What’s the best (and affordable!) alternative to Skinceuticals CE Ferulic and Paula’s Choice C15 Booster? I kid you not, this is the question I get asked the most. It’s not the easiest one to answer. There are a gazillion of Vitamin C serums on the market, but only a tiny fraction of them have what it takes to do the job. Dee Dee Gollin Vitamin C Plus Serum is one of these rare gems, so I’m super excited to share it with you. Here’s everything you need to know about it and why it deserves a place into your skincare routine:
Key Ingredients In Dee Dee Gollin Vitamin C Plus Serum: What Makes It Work?
L-ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C)
This is just vitamin C – the pure, original form. In skincare, it boosts collagen, brightens skin and fights free radicals. It works like this: your skin is constantly getting hit by UV rays and pollution, and that damage creates these unstable molecules called free radicals that basically tear through your collagen and mess with your pigmentation. Vitamin C intercepts them. It also tells your skin to make more collagen and blocks the enzyme responsible for dark spots.
A 2017 review confirmed it penetrates skin effectively, boosts collagen production, and visibly reduces sun damage over time – but only when the pH sits around 3.5. Too high and it just sits on top doing nothing. The catch? Pure vitamin C is a nightmare to stabilise. It oxidises fast (that’s why your serum turns orange when it’s gone bad). It also can sting, especially at 15-20% concentration. That’s the low pH doing its job. Usually settles down once your skin adjusts.
P.S. The most effective Vitamin C serums, like Skinceutucals CE Ferulic, use 15% L-Ascorbic Acid, 1% Vitamin E and 0.5% Ferulic Acid. Dee Gollin Vitamin C Plus Serum uses the same combination, which makes me very happy. It makes it a solid, cost-effective alternative.
Related: Types Of Vitamin C In Skincare: Which One Is Right For You?
TOCOPHEROL (VITAMIN E)
Your skin already makes and stores this. It lives in your cell membranes and sits in your sebum. On its own it’s a solid antioxidant. But in this formula its real job is being vitamin C’s wingman. Here’s why that matters: when vitamin C neutralises a free radical, it becomes unstable itself – a spent radical. Vitamin E steps in and donates an electron to bring it back to life. It literally recharges the vitamin C so it can keep working.
It also covers a different part of your skin. Vitamin C is water-soluble, so it works in the watery bits. Vitamin E is fat-soluble, so it handles the lipid-rich parts. Together they cover the whole picture.
A 1998 study showed that using both together gave significantly better protection against UV damage than either one alone.
FERULIC ACID
This one comes from plant cell walls: grains, grasses, that kind of thing. By itself it’s a decent antioxidant. But that’s not really why it’s here. It’s here because it solves the biggest problem with vitamin C: it goes off. Fast. Ferulic acid dramatically slows down that oxidation, which means the vitamin C in the bottle actually survives long enough to do something on your skin. It’s basically a preservation system for the actives around it.
And then on top of that, it makes the whole combo work harder. There’s a specific study from 2005 that’s basically the reason this trio became the standard. Researchers took a formula with 15% vitamin C, 1% vitamin E, and 0.5% ferulic acid, and found it doubled the UV protection compared to just C and E together. Not a small difference. Double.
The Rest Of The Formula & Ingredients
NOTE: The colours indicate the effectiveness of an ingredient. It is ILLEGAL to put toxic and harmful ingredients in skincare products.
- Green: It’s effective, proven to work, and helps the product do the best possible job for your skin.
- Yellow: There’s not much proof it works (at least, yet).
- Red: What is this doing here?!
- Aqua (Water): The base of basically every water-based serum ever made. It’s the solvent that everything else dissolves into. Without it, you couldn’t get the actives to penetrate skin properly. It’s not just filler; it’s the delivery system.
- Ethoxydiglycol: A solvent that helps other ingredients (especially vitamin C) dissolve and stay stable in the formula. It also has a slight humectant effect, pulling a bit of moisture into skin.
- Propylene Glycol: A humectant and solvent. It draws water into the skin and helps other ingredients absorb more efficiently. It also keeps the formula from drying out or separating.
- Glycerin: It pulls water from the air and deeper layers of skin up to the surface for extra hydration.
- Laureth-23: An emulsifier that helps water and oil-based ingredients stay blended rather than separating.
- Triethanolamine: This one’s a pH adjuster as much as an emulsifier – it helps bring the formula up to the right pH after the vitamin C pulls it really low.
- Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B5): Converts to vitamin B5 in skin and works as a humectant and skin-repairing ingredient. It helps soothe any irritation the low-pH actives might cause and supports the skin barrier overall.
- Sodium Hyaluronate: The salt form of hyaluronic acid – smaller molecule, penetrates a bit better. It holds onto water like nothing else, keeping skin plump and comfortable.
- Sodium PCA: A naturally occurring component of your skin’s own moisturising factor. It’s a really effective humectant that keeps skin from feeling tight or dry.
- Niacinamide (Vitamin B3): Supports the skin barrier, reduces redness, helps with pigmentation, and regulates oil production.
- Phenoxyethanol: The main preservative keeping this formula safe and bacteria-free.
- Ethylhexylglycerin: A secondary preservative that works alongside phenoxyethanol to boost its effectiveness and allow lower concentrations of both. I
- Citric Acid (pH adjuster): Keeps the formula at the right pH – around 3.5 – which is non-negotiable for vitamin C to actually absorb into skin.
Texture
Light orange in colour, it has a lightweight texture that’s slightly thicker than water. It absorbs quickly without leaving a tacky residue behind. In case you’re wondering, the orange hue is the natural colour of the texture, not a sign that Vitamin C has gone bad (of course, if it gets darker, some oxidation has occurred. Use it quickly!).
Related: What Does It Mean When Your Vitamin C Serum Has Turned Brown?
Fragrance
It’s fragrance-free, which I love. Yes, anything citrusy smells divine and the temptation to add the scent is there, but that could just freak out skin. Fragrance is one of the most irritating ingredients in skincare, so any product that leaves it out is making the right call.
Packaging
The serum comes in a silver tube with a pump dispenser. It’s not the fanciest packaging out there, but it’s well-designed and it does what it’s meant to do: pumping out the right amount without any wastage or spillage. Plus, it’s easy to travel with.
How To Use It
Technically, you can use a Vitamin C serum both in the morning and at night. I personally recommend you apply it after cleanser in the morning for two reasons. One: it has a better chance of absorption when you apply it after a cleanser. Two: this antioxidant combination supercharges the effectiveness of your sunscreen, so it makes sense to use it in the morning. And then, at night, use other actives, like retinoids or exfoliants. Remember, you get better results when you use actives sparingly than everything at once.
Performance & Personal Opinion
The first thing I noticed is the glow. It’s subtle, it’s dewy and it gives my skin that healthy glow people comment on. I can’t personally vouch for whether it fades away dark spots as I don’t have any (lucky, I know!), but the science here is solid for that. Where it really shine, though, is wrinkle prevention. Sure, you don’t see the results immediately. But overtime (especially if you’re layering it under sunscreens) you’ll see a difference.
It also leaves my skin slightly hydrating. This isn’t its main job so I wasn’t expecting anything here. But unlike other watery Vitamin C serums that feel like nothing on your skin, this one leaves it softer and with that extra burst of hydration that makes the difference, especially if, like me, you live somewhere cold (hello, London!). Oh, and no pimples, no pilling, no side effects to report here. I’d just be wary if you sensitive skin. Any serum with 15% Ascorbic Acid may be too much for your delicate skin type.
What I Like About Dee Dee Gollin Vitamin C Plus Serum
- Lightweight, fast-absorbing texture
- Fragrance-free
- Helps brighten skin and fight free radicals damage
- Slightly hydrating
- Practical packaging
What I DON’T Like About Dee Dee Gollin Vitamin C Plus Serum
- High Vitamin C concentration can irritate sensitive skin
Who Should Use This?
- You’re serious about anti-aging and wants a Vitamin C serum that goes the extra mile and don’t have sensitive skin
- You’re looking for a dupe for Skinceuticals CE Ferulic that actually delivers
Does Dee Dee Gollin Vitamin C Plus Serum Live Up To Its Claims?
| CLAIM | TRUE? |
|---|---|
| Skin Type: all skin types except sensitive. | True. |
| This potent formulation delivers an unrivaled antioxidant boost, combining powerful L-Absorbic Acid -Vitamin C, Vitamin B, and Vitamin E with super-charged Ferulic Acid to amplify your skin’s free radical fighting abilities. | True, it’s the most effective combination to fight free radicals. |
| It includes the purest form of Vitamin C, L-Absorbic acid, which not only helps to brighten your complexion but also fortifies your skin’s natural defenses against environmental stressors- all the particles in the air you can’t see with the naked eye. | True. |
| Helps brighten the complexion. | True. |
| Topical application neutralizes free radicals to protect the skin against excessive Oxidative stressors like UV radiation and pollution. | True. Please note that no serum neutralises ALL free radicals. |
Price & Availability
$41 at Dee Dee Gollin
The Verdict: Should You Buy It?
Yes. If you’re looking for a dupe for Skinceuticals CE Ferulic that delivers without breaking the bank, this is it. It uses the same 15% L-Ascorbic Acid + 1% Vitamin E + 0.5% Ferulic Acid that makes CE Ferulic so powerful for anti-aging plus niacinamide and hyaluronic acid for extra hydration. This one’s a winner.
Aqua (Water), Ethoxydiglycol (humectant), L-Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Propylene Glycol (emulsifier/humectant), Glycerin (moisturizer), Laureth-23 (emulsifier), Triethanolamine (surfactant/emulsifier), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Ferulic Acid, Panthenol (ProVitamin B5), Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium PCA, Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), Phenoxyethanol (preservative), Ethylhexylglycerin (preservative), Citric Acid (ph adjuster).
