My Review: Skinceuticals C E Ferulic Antioxidant Serum (2023) – Worth It?

It’s time for my Skinceuticals C E Ferulic Antioxidant Serum review – which looks like a pretty interesting product.

But are there any chances that it’s a scam?:

• very expensive
• small quantity
• not designed against aging

So what’s the real deal behind this serum?

I analyzed it in detail – so that I can give you the real facts about it.

Note: This review is based on my opinion + research on Skinceuticals C E Ferulic Antioxidant Serum.

Review Summary

Full Name: C E Ferulic with 15% L-Ascorbic Acid Serum for Skin by SKINCEUTICALS

Product Type: Anti-Aging Serum

Best Actual Prize: Around $170

Cheapest Place To Buy: Official Website

Designed For: Protecting the skin– it claims to:

• reduce UV damage
• improve appearance
• protect against harmful free radicals

My Rating: 7 out of 10

Recommended?: Not really. It’s a good product, but it has enough disadvantages:

• limited quantity
• high price tag
• lacks strong anti-aging ingredients

If you ask me – better go for a similar product with a much better formula instead.

What I Liked About It

• Has strong antioxidant ingredients
• Lots of satisfied customers behind

What I Didn’t Like About It

• Not very affordable
• Small volume and quantity
• Not very strong anti-aging effect
• Might be too harsh for the skin
• Can cause side effects quite often (skin irritation)

#1 – Claims & Producer

Here's what you should know about this product first:

• how exactly it works
• what skin issues it helps most
• who is its producer

1. Claims

This serum claims to have “enhance protection against environmental damage.”

What does it mean? According to its website:

• provides advanced environmental protection
• reduces the appearance of lines and wrinkles
• neutralizes free radicals on the upper layer of skin
• works even for post-laser treatment

Also – this serum claims to remain effective for a minimum of 72 hours.

However – I doubt you will leave the product on your face for that long.

So at this point, I don’t consider Skinceuticals' serum as a very smart choice.

2. Company Behind

The company behind this serum is SkinCeuticals International:

• has a good reputation overall
• it's been on the market since 1994
• offers products for face, lips, eyes and body

Now – this brand is widely known for its skin care products.

So based on its legitimacy, I would say it’s safe to buy from it.

#2 – Formula (9 out of 10)

Upon looking for this serum's ingredients, I would say that there isn't anything special.

It has 3 key ingredients – all of which are not common for anti-aging serums/creams.

Like in most products of this type – there are no doses for any ingredient.

But based on its formula, I would say that it looks effective (on paper).

So let’s take a closer look at its composition – starting from the top ingredient:

1. 15% L-Ascorbic Acid

Basically, this ingredient is Vitamin C.

And according to its website, L-Ascorbic Acid is the purest form of Vitamin C.

In terms of skin benefits:

• protects against external factors [1]
• reduces signs of aging
• lightens dark spots

Besides, this ingredient is commonly found in skin care products that promote even skin tone.

2. 1% Alpha Tocopherol

This ingredient is also called Vitamin E. Let's take a look at what this compound can do:

• improves skin health
• protects from UV damage [2]
• helps wound healing

As you probably know, harmful UV rays can cause a lot of skin problems (especially on the face).

We cannot avoid it – that's why treating it is the best option.

3. 0.5% Ferulic Acid

Adding Ferulic Acid to the formula of this serum is a good move. Why?

Because this ingredient will boost the effect of the other antioxidants.

And that's not all:

• reduces fine lines
• eliminates wrinkles
• boosts skin health and glow [3]

So adding this component will have a positive impact on how the other key ingredients work.

4. Additional Ingredients

These are some of the extra ingredients present in the serum:

• Sodium Hyaluronate – retains moisture
• Glycerin – relieves dryness
• Panthenol – boosts skin barrier

If you checked out other serums – you might have noticed that these ingredients are pretty common.

Conclusion

Skinceuticals C E Ferulic Antioxidant Serum has a good formula overall:

• based on a good combination of vitamins
• contains other common skin care ingredients

However – it lacks some strong anti-aging substances.

It may be very effective, but not as a product that fights the signs of aging.

So despite its good formula, try to look for an alternative which has strong anti-aging components.

#3 – Consistency & Dosage (6 out of 10)

Here's what you should know about this serum's texture.

1. The Consistency

Physically speaking, this product has the following main features:

• thick consistency
• a bit sticky
• yellow-clear color
• strong chemical scent

It's quite obvious that it has a thick consistency, since almost all serums have that.

So you need to massage it and wait a little bit for your skin to absorb it properly.

2. The Dosage

Here’s how you should use this serum – according to its instructions:

1. Cleanse and tone your face first.
2. Apply 4-5 drops on your face, neck and chest area.
3. Apply it before other anti-aging products.
4. Massage until completely absorbed by the skin.

Now – this product has some simple instructions (just like any skin care serum).

I assume it should be applied daily, during the morning.

However – using a serum in the morning might give you a sticky feeling throughout the day.

So it might be more comfortable to use it every night instead.

But it's up to your own personal preference.

#4 – Results (6 out of 10)

In order to know how a product works, you should look at the opinions its previous users. 

And that's exactly what I did (in order to give you a fair view).

I checked out the reviews of Skinceuticals C E Ferulic Antioxidant Serum on its official website.

Note: I only analyzed authentic reviews, not promotional or fake ones.

1. Positive Opinions

Skinceuticals' serum has several customer reviews in 2 different places:

• Official website
• Amazon

Unfortunately, the one posted on Amazon is fake.

I don't usually rely much on the ratings from the official websites. 

But since it is the only place that offers authentic serum, I'll give it a try.

Unlike any ratings of products from their official site, the ones on this serum don't seem too biased.

Here’s what most satisfied users say about it:

1. Some people say they notice their skin got much brighter.
2. A few people claim that it reduced their fine lines.
3. Others state their sunspots reduced significantly.

Overall – it got 4.5/5 ratings (from about 700 satisfied customers).

So I would say this product isn't a scam – based on the number of satisfied customers.

2. Negative Opinions

Skinceuticals C E Ferulic Antioxidant Serum is no exception from complaints as well:

1. There are people who complain about the smell of the product.
2. Others state that they couldn't notice any differences.
3. Some people experienced breakouts.
4. A few people say that it feels sticky and greasy.
5. The others mostly got skin irritation.

Honestly – these reviews seem real and not totally biased.

I also noticed a lot of similar complaints, which makes it really reliable and legit.

Conclusion

Overall – the serum has mixed reviews.

People who gave it positive reviews made me say that this product works.

However – the bad opinions changed my mind about it.

Also, the fact that there are fake products out there makes this product less reliable.

It’s surely not bad, it’s just that there are better alternatives available.

#5 – Side Effects (7 out of 10)

Just like any skin care product, some people who tried this serum experienced some side effects.

However, none of them are too dramatic or serious.

Some users only complained about:

• Skin breakouts
• Burning sensations
• Skin irritation

Again, these issues are pretty common and they can be experienced from almost any skin care product.

And I am pretty sure they will not happen to everyone.

So overall – I would say this serum is quite safe and not potentially dangerous.

#6 – Price (2 out of 10)

This brand has a really expensive range of skin and body care products.

So I don't really consider it a good choice.

1. The Exact Price

If you want to make sure that you buy the authentic version of this product, purchase it from the official website.

Here are the pricing options:

1. Standard Price is $166/bottle
2. A bottle has 30 ml (1 fl.)
3. There's also an auto-shipping (subscription) option available
4. In this case, you can get some free complimentary samples upon subscription

Now – I surely don't advise you to sign up for subscription directly.

And that's available for any product from the market.

Some brands make it really hard for people to cancel (once they are signed up).

So better test out a product and subscribe for monthly shipping once you're sure it helps you.

Back to Skinceutical's product:

• it's clearly way too expensive
• it also has a small quantity/bottle

So overall – I don't consider this serum a good deal at all.

2. Competitors’ Price

I only want to compare this product with the best anti-aging product I know.

I am talking about Kollagen Intensiv by Skinception:

1. Kollagen Intensiv has a clinically backed-up formula.
2. Skinceuticals' serum has a good formula too (but it's not even close).
3. Normally, Kollagen Intensiv costs about $60.
4. But you can get it for only $36.
5. In my case, a bottle tends to last up to 6 weeks.
6. Meanwhile, Skinceuticals C E Ferulic Antioxidant Serum is way too expensive.
7. Plus that you will only get a small amount.

Basically – Kollagen Intensiv is a better choice compared to Skinceuticals' serum.

It has twice the amount of the Skinceuticals's product but the price is still way lower.

So in my opinion,  it’s a clearly superior.

Conclusion

Honestly – Skinceuticals' product is one of the most expensive serums in the market.

There's no doubt that the brand is known for its skin care products.

But you need to be practical sometimes and choose a product that is really designed against aging.

This serum is pretty far from that.

Not to mention that there is a much better alternative out there.

So I couldn't possibly recommend Skinceuticals' product.

#7 – Skinceuticals' Serum In 3 Ideas

Here’s how I would sum up my opinion on this product.

1. Decent Formula

Upon looking at the list of ingredients, I would say that it has a pretty good formula:

• has some strong ingredients to combat UV damage
• contains vitamins that are good for the skin
• it's rich in antioxidants

These ingredients will surely make your skin healthy and glowing.

2. Not Designed Against Aging

Despite its decent composition, its ingredients mostly target sun damage on the skin.

I would say this serum it lacks strong anti-aging compounds like:

• Retinol and  Collagen
• Peptides
• Caffeine, etc.

You should start seeing any improvement on your skin, but it will take a long time.

And the reduction of wrinkles and sagging is only minimal.

3. Very Expensive

There are some reasons why you  need to think twice before buying this product.

And its price is probably the most significant:

• a bottle costs around $166
• its quantity is only 30 ml (1 fl.)

Now – this amount will not last a month, if you're going to use it daily.

Also, the price and the quantity are not proportionate.

My Verdict – Worth It Or Not?

Short answer: Not quite.

The reputation of the its producer are the reason why it's not a scam. But it still has enough issues going on:

1. Not designed for anti-aging
2. Comes in a pretty small quantity
3. It's very expensive
4. Might require buying more than one bottle in a month

Now – there are enough users who were satisfied with its effect.

But I only advise you to give it a try if your budget affords it.

In my view, there is still a far better anti-aging product out there. I'm talking about Kollagen Intensiv:

1. It contains clinically backed-up anti-aging ingredients.
2. It's endorsed by several specialists and professionals.
3. It has a huge number of satisfied (and real) users behind it.
4. You can get it for about 40% less + freebies.
5. One bottle lasts longer than most products.

Considering the price and the amount of product you will get, Kollagen Intensiv is much cheaper overall.

Also – it tends to work much better as well.

So I suggest you try it instead – at least if you want to make the most of your money.

References:

1 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/-PMC3673383/

2 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/-PMC4976416/

3 – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/-30235459/