPARENT ON ALL SKINS!
I prefer to use one with a 10-15% concentration in the morning. That’s most often the Paula’s Choice C15 Super Booster or Naturium Vitamin C Complex Serum. In my PM routine, I prefer a Vitamin C serum with a lower concentration as it’s often layered under a potent Retinol face serum.
And the Acure Brightening Vitamin C & Ferulic Acid Serum serves my needs as a Vitamin C night serum perfectly well.
Remember how I said earlier that Vitamin C leaves the body daily and needs to be replenished? The same holds true for the Vitamin C you apply to your skin. So not only am I in the habit of taking a Vitamin C supplement before bed, but I always apply it, too!
What makes Acure’s Vitamin C Serum such a pleasure to use is its light, slightly watery texture. It’s nearly instantly absorbed by your skin, making it super easy to layer. And because it’s fragrance-free, alcohol-free, and relies on a lower concentration of Vitamin C, it’s one of the best Vitamin C serums for sensitive skin.
The formula is also nearly oil-free; it contains some Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride – a common ingredient used in skincare. A blend of glycerin, caprylic and capric acids (derived from coconut oil), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is considered an excellent emollient and skin-replenishing ingredient. According to the experts on the Paula’s Choice research team, its mix of fatty acids help replenish skin’s surface and help it to resist moisture loss.
What else is in the Acure Brightening Vitamin C & Ferulic Acid Serum that makes it an excellent option for amping up your routine and improving your skin health?
Well, in addition to Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Ferulic Acid, the formula contains three more antioxidants: Ananas Sativus (Pineapple) Fruit Extract, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit and Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract – commonly known as Green Tea Extract and one of the most potent antioxidants used in skincare.
As I said, you don’t need a powerful Vitamin C serum with a 10% or more concentration of Vitamin C to reap its antioxidant and skin-brightening benefits. Not everyone’s skin can tolerate high concentrations of actives. If your skin is sensitive or you have oily skin, the Acure Brightening Vitamin C & Ferulic Acid Serum is perfect for you.
6. Pros & Cons
What I like about it: Because of its lower concentration of Vitamin C, the Acure Brightening Vitamin C & Ferulic Acid Serum is among the best Vitamin C serums for sensitive skin. And, it’s both fragrance-free and alcohol-free – a winner in my book. I love how easily it layers into the serum step of my nightly skincare routine. And, at just about $22, it’s super affordable.
What I don’t like about it: I would love for the brand to introduce a Vitamin C serum with a higher concentration of the antioxidant active – at 10%. They can call Brightening Vitamin C & Ferulic Acid Serum EXTREME. You heard it here first!
Who it’s for: All skin types, especially oily and sensitive skins.
SHOP THE BLOG: Want to try it for yourself? Purchase the Acure Brightening Vitamin C & Ferulic Acid Serum for $21.99 here.
The Ingredient List of the Acure Brightening Vitamin C & Ferulic Acid Serum:
so|h, Cetearyl Alcohol emo|vc|emu|surf 1 2, Glycerin 
sii|h 0 0, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride emo, Sodium Carboxymethyl Starch vc, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate aox|sb, Ferulic Acid aox|amic, Ananas Sativus (Pineapple) Fruit Extract so|h, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract aox|so, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract, Xanthan Gum vc, Acacia Senegal Gum, Cetearyl Glucoside emu|surf, Phenylpropanol perf|solv, Ethylhexylglycerin pres, Sodium Hydroxide buff
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