iS Clinical Super Serum Advance+ vs SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic: Which Vitamin C Serum Should You Choose?

iS Clinical Super Serum Advance+ and SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic both use a 15% concentration of L-ascorbic acid, but they're built very differently. Super Serum Advance+ pairs vitamin C with copper peptide and botanical brighteners for a multi-tasking formula; C E Ferulic sticks to the classic vitamin C, vitamin E and ferulic acid trio. Here's how they compare.

Quick facts

The core similarity: both are built on 15% L-ascorbic acid

Where a lot of vitamin C comparisons get muddled by two brands quoting percentages that describe entirely different derivatives, Super Serum Advance+ and C E Ferulic actually start from the same place: a 15% concentration of L-ascorbic acid, the purest and most-studied form of vitamin C. That makes this a genuinely direct match-up on the headline active, which isn't always the case when comparing across brands. What each formula does with that shared foundation is where the two serums part ways.

Where the formulas diverge

Super Serum Advance+ builds outward from its vitamin C base with bioidentical Copper Tripeptide-1 Growth Factor, a peptide iS Clinical includes to support the skin's own collagen-related processes, alongside Centella Asiatica, Arbutin and Polyporus Umbellatus (Mushroom) Extract — botanical ingredients the brand uses to help improve the appearance of uneven tone. Hyaluronic Acid adds hydration, and Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5) is included for general cellular support. The result is a multi-tasking single-step serum rather than a pure antioxidant treatment.

C E Ferulic, by contrast, sticks close to the original three-ingredient combination that popularised this whole category: pure vitamin C alongside 1% vitamin E and 0.5% ferulic acid, formulated under SkinCeuticals' Duke Antioxidant Patent at a stated pH of 2.0–3.5. There's no peptide, no hyaluronic acid and no botanical brightening agent in this formula — it's built to do one job, environmental antioxidant protection, as precisely as SkinCeuticals' own research allows.

Neither approach is objectively better. A broader multi-active formula suits people who want fewer steps in their routine; a purist antioxidant serum suits people who prefer to layer hydration, peptides and brightening separately, on their own terms.

Stated skin-type fit: does either mention acne-prone skin?

This is one of the clearer contrasts between the two, based on each brand's own product copy. iS Clinical states Super Serum Advance+ is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive and acne-prone skin, and describes the formula as non-comedogenic. The SkinCeuticals PDP copy we pulled for C E Ferulic lists suitability as normal, dry and sensitive skin types — it doesn't specifically mention oily or acne-prone skin one way or the other in the description available to us, so we're not able to confirm the brand's position on that from this page alone.

Both brands list sensitive skin as suitable, which is worth noting given how often vitamin C serums at this concentration exclude reactive skin types outright. Patch test either product regardless, particularly if your skin reacts easily.

Texture and how each feels on skin

Both serums share a lightweight, watery, fast-absorbing texture designed to layer cleanly under moisturiser, SPF and makeup without residue. iS Clinical's own copy describes Super Serum Advance+ as feeling virtually weightless, with a slight, temporary tingling sensation possible on first use — particularly for those new to vitamin C serums or with a compromised skin barrier — that the brand says typically settles within the first few applications.

SkinCeuticals' pulled PDP copy for C E Ferulic describes a similar fast-absorbing, watery feel, but calls out a distinctive, slightly metallic scent the brand attributes to the potency of the pure L-ascorbic acid, which it says fades quickly after application. The iS Clinical copy we pulled doesn't reference an equivalent scent for Super Serum Advance+.

Peptide, brighteners and scar-related positioning

iS Clinical's own marketing positions Super Serum Advance+ as suitable for use in helping improve the appearance of scarring, including hypertrophic (raised) scar tissue and fine stretch marks, and states it can be used to support skin following aesthetic procedures. We haven't been able to independently verify the specific study, sample size or methodology behind this positioning from the copy available to us, so we're reporting it as the brand's own stated use case rather than a verified clinical outcome — see data gaps. Similarly, SkinCeuticals' own copy for C E Ferulic contains a number of specific percentage and duration figures around antioxidant protection and firmness that aren't accompanied by a visible citation, sample size or methodology in the description we pulled, so we've deliberately left those figures out of this comparison rather than repeating them as fact.

What we can say without needing a citation is the mechanism each brand describes: peptides such as copper tripeptide-1 are commonly included in skincare formulas to support the skin's own collagen-related activity, and botanical ingredients like Centella Asiatica and mushroom extract are typically included to help improve the appearance of tone and texture over time, as part of general skincare formulation rather than as a medical intervention.

How each fits into a routine

iS Clinical positions Super Serum Advance+ as flexible enough for both morning and evening use, layered under moisturiser, SPF and makeup by day. The SkinCeuticals PDP copy we pulled for C E Ferulic doesn't explicitly restate AM-only usage, though vitamin C, E and ferulic acid antioxidant serums in this category are conventionally used as a single morning step ahead of sunscreen — we've flagged this as a data gap rather than assuming it applies here without brand confirmation on the page itself. Either serum sits well alongside a night-time retinoid or exfoliating acid, since they're not typically applied in the same routine step.

Price and where each sits

iS Clinical publishes its pricing directly: Super Serum Advance+ is £95 for 15ml and £157 for 30ml at time of writing. SkinCeuticals operates under minimum advertised pricing, so we don't publish exact figures for C E Ferulic here — in general terms it sits at a premium, professional-brand price point. Check current pricing on each product's own page: iS Clinical Super Serum Advance+ and SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic.

Using either serum safely

Both are vitamin C serums built for daily use as part of a routine that includes daily sun protection — a vitamin C serum supports SPF, it doesn't replace it. Patch test either product before regular use, especially if you're new to vitamin C at this concentration or have reactive skin, and introduce gradually if you experience ongoing irritation rather than settling tingling.

If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, please contact our team for advice before use.

Which should you choose?

• Choose Super Serum Advance+ if you want one step that combines vitamin C with a peptide, hydration and botanical brighteners, and you want a formula the brand explicitly states suits acne-prone skin.
• Choose C E Ferulic if you want the purist, original vitamin C, vitamin E and ferulic acid combination this category is built around, without additional actives layered in.
• If your skin is sensitive or reactive, patch test whichever you choose and get in touch with our team if you're unsure which fits your routine.

For more on this ingredient, see our Vitamin C in skincare glossary entry, browse the wider Best Vitamin C Serums UK guide, or visit the iS Clinical brand hub for the rest of the range.