Can you use vitamin C with ferulic acid?
Yes. Ferulic acid helps stabilize vitamin C and boosts its antioxidant effect, especially in a formula that also contains vitamin E.
Why
In a study on pig skin, adding 0.5% ferulic acid to a 15% vitamin C and 1% vitamin E solution improved the vitamins' chemical stability and roughly doubled protection against UV-related redness. A later study on human skin found the same combination reduced several markers of UV damage. Most of this research comes from the group that developed the formula, so independent data are more limited.
How to use them
The simplest option is one serum that combines vitamin C, vitamin E and ferulic acid. Apply it to clean skin in the morning, then moisturizer and broad-spectrum sunscreen.
Sources
- 1Ferulic acid stabilizes a solution of vitamins C and E and doubles its photoprotection of skin · Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2005
- 2A topical antioxidant solution containing vitamins C and E stabilized by ferulic acid provides protection for human skin against damage caused by ultraviolet irradiation · Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2008
- 3Topical Vitamin C and the Skin: Mechanisms of Action and Clinical Applications · Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2017
General cosmetic information, not medical advice. Written with AI assistance from the sources above; updated October 2026.