Mario Badescu vs SkinCeuticals — side by side, no bias.
Our pick
C E Ferulic
9.2/10 · SkinCeuticals
| Vitamin C Serum | C E Ferulic | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Mario Badescu | SkinCeuticals |
| Category | serum | serum |
| Editor Rating | 8/10 | 9.2/10 ★ |
| Category | serum | serum |
| Texture | Lightweight serum | Thin golden serum |
| Finish | Bright, smooth | Absorbed slightly tacky |
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| Verdict | Mario Badescu's vitamin C uses L-ascorbic acid (the gold standard) stabilised with ferulic acid — the same synergy that made SkinCeuticals' CE Ferulic legendary, at less than half the price. Hyaluronic acid and hydrolyzed collagen provide hydration and plumping. The NYC skincare institution that's been around since 1967 proves you don't need $166 to get an effective CE Ferulic combination. The formula will oxidise faster than stabilised derivatives — store it properly and use it within 3 months. | The benchmark vitamin C serum the entire industry measures itself against. 15% L-ascorbic acid + 1% vitamin E + 0.5% ferulic acid — the Duke University antioxidant patent that spawned a thousand dupes. $182 is painful, but the 20-year clinical dataset on photoaging reversal is unmatched. Every derm office in America has a bottle on the shelf. |
