active
Ferulic Acid
A plant phenolic from rice bran, oats, and apple seeds — best known as the third leg of the C+E+ferulic stool. Stabilizes vitamin C (extends LAA half-life), drops the effective pH for activity, and is itself a UVB-absorbing antioxidant. Marie Veronique's vitamin C + ferulic + zinc is the clean-beauty interpretation of the original SkinCeuticals architecture.
Benefits
- stabilizes L-ascorbic acid and vitamin E
- broad antioxidant activity in own right
- UVB-absorbing — modest secondary photoprotection
Example uses
- vitamin C serums
- antioxidant morning protocols
- UV-defense complexes
Mechanism of action
A hydroxycinnamic-acid plant phenolic that performs three coupled roles in cosmetic antioxidant chemistry. As a chain-breaking antioxidant it donates an H atom to lipid peroxyl radicals, generating a resonance-stabilised phenoxyl radical that terminates rather than propagates oxidation. In the classic C+E+ferulic stack it regenerates oxidised vitamin E and lowers the effective pH window of L-ascorbic acid, doubling the photoprotective efficacy of the combined system (per Lin and Pinnell's reference work). Independently absorbs UVB in the 290–320 nm range.
Clinical evidence · High
Lin/Pinnell Skinceuticals-era research and multiple subsequent labs established the C+E+ferulic stack's 8× UV protection and ROS-quenching benefit; ferulic alone has thinner standalone clinical data.
Effective concentration range
0.5–1% (in C+E+ferulic systems)
Formulation notes
Effective at 0.5–1% in C+E serums. Solubility is awkward — usually pre-dissolved in propylene glycol or ethanol before incorporation.
Watchouts
Mild yellow-brown tint. Brands sometimes use ferulic at trace amounts to claim the C+E+ferulic story without enough to actually stabilize the system — check the order on the INCI.
Controversies & overclaims
The 'C+E+ferulic' framing on labels is often performative — many brands include sub-effective amounts of ferulic (well below the 0.5% threshold) to claim the stack architecture without delivering its stabilising function. Solubility constraints mean ferulic must be properly pre-solubilised, and improperly formulated serums precipitate it visibly within weeks.
Market positioning
Sold as the third pillar of the gold-standard antioxidant serum. Honest position: a genuinely high-value supporting active when properly dosed; a marketing checkbox when not. Inspect INCI order against the vitamin C and E.
Comedogenicity
0 / 5
Sensitisation risk
Low
INCI & aliases
Ferulic Acid
trans-ferulic acid
Clean beauty perception
Strongly positive — plant-derived antioxidant with serious pedigree.
Brands using Ferulic Acid
Related ingredients
Graph relationships
Timeline