SkinCeuticals vs The Ordinary — side by side, no bias.
Our pick
C E Ferulic
9.2/10 · SkinCeuticals
| C E Ferulic | Marine Hyaluronics | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | SkinCeuticals | The Ordinary |
| Category | serum | serum |
| Editor Rating | 9.2/10 ★ | 8/10 |
| Category | serum | serum |
| Texture | Thin golden serum | Watery essence |
| Finish | Absorbed slightly tacky | Invisible, slightly slippy |
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| Verdict | 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. | Deciem's HA-alternative play — a 23% active concentration of marine-derived hydrators built around three botanical/microbial standouts: algae extract, Pseudoalteromonas ferment extract (a deep-sea bacterium ferment), and Ahnfeltia concinna (Hawaiian red algae). The pitch is that these compounds attract and bind water like hyaluronic acid does, but at lower molecular weight and lighter feel — so combo and oily skin types who find HA tacky get a similar plumping effect without the sticky finish. The ingredient deck also packs a near-NMF amino acid profile (glycine, alanine, serine, valine, proline, etc.) plus PCA and sodium lactate — basically the same humectant cocktail your stratum corneum manufactures, redelivered topically. Pairs naturally with the brand's own Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (use Marine in AM, HA at night) or stands alone for sensitivity-tier skin that finds HA serums too occlusive. The watery vehicle layers under everything; the absence of fragrance and silicones keeps the irritation profile low. |
