The value story of the vitamin-C aisle: the same strong-evidence antioxidant trio as the category benchmark for around a sixth of the price. It is not the identical formula and it will still brown on you eventually. As a first serious vitamin C, though, it is very hard to argue with.
- Evidence24 / 30
Strength of the research behind the key actives
- Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid): strong evidence
- Vitamin E (Tocopherol): moderate evidence
- Ferulic Acid: moderate evidence
- Score is the average of the key actives’ evidence grades.
- Potency21 / 25
Dosed at studied levels, not fairy-dusted
- Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid) (15%): dosed at a studied level
- Vitamin E (Tocopherol): dosed at a studied level
- Ferulic Acid: dosed at a studied level
- Potency tracks how strongly the actives are dosed, led by the strongest, not how many there are.
- Delivery & stability12 / 20
Delivery tech + packaging that protects fragile actives
- Delivery: standard
- Packaging: tinted glass
- Air- or light-sensitive actives (Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid), Vitamin E (Tocopherol), Ferulic Acid), so packaging is scored.
- Formulation7 / 10
Disclosure, active breadth, and ingredient generation
- 1 of 3 actives disclose a concentration
- 3 key actives (breadth credit caps at 3)
- Current-generation or synergistic: Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid), Vitamin E (Tocopherol), Ferulic Acid
- Value12 / 15
What a month of use costs vs. the category
- About $20 per month to use
- $33 for 30 ml, used about twice a day (about 0.3 ml each time), so a bottle lasts about 1.7 months
- Band: $6/month or less earns full marks, $60/month or more hits the floor.
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What’s inside
| Active | Disclosed | Dose |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid) | 15% | Studied |
| Vitamin E (Tocopherol) | n/a | Studied |
| Ferulic Acid | n/a | Studied |
An openly CE-Ferulic-inspired formula: 15% L-ascorbic acid with vitamin E and ferulic acid, plus hyaluronic acid and niacinamide for slip and finish. The antioxidant trio is the same idea as the ~$180 original at a fraction of the price; what you give up is disclosure on the E and ferulic levels and the reassurance of brand-name stability testing. It ships in an amber tinted-glass dropper, with the same oxidation caveat as every L-ascorbic serum.
How it’s delivered
Air- and light-sensitive actives (vitamin C, copper peptides) lose potency fast in the wrong packaging, so delivery and the bottle are scored, not just what’s on the label.
The actives, explained
Cosmetic information for general education, not medical advice. The SerumProof score reflects our reading of publicly available research and formulation disclosures. See how scoring works.