Why Is Everyone Obsessed With SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Serum?

An ode from a true devotee #notsponsored.

We just calculated that there were around 50 deliveries that arrived at Gritty Pretty HQ last week, spanning skincare, hair, fragrance, wellness and make-up. It’s a beauty lovers dream, and trialling them gives us the opportunity to provide a really curated edit of the best products hitting counters. When you break down the sheer volume of launches each month, you can imagine how few beauty buys actually have the last few drops twisted, scrunched and squeezed out of them by the GP team.

But there are those times when a product so good passes my desk that I’ll want to call first dibs on it (sorry, EP); it may even kick-off a new WhatsApp* group chat amongst some of my fellow beauty editors. That’s what happened when I discovered SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Serum for the first time. I was introduced to the facial serum by none other than celebrity skin-whisperer Melanie Grant, who counts Lara Worthington and Phoebe Tonkin as clients. It was about five years ago when I was going through a period of particularly dull skin, and Mel told me it was the OG for brightening, assuring me that it would work wonders on my skin tone to boost overall radiance.

Here’s how it works: The formula is rich in antioxidants, thanks to a potent combination of vitamins C and E and ferulic acid. As you know, vitamin C is a buzzword for skin brightening, but cosmetic benefits aside, it also neutralises free radicals caused by exposure to UVA/UVB and ozone pollution, reduces inflammation and stimulates collagen. Meanwhile, vitamin E soothes. But when the two are paired together they become a kind of power duo, evening out skin tone and providing yet another layer of defense against environmental stressors.

Ferulic acid, also an antioxidant, is the third and essential last piece of the puzzle. It supercharges the skin-brightening perks of vitamins C and E and slows down the ageing process, minimising the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, sun damage and even dark spots. It’s designed to be applied daily, in the morning, as C E Ferulic also helps to further the protecting benefits of your broad-spectrum sunscreen.

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But here’s where it gets really interesting: a) it has kind of a strange scent—a fellow beauty ed swears it smells like mushrooms, though I think it’s more like baked beans; b) You’ll see instant results. After one day of using it—ONE—my skin was literally transformed. My complexion was clearer and brighter, more dewy and healthy-looking. It also improved the texture and helped with hydration (my skin also veers on the dry side), meaning that my make-up went on more smoothly, and better still, I actually didn’t need to use as much foundation. In a nutshell, I had the plumped-up skin of my dreams.

It’s also the type of product where you’ll see further improvement over time with consistent use, which of course means you’ll want to keep buying it. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come cheap, so maybe best to add it to cart come payday—one bottle will set you back a cool $188.32. But if you think about all of the illuminators you’ll no longer need to buy, it absolutely evens out.

*Just in case you think I’m exaggerating, I thought I better rally the rest of the fan club. You know that WhatsApp group I mentioned earlier? Here’s what they had to say re: my beloved…

“One of the many perks of being a beauty editor is having the opportunity to share product around with my sisters and friends, but there are a few I never, ever share—Hourglass primers, SK-II Facial Treatment Masks, and SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Serum. The packaging is nothing special and the price tag kinda steep, but this vitamin C serum is worth every bit of the adoring hype it receives from dermatologists, beauty experts and skincare fanatics everywhere. I stockpile the stuff.” — Sherine Youssef, beauty editor

“Being introduced to C E Ferulic is like being invited to one of those super fancy members only clubs—except everyone has amazing skin instead of a black Amex. Friends would grasp my arm and tell me ‘I look SO well’… and then wouldn’t let it go until I gave up my secret. Other beauty editors would corner me at events to ask what I was doing differently—I even had facialist’s demand to know why my skin was so glowy. I would hoard the product, fearful of the day it would end, and shed a small, single tear every time that day would (inevitably) come. The glow is real. And so is the addiction.” — Sarah Tarca, beauty editor

“Melanie Grant recommended C E Ferulic to me and it quickly became a game-changer. And trust me, as an ex-beauty editor I have tried every ‘cult’ serum under the sun. I started using it daily under my moisturiser and saw an almost-immediate change in the texture of my skin—it was tighter, smoother and brighter. I suffer from melasma, enlarged pores and blackheads (cute), and I can hand on heart say it reduced the appearance of all three. I’ve found the fresher the serum and ingredients, the more effective. Reason being the efficacy of vitamin C is diluted the moment it is exposed to air. I tried using smaller amounts to make it last but the results decreased.” — Alison Rice, group publisher, Allure Media Women’s Network

Convinced yet? Tell us, have you tried SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Serum? Planning to take it for a test drive now?

Let us know in the comments!