20% Vitamin C + E Ferulic Acid Serum
Reviewed by SerumTruth Editorial · Updated July 2026
One of the great value plays in the vitamin C aisle: the studied antioxidant trio, openly dosed, for the price of a couple of coffees. You give up the stability testing and long shelf life of the prestige names, and 20% is more than reactive skin wants. Used fresh and stored cool, it is hard to beat on active per dollar.
- 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.
- Potency25 / 25
Dosed at studied levels, not fairy-dusted
- Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid) (20%): dosed at a studied level
- Vitamin E (Tocopherol) (1%): dosed at a studied level
- Ferulic Acid (0.5%): dosed at a studied level
- 3 of 3 actives proven. Full marks need at least 3, so thinner formulas are discounted.
- Delivery & stability16 / 20
Delivery tech + packaging that protects fragile actives
- Delivery: standard
- Packaging: airless, opaque
- Air- or light-sensitive actives (Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid), Vitamin E (Tocopherol), Ferulic Acid), so packaging is scored.
- Formulation10 / 10
Disclosure, active breadth, and ingredient generation
- 3 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
- Value13 / 15
What a month of use costs vs. the category
- About $17 per month to use
- $27.95 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 | Studied dose? |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid) | 20% | Yes |
| Vitamin E (Tocopherol) | 1% | Yes |
| Ferulic Acid | 0.5% | Yes |
The budget answer to a CE-ferulic serum: 20% L-ascorbic acid with 1% vitamin E and 0.5% ferulic acid, all three disclosed, in a light water-based fluid. The dose is at the high end for L-ascorbic acid, which can sting sensitive skin, and it oxidises quickly in the frosted-glass pump once air gets in. Refrigerating it and buying small helps.
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.