Versus

Brandefy Skin 15% Vitamin C + E + Ferulic Acid Serum Versus Prequel Lucent-C Brightening Vitamin C Serum

Serum
Serum
American Brand United States
American Brand United States

Updated on December 13, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, and reef safe serums. They have a total of 6 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain Vitamin C

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for anti aging, brightening skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, fragrances, oils, parabens, silicones or sulfates

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

About this product

About this product

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Antioxidant, Buffering, Masking

Ascorbic Acid is is pure Vitamin C. This form makes up the largest amount of vitamin C found naturally in our skin.

Not only is vitamin C great for your overall health and immune system, it also has plenty of benefits on your skin.

Vitamin C is best used for brightening skin. It improves dark spots, acne scars, and hyperpigmentation. This is because it blocks the process of skin darkening when exposed to UV.

Remember: Vitamin C should not replace sunscreen!

Your skin uses vitamin C to build collagen. Collagen is one key component in having a strong skin barrier and plump skin. Vitamin C also plays a role in regulating collagen, thus making it effective in improving wrinkles and fine lines.

Ascorbic acid shows potent antioxidant activity. As an antioxidant, it helps fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. These antioxidants also protect skin against UV damage.

The best formulations include Vitamin E and/or ferulic acid. These two ingredients help stabilize and provide a boost in the benefits of ascorbic acid. This is because ascorbic acid becomes unstable when exposed to UV and air. In fact, you can tell your ascorbic acid has oxidized when it turns an orange-yellow color.

Ascorbic acid is generally compatible with other ingredients. However, using ascorbic acid with other active ingredients might cause irritation. Two ingredients: copper ions and benzoyl peroxide, will inactivate ascorbic acid completely.

Read more about other types of Vitamin C:

Foods rich with vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, broccoli, bell peppers, and more. When consuming Vitamin C, your skin receives a portion of the nutrients.

Learn more about Ascorbic Acid
Antimicrobial, Antioxidant

Ferulic Acid is a plant based antioxidant. By fighting free-radicals, ferulic acid can help reduce the formation of fine lines and hyperpigmentation.

When used with Vitamin C, Ferulic Acid has shown to prevent Vitamin C from breaking down. In other words, it acts as a stabilizer.

Ferulic Acid is sometimes used to preserve food. Foods containing Ferulic Acid include: oats, rice, eggplant, citrus.

In medicine, Ferulic Acid is being studied for helping with diabetes, Alzheimer's, and cardiovascular diseases.

Learn more about Ferulic Acid
Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water
Humectant, Solvent

Ethoxydiglycol is a synthetic solvent.

Solvents are used to keep ingredients together in a product. They can help dissolve ingredients to stable bases or help evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product.

Ethoxydiglycol also helps deliver other key ingredients into the skin.

Learn more about Ethoxydiglycol
Solvent

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin. 

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

Learn more about Propanediol
Emollient, Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.

It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.

Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.

This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.

Learn more about Caprylyl Glycol

When to use

15 Routines
100% use in am
0% use in pm
87% use every day
236 Routines
91% use in am
8% use in pm
89% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Brandefy Skin 15% Vitamin C + E + Ferulic Acid Serum 14 ingredients

15% Vitamin C + E + Ferulic Acid Serum hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

Prequel Lucent-C Brightening Vitamin C Serum 14 ingredients

3.4 /5
from 9 ratings
Great Value (6) Absorbs Well (5) Strong Scent (5)
brookefowler's avatar

Brooke Fowler

6 months ago
Review

When I first got into skincare years ago, I tried the extremely expensive ce ferulic everyone knows and, though I loved it and it made a big difference in my skin, I couldn’t justify the price for what ended up being half a bottle before it oxidized. All other vitamin c just irritated my skin so I gave up on it. I had a reoccurrence of my acne recently and remembered that this product had been a Show more

#great value
#light
#absorbs well
#strong scent
ClaireEstelle's avatar

Claire L.

6 months ago
Review

I really like this Vitamin C serum and have noticed an improvement in some of my dark spots. The serum is packaged in opaque glass to protect it from UV. I don't like the pump very much as the formula is very liquid and it shoots out fast - something to be aware of. It also has to go on first (before other serums) as things can pill on top of it. However, for the price and effectiveness, I'm Show more

#great value
#absorbs well
#light scent