Cellbone Technology C15ie Advanced C-Serum: A Cheaper Alternative to Skinceuticals CE Ferulic?
Every morning for the past four-and-a-half years, I have religiously applied Skinceuticals CE Ferulic ($103.70, Amazon.com) to my skin before sunscreen. The change in my skin was drastic within months (so much, in fact, that it may have been one of the stimuli that made me believe in dermatology). At any rate, you can imagine my excitement when I came across a product with the same amount of vitamin C (15% L-ascorbic acid), half the vitamin E (0.5% alpha-tocopherol) plus 0.5% of the powerhouse antioxidant idebenone, for about $35 less. That product is Cellbone Technology C15ie Advanced C-Serum ($68.00, Cellbone.com).
What are the differences between Cellbone Technology C15ie Advanced C-Serum and Skinceuticals CE Ferulic?
Cellbone Technology C15ie Advanced C-Serum contains idebenone, which is a very potent antioxidant. In a 2006 study in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, idebenone was ranked the most effective antioxidant in reducing oxidative stress. The official ranking of the six antioxidants ranked in the study is (in order from highest to lowest): idebenone, with an EPF [rating] of 95; vitamin E (tocopherol), with an EPF of 80; kinetin, with an EPF of 68; ubiquinone, with an EPF of 55; vitamin C (ascorbic acid), with an EPF of 52; and lipoic acid, with an EPF of 41. Unfortunately, other powerful antioxidants, like green tea, white tea, and coffeeberry, were not included in the study.
Skinceuticals CE Ferulic ($114.00, Amazon.com) contains no idebenone, but the same percentage of vitamin C (as L-ascorbic acid) and twice the concentration of vitamin E (as tocopherol acetate) as the Cellbone Technology C15ie Advanced C-Serum. The advantages of Skinceuticals CE Ferulic are that it carries twice the concentration of vitamin E and includes ferulic acid, which stabilizes vitamin C and E, increases antioxidant activity, and reduces the quantity of sunburned cells after UV exposure (see graphs below). Unfortunately, no studies have directly compared the stabilizing, antioxidant, or sunburn reduction activity of idebenone or ferulic acid, so it is difficult at this time to know for sure whether Cellbone Technology C15ie Advanced C-Serum or Skinceuticals CE Ferulic provides optimal protection.
Antioxidant protection of Skinceuticals CE Ferulic. Courtesy Skinceuticals.com
Why are vitamins C and E so important in skin care products?
According to Dr. Leslie Baumann’s Cosmetic Dermatology textbook, vitamin C and vitamin E are network antioxidants that have been found to synergistically enhance the power of one another. (When one antioxidant is depleted, it can essentially “borrow” an electron from the other antioxidant to renew itself, and vice versa). Vitamins C and E as L-ascorbic acid and tocopheryl acetate have also been reported by Djerassi et. al. to prevent the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines. Vitamin C and vitamin E have also been shown in this 1996 study, amongst others, to enhance the photoprotective effects of sunscreen, as vitamin C has been reported to enhance UVA protection, whereas vitamin E is more effective against UVB radiation.
Lastly, vitamin C has also been found to decrease hyperpigmentation, although a study in the International Journal of Dermatology found that 4% hydroquinone was more effective in treating melasma than vitamin C as L-ascorbic acid. However, a separate study, also in the International Journal of Dermatology, found that combination therapy of 4% hydroquinone, vitamin C, vitamin E, and 10% glycolic acid was effective in treating signs of hyperpigmentation.
Vitamin E is naturally produced in sites rich in sebaceous glands, as it is physiologically delivered to the surface via secretion of sebum, according to this article in the journal Skin Pharmacology and Physiology. According to a second research study, this study by Packer and Valacchi, vitamin E may be the predominant natural antioxidant both in murine and human skin, and it shows a characteristic gradient with lower levels towards the outer stratum corneum layers.
So is Cellbone Technology C15ie Advanced C-Serum as Effective as Skinceuticals CE Ferulic?
Probably not, but it’s close. From ingredients alone, Cellbone Technology C15ie Advanced C-Serum certainly looks promising, with the same concentration of vitamin C as Skinceuticals CE Ferulic, and the addition of idebenone. However, the fact that Cellbone Technology C15ie Advanced C-Serum contains half the amount of vitamin E of Skinceuticals CE Ferulic concerns me, because vitamin E has many proven effects in the skin, particularly in conjunction with vitamin C. It’s a close call because 0.5% vitamin E and 0.5% idebenone have more antioxidant activity than 1% vitamin E. However, because vitamin C and vitamin E are network antioxidants that strengthen one another, 15% vitamin C and 1% vitamin E probably have more antioxidant activity than 15% vitamin C and 0.5% vitamin E and 0.5% idebenone. However, without a direct study, it’s hard to tell for sure. (If anyone knows, please contact me.)
Further, to determine the effect of Cellbone Technology C15ie Advanced C-Serum substituting idebenone for ferulic acid, a comparison study would need to be conducted. As a user (and avid fan) of Skinceuticals CE Ferulic for the past four years, I am planning to buy Cellbone Technology C15ie Advanced C-Serum next, and see what happens. (I will report results on the blog on March 26, 2008.)
Overall rating…
From ingredients alone, I give Cellbone Technology C15ie Advanced C-Serum a solid 9/10. (For the record, I give Skinceuticals CE Ferulic a 9.5/10, because of the higher concentration of vitamin E, and the established effects of vitamin E with vitamin C).
Ingredients in Cellbone Technology C15ie Advanced C-Serum
Water, L-Ascorbic Acid, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Propylenglycol, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Zinc Sulfate, Bioflavonoides, Idebenone, Alpha Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Centella Asiatica, Menthol
Ingredients in Skinceuticals CE Ferulic
Water, Ethoxydiglycol, L-ascorbic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Laureth-23, Alpha Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Triethanolamine, Ferulic Acid, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate
[...] For the full review, please click here. [...]
Pingback by Cellbone Technology C15ie Advanced C-Serum: An Alternative to Skinceuticals CE Ferulic? « FutureDerm.WordPress.com | February 13, 2008
Interesting! Can’t wait to see what you find after a month of using the Cellbone Technology Advanced-C serum. I wonder if there would be a benefit to using the Skinceuticals C/E/F in the am and using Prevage 1% in the evening…although you definitely wouldn’t save $$ with that regimen.
Comment by Beauty411 | February 15, 2008
A review of the Cellbone Technology website reveals that their application of ascorbic acid is scientifically flawed.
We also don’t know how stable this Vitamin C is, accordingly the claimed 15% could well be less than this as actually delivered to the end-user.
The potential of C + E + Ferulic acid against idebenone has been measured and inclusion of idebenone with C & E are likely to hamper absorption of each individual constituent and the overall performance of the formula.
The original and simpler Skinceuticals C + E formula did have some advantages over the newer C E Ferulic formula.
Arguably, Skinceuticals added Ferulic Acid as a stabilizer after they lost (or gave up) the rights to stabilized C + E – which appears to have re-emerged in IS Clinical’s C&E Serum.
Presumably this product contains only 0.5% Vitamin E because the better concentration along with C has already been patented by Drs. Sheldon Pinnell, Omar Mustafa et al.
Either way, long-term use of this product appears relatively negligent (if not slightly harmful).
Comment by Dr. X. D. Hawkings | February 20, 2008
[...] under sunscreen every morning for four years, and I swear by it. Only recently did I switch to Cellbone Technology C15ie Advanced Serum, for the addition of 5% idebenone and $35 less, but unfortunately also 5% less vitamin E. A full [...]
Pingback by Advice from Dermatologist Dr. David McDaniel - FutureDerm.com | February 25, 2008
Hi!
Thanks for sharing your insight and knowledge with us. I look forward to seeing the results in a month or so.
Take care,
Grayburn
Comment by Grayburn | February 26, 2008
[...] using it religiously every morning since I was nineteen years old. (I am now twenty-three.) In my February 13, 2008 blog post, I wrote about a possibly cheaper new alternative, Cellbone Technology C15ie Advanced C-Serum [...]
Pingback by Follow up: Cellbone Technology C15ie Advanced C-Serum vs. Skinceuticals CE Ferulic - FutureDerm.com | March 30, 2008
[...] been using it religiously every morning since I was nineteen years old. (I am now twenty-three.) In my February 13, 2008 blog post, I wrote about a possibly cheaper new alternative, Cellbone Technology C15ie Advanced C-Serum [...]
Pingback by Follow up: Cellbone Technology C15ie Advanced C-Serum vs. Skinceuticals CE Ferulic « FutureDerm.WordPress.com | March 30, 2008
[...] I feel like a broken record on this potent combination…please visit here for more information. [...]
Pingback by Spotlight On: Vitamin E - FutureDerm.com | April 5, 2008
Wow! A cheaper product but I hope it’s almost as effective as the Skinceuticals antioxidant.
Comment by Joyce | June 17, 2008
Hi!,
Comment by name | August 31, 2008
Good day!,
Comment by name | August 31, 2008