Can You Use Ferulic Acid and Vitamin C Serum Together?
For many of us, our skincare routines are constantly evolving as we discover new ingredient pairings that enhance the overall look and feel of our skin. One ingredient that has been flying under the radar in the skincare world is ferulic acid – and it actually pairs harmoniously with a number of other ingredients. In this guide, Lancôme experts are doing a deep dive on one pairing in particular: ferulic acid and vitamin C serum. Continue reading as we examine ferulic acid vs. vitamin C and how this potent combination can provide a myriad of benefits for your complexion.
Ferulic acid vs. vitamin C
Before we start to layer multiple serums in our skincare routine, it’s important to understand the individual properties of each ingredient and what they do for the skin. You might already be familiar with vitamin C, but what is ferulic acid for skin? Both ferulic acid and vitamin C have antioxidant properties, and antioxidants play an important role in skincare: they help protect your skin against damage caused by age-inducing free radicals and external aggressors like UV rays and pollution.
What does ferulic acid do for the skin?
Ferulic acid is a plant-based antioxidant, and when applied to the skin, it works to neutralise the free radicals that damage skin cells. This makes ferulic acid a powerful anti-ageing ingredient.
What does vitamin C do for the skin?
Being a fellow antioxidant, the role of vitamin C in skincare is similar to ferulic acid. Vitamin C helps fight free radicals, thus promoting collagen production, brightness and a more uniform skin tone.
Can I use ferulic acid with vitamin C?
While vitamin C is commonly used in skincare, it is an unstable ingredient, which means it can oxidise and lose its efficacy. However, when we use ferulic acid with vitamin C, ferulic acid actually helps to stabilise this ingredient and boost its antioxidant qualities. Lancôme Australia’s National Skincare Expert Brittany Hanchard breaks it down for us:
It should be noted that the combination of ferulic acid and vitamin C serum is often too harsh for sensitive skin types, so we recommend doing a patch test with products before implementing them into your skincare routine.
The benefits of using ferulic acid and vitamin C together
Pairing ferulic acid and vitamin C serum results in a rather synergistic relationship that produces a lot of benefits for individuals with sun damage, discolouration, dull skin, and fine lines and wrinkles. Below, we’ll break down some of the advantages of mixing these powerful antioxidants to amplify their effectiveness, as well as tips on how you can introduce them into your skincare regimen.
Increases photoprotection
Photoprotection is essentially reducing exposure to harmful UV rays that damage the skin.1 When external aggressors like UV rays mingle with naturally occurring free radicals on the skin, this can cause ‘oxidative stress’ – ultimately exacerbating sun damage and ageing concerns.2 As individual antioxidants, ferulic acid and vitamin C neutralise these free radicals, and when combined in a topical serum, they provide extra protection against oxidative stress that is linked to UV exposure.
Diminishes the appearance of fine lines
In the same way that oxidative stress can cause sun damage, it also plays a significant role in prematurely ageing the skin.3 Alone, vitamin C boots collagen and acts as protection against environmental stressors (that further age the skin). When ferulic acid and vitamin C serum come together, ferulic acid boots the anti-ageing benefits of vitamin C to smooth out the skin and visibly reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Prevents dark spots and hyperpigmentation
Dark spots and hyperpigmentation occur when there is excess melanin in the skin, which happens through prolonged sun exposure over time. We know that antioxidants work to enhance photoprotection, and a blend of ferulic acid and vitamin C serum also serves as a potent brightening agent. This evens out skin tone while helping to prevent dark spots forming and manage existing hyperpigmentation.
Incorporating ferulic acid and vitamin C in your skincare
Since ferulic acid is renowned for its capacity to increase the efficacy of other antioxidants like vitamin C, many topical ferulic acid serums are infused with vitamin C, making it easy to introduce both ingredients into your daily skincare ritual. Lancôme’s Rénergie HCF Triple Anti-Ageing Serum delivers a fusion of ferulic acid, vitamin C + niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid. Together, these ingredients work to re-plump and tighten the skin, diminish the appearance of fine lines, and correct the colour and size of dark spots.
You can apply this serum morning and night after cleansing. Simply dispense two pumps worth of product over the face and neck, then follow with your moisturiser (and SPF in the morning). For an in-depth guide on how to use this product, explore our tutorial on how to use Rénergie HCF Triple Anti-Ageing Serum.
Now, that we’ve explored the relationship between ferulic acid and vitamin C serum, let’s take a look at the 5 benefits of niacinamide for your skin.
1https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537164/
2https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249911/
3https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4496685/