FERULIC ACID
Ferulic Acid is an antioxidant and free radical scavenger. It also stabilises and amplifies other skincare ingredients. It’s for this reason that you will find ferulic acid in many products. Particularly those containing vitamin C. These are my top 3 ferulic acid products.
SKINCEUTICALS CE Ferulic 30ml
If you’ve been into skincare for a while then this product recommendation will be no surprise.
Let me address the 2 questions that always come up with this product. The price and the smell.
It is pricey – there is no getting around that. I definitely do not buy or use the most expensive product ever. Apart from this product.
I have tried very hard to find its equal and it just doesn’t exist.
Here is how I justify the cost.
Price per wear – this is a product you should use very sparingly. Less is definitely more when it comes to this serum.
Don’t squeeze the dropper! Just gently hold it over your face and tap it. This is the best way I have found to get 1 small drop. If you squeeze the dropper you’ll get way too much.
The more you use the more you waste. It absorbs quickly so sweep it into your skin immediately.
Because you only need such a small amount it lasts a long time. I am on my 6th bottle and they last me 8 months.
The formulation of this serum is a closely guarded secret but it contains L-ascorbic acid. L-ascorbic acid is a type of Vitamin C. This is the best type for the skin, but it is notoriously unstable. SkinCeuticals has found a way to stabilise it and combined with the ferulic acid and vitamin E this is a true skin changing formula.
It is worth the cost because it’s great and in my opinion, there is no equal that I have found at any price.
The smell, yip it’s true it does smell like . . ham? smokey BBQ? It’s not the greatest smell ever.
But, I would much rather have it smell slightly weird than for them to add irritating fragrance to try and mask it. It’s made from chemicals and that is how chemicals smell. The smell evaporates quickly and once you’ve got sunscreen or moisturizer on the smell is gone.
- Apply in the morning. 3 – 4 drops after cleansing. Use after water-based serums.
- Apply sunscreen, the vitamin C and ferulic acid will make your sunscreen and other serums work more efficiently.
- You can apply this at night under moisturizer as well as or instead of during the day.
- It is potent and expensive so I only use it once a day, normally in the morning.
- This formulation is for normal to dry skin. SkinCeuticals make a formulation for oil skin that is the same price and contains 10% of vitamin C, 0.5% ferulic acid and has 2% of phloretin instead of vitamin E.
Buy now from DERMSTORE
PAULA'S CHOICE C15 Super Booster 20ml
If SkinCeuticals vanished then this would be the product I would use. It contains 15% vitamin C, ferulic acid and vitamin E. It is Paula’s Choice answer to the iconic CE Ferulic. It’s definitely a good product and if the Skinceuticals is not an option then this is a very good second choice.
Why is it my second choice:
- It contains L-ascorbic acid at 15% and with a low pH of 3. This makes it penetrate the skin better, but can be irriatating.
- It also contains vitamin E and ferulic acid.
- It contains fragrance so it doesn’t smell bad like the SkinCeuticals version does.
- It’s the addition of the fragrance and the fact that is just doesn’t perform the same as it CE Ferulic cousin and is more irriatating that it goes into second place. Though this is a nice product and like I said if I didn’t have CE Furelic this would be my choice.
- You apply 2 – 4 drops directly to your skin under moisturizer or mixed in with your moisturizer and follow with sunscreen.
Buy now from PAULA'S CHOICE
THE ORDINARY resveratrol 3% Ferulic Acid 3% 30ml
Now for something compleletly different to the other 2 recommendations.
You’ll notice if you have gone to any of my other recommendation pages that I nearly always recommend an ordinary product.
I even have a whole page dedicated to ordinary products. It’s because you just can’t go past them.
The price point and their formulations are just unbeatable.
This formulation doesn’t contain vitamin C, however, it works incredibly well with it and I recommend adding it to the Vitamin C suspension serum.
- Apply it on its own or after your water-based serums and before moisturizer.
- This is a high concentration fo both ferulic acid and resveratrol so start with caution and try it every second or 3rd day at first.
- DON”T REFRIGERATE this product it does not like it.
- Suitabe for all skin type.
