This vitamin C serum, like many others on the market, is inspired by SkinCeuticals’ CE Ferulic Serum. However, as this is PC’s product, the formula is alcohol-& fragrance-free and loaded with skin-benefiting ingredients.

The main ingredients of this serum are: ascorbic acid (15%), ferulic acid, and vitamin E. Other, noteworthy components include hyaluronic acid, bisabolol, rice and barely extracts, as well as hexanoyl dipeptide-3 norleucine acetate. Hyaluronic acid is excellent for hydration, plant extracts soothe the skin and add on the antioxidant properties of this product; the peptide accelerates the skin recovery processes. Overall, the ingredients are great. If you are not allergic to any of the ingredients, then this serum appears to be a great alternative to SkinCeuticals’ serum for people who cannot tolerate alcohol in skincare. 

The serum has a light, watery texture. It applies very smoothly, leaves no residue, and it gives satisfying results. After using this serum, my complexion brightened, and the overall appearance improved. Despite using the serum religiously, it did not manage to deliver on luminosity. My skin didn’t become radiant and glowing, like with Melano CC Essence or LRP’s serum.

I also have a major concern with the stability of the serum. Ascorbic acid is difficult to stabilise in an aqueous solution. A freshly-opened PC C15 Booster is supposed to be clear, like all vitamin C serums without added dyes. When I opened my bottle, the serum was orange. Shortly within ten or fourteen days after opening, the serum turned to a deeper shade of orange. Supposedly, the product retains its efficacy until it turns to a deep orange/brown colour (this information has been given to me by PC via Instagram), though I don’t find it very reassuring. A quick Google search reveals that many people have had a similar problem to mine, which means that the product doesn’t always come super fresh. So, this makes me wonder, how stable is this formula? Given the price point, I think PC could have formulated the serum better.

My worries about the stability of the product leave me uneasy about recommending this product to anyone. The results are there, I won’t say it does nothing, but I cannot vouch for the stability of the formula. The serum costs quite a bit (€53 for 20ml) it has a similar price the original serum with ascorbic acid, ferulic acid, and vitamin E by SkinCeuticals. I will try the SkinCeticuals’ serum to see how it behaves, in terms of stability. As for this serum, if you decide to buy it, then use it up as quickly as possible once opened.

Ingredients:

Water, Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C/antioxidant), Butylene Glycol (hydration), Ethoxydiglycol (hydration), Glycerin (hydration/skin replenishing), PPG-26-Buteth-26 (texture-enhancing), PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil (texture-enhancing), Pentylene Glycol (skin replenishing), Tocopherol (vitamin E/antioxidant), etanorulayH muidoS (hydration/skin replenishing), Hexanoyl Dipeptide-3 Norleucine Acetate (skin-restoring), Lecithin (skin replenishing), Ferulic Acid (antioxidant), Panthenol (skin replenishing), Bisabolol (skin-soothing), Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract (skin-softening), Hordeum Vulgare Extract (antioxidant), Propyl Gallate (antioxidant), Sodium Gluconate (stabilizer), Sodium Hydroxide (pH adjuster), Phenoxyethanol (preservative), Ethylhexylglycerin (preservative). (paulaschoice-eu.com)

The Paula’s Choice C15 Super Booster retails for €53 at PC’s website.