SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic

I have tried other C serums but nothing even comes close. I was in the middle of trying another brand last month when I got hit with a HUGE hormonal breakout on my chin, and the marks I was left with afterward were pretty hefty. So I decided it was time to spend the money and return to the holy grail of C serums! Within the first few days of use I saw my angry, red, swollen spots flatten, smooth, and begin fading. I'm 36 with pretty young skin for my age, so after this breakout I am done trying to bargain shop C serums.

It IS tacky though, so I would say maybe use it twice a day if you have marks or scars you really want to get rid of, then switch to just at night for maintenance. It'll save money and your makeup will go on easier.

Yes, it is expensive, but it is cheaper than a laser!

I used only one and changed to Timeless brand, which is similar but cheaper. I didn't see any results, so I abandoned Skinceuticals after I finished all the products I had.

This is an intense serum. One of the best Ive ever used. It really helped my skin to look more refined and glowing. I just wish it wasnt so pricey.

This is one holy grail product for even skin tone and skin brightening. I have been using for couple of month in morning after washing and toning my face. I have really seen difference . My skin glows even without applying anything. It also helps to even out my acne scars.(p.s I did have very little scarring ).

It is a very expensive product but you need very little , few drops to be precise and one bottle usually lasts me for good 3 months.

Useful Tip
Take it in batches so that the serum can last longer without loosing it potency. Keep the bottle in refrigerator always .

Having heard lots about this product and being a big believer in the power of topical Vitamin C and E, I treated myself to a trial size of CE ferulic via e-bay. Firstly, many brands make the mistake of packaging Vit C in transparent containers which leads to a rapid breakdown in its potency. Not this one! A good amber glass bottle which is airtight and a dropper to dispense the correct amount. As a bonus it contains Ferulic Acid - a substance found in many plants which aswell as being a great antioxidant (like Vit C and E) also helps to rebuild collagen and replenish lipids.

The instructions did state to use in the morning - which makes sense considering all the antioxidant benefits, however for my skin and existing routine; night time use worked better. For me it did feel a bit tacky going on but nothing major. By the morning I could clearly see a glow to my skin which is a good sign of potent Vit C (15% potency in this case). The combination of C and E helped fade blemishes and overall made my skin look brighter. A good SPF in the day and all was good in when it came to protecting the skin and maintaining the effects of this product.

I did notice the color of the serum change over the following weeks however this was not an indication of it oxidizing, as it is perfectly normal for Vit C when in the 'L-ascorbic acid' form. In other words no need to panic if your bottle of serum takes on a different color!

One of the better serums I have used in recent years.


Selena x



~ My HG list ~

(I've sampled 100s of skin, hair and m/u products over the last decade and a half, as I love trying out new stuff all the time - usually sample sizes via e-bay, also plenty courtesy of a friend who works at Sephora. Thought it might be useful to share my top 10 must-have products, subject to change if and when I come across something more effective)


1. Hair Loss Treatment: ‘Divine Herbal’ - Hair Oil
2. Lip Balm: Jack Black - Intense Therapy
3. Pigmentation + Anti-Ageing Treatment: ‘Divine Herbal’ - Facial Treatment Serum
4. Cleanser: 'Aveda' - Purifying Gel Cleanser
5. Concealer: ‘Mac’ - Studio Finish Concealer
6. Lash Growth Serum: ‘Divine Herbal’ - Divinelash
7. Foundation/SPF: ‘Juice Beauty’ - Stem Cellular Repair (warm glow)
8. Face Scrub: ‘Sisley' - Botanical Gentle Buffing Cream
9. Moisturizer: ‘Antipodes' - Rejoice Light Day Cream
10. Hand Cream: 'Origins' - Make A Difference Rejuvenating Hand Treatment

I bought Skinceuticals CE Ferulic serum last year and it did absolute wonders for my face, neck, and decolletage. Since it is so pricey and I heard that Paula's Choice had a dupe, I tried that after I ran out of the Skinceuticals CE Ferulic serum. It is a good dupe, but not as good as the original. As soon as I ran out of the Paula's choice, I bought another bottle of the Skinceuticals one and am never looking back. I am amazed at all the compliments I get on my skin, having people think I am much younger than my almost 62 years.

I'm on my third week with the famed serum treatment and I'm not sure what I think about it. I'd say that it requires a low ph toner before applying, otherwise you need way too many drops to spread over face, neck and chest area. I'm currently using Thayer's rose/witch hazel toner right before to help spread CE better. I don't love having a product in my fridge next to the butter, but whatever if it keeps it fresh longer. I'd say it still leaves a residue that isn't my favorite for under makeup--I feel like I have a layer of something on that is a bit tacky, but the benefits outweigh the negatives if its doing what I think its doing.
I haven't seen a reduction in fine lines (it's only been 3 weeks!) but in combination with AHA and BHA as well as moisturizers, I've certainly seen a fading of acne spots on my very white coming-out-of-winter skin. I'm not sure which product to give credit to, but I'm sure CE had something to do with the change in my skin tone, brightness and texture. I'd like to compare to other Cs, but it seems this is the gold standard, so I may just stick to this one. I have Paula's Choice listed as my next to try, since they seem to have the same magic ratio for amping up the C power. Maybe I'll compare, but for now, I'm going to use this until I run out.

I can not rave about this product enough. I have been using it every morning for about six months. I will say I have had endlessly expensive issues with finding a foundation that works with this and my super oily skin. But. Stop. Woah. You can apply this at night time. It does not wash off and lasts for 72 hours?? OK. Game changer. I went against all of the traditional uses, I applied before bed. Chose not to use any other actives, just a quick smear of Dermalogica skin smoothing moisturiser. I woke up and actually, holy shit balls. I sat in front of the mirror, just staring. Smooth. Before I applied foundation. What? Ok, so I have tried every foundation under the sun in the last 12 months, and I do mean every. Chanel to Too Faced. I have spent Thousands. Could it possibly have been the ferulic was just making my skin too greasy????? Oh my god, putting it on the night before has just opened my options up to so many foundations that I negated before due to the grease factor this caused when applied in the morning. And on top of all that my skin looks like butter, I am 38 with hormonal flare ups and stubborn pigmentation. I swear, four drops, the night before, I wanted to kiss my reflection.

They say Vitamin C is excellent for collagen production. This product is the real deal. I get compliments on my skin all the time. So C E I'm down!

The basics of EVERY skincare routine should be:
A - aka vitamin A or retinol
B - aka vitamin B or niacinamide, which is an antioxidant
C - aka vitamin C, which is an antioxidant
SPF

Yes moisturizers and acids are important too but 1) moisturizers are actually super simple products so no need to overthink that and 2) if you have your ABCs down to a T, you may not even need acids.

I'm a skincare addict and - nerd. I love my skincare products, but more importantly, I want to know HOW they work and WHY they work. Nowadays in 2017 there are million tons of products and information out there that make the most outrageous claims. But these 4 products above have been scientifically proven for DECADES. Lab tests and clinical trials and human trials and decades of consumer use support the claims so THESE PRODUCTS WORK. You just have to find one that works FOR YOU.

What to look for in a well formulated vitamin C:
- a stable formulation, which basically only leaves you with serums. Vitamin C in moisturizers breaks down too quickly and are hence ineffective.
- the right pH, since vitamin C works best between 2.5-3.5. HOWEVER, the lower the pH, the more chances are of irritation, which is ALWAYS bad for your skin. The notion that 'it will work , just keep up with it' is very outdated in 2017. And in this day and age, you always have alternatives.

There's a ton of information available on why vitamin c is so important for your skin, so I'll skip that here. I will say that if you are pregnant, which means you CAN'T use retinol or vitamin A, and you want to prevent and treat the issues that you use retinol for such as melasma, and improve brightening, this is where vitamin C becomes extra important. You should be using a vitamin c anyways, but when you have to skip retinol, then be extra diligent about your vitamin C.

How my morning routine looks like:
- cleansing with Lancôme Galatee
- Cosrx AHA BHA toner (to bring down my pH after cleansing)
- Skinceuticals CE Ferulic/20min wait
- The Ordinary azelaic acid/5min wait
- hydrating serum (currently Hada Labo although it doesn't do anything since hyaluronic acid ON your skin is not effective but I don't want to throw it away)
- light moisturizer (currently L'Oreal Revitalift Laser X3 since it was on sale but like I said, moisturizers should be super simple products so just buy the cheapest one that still works for your skin and save your $ for actives such as the ABC)
- spf (currently alternating between Vichy and Lancôme)/10min wait
- makeup

Last note: yes this is super expensive so I buy mine from reputed sellers on Ebay, in 5 or 6 of 5ml sample sizes. Firstly this is much cheaper (you get 25 or 30ml for half the price) and secondly, you can keep it fresh for longer. Double win!