FutureDerm Vitamin CE Caffeic Serum Review

Recently I had the opportunity to try out the FutureDerm Vitamin CE Caffeic Serum. It’s a Vitamin C serum, meant to brighten your skin. I’m a huge fan of Vitamin C Serums, as they typically make your skin feel smooth and brighter, as well as help to repair sun damage. This Vitamin C serum was a year in the making!

PR sample.

The Website Says
Premiering in April 2013, this exclusive brightening, tightening serum contains an unprecedented 16% vitamin C, 2% vitamin E, and caffeic acid, all suspended in a state-of-the-art silicone base. Unlike other vitamin C serums on the market, FutureDerm Vitamin CE Caffeic Serum is microencapsulated, meaning that it has sustained release of vitamin C for hours at a time. FutureDerm Vitamin CE Caffeic also leaves the skin smooth, with an exclusive molecular lattice network through which the beneficial ingredients can reach the skin. Together with caffeic acid, which has been shown in independent studies to be more potent of an antioxidant than ferulic acid, the benefits of FutureDerm Vitamin CE Caffeic Serum can be experienced in as little as 8 days. It is truly revolutionary.

• Contains 16% vitamin C, including 8% microencapsulated L-ascorbic acid and 8% tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate for maximized performance
• Features L-ascorbic acid, which has been shown in studies to brighten complexion and alleviate the appearance of age spots with repeated use over time
• Also includes tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, a stable form of vitamin C with similar effects
• May increase skin firmness
• Includes concentrations of vitamins C and E shown in independent studies to enhance UVA/UVB protection
• Contains 2% vitamin E and the antioxidant caffeic acid
• Includes a 30-day money back guarantee
• The concentration of vitamin C as 16% is clinically proven in independent research to brighten skin, alleviate the appearance of age spots, and even skin tone with repeated use over time.

Ingredients
Cyclomethicone (slip agent), Dimethicone Crosspolymer-3, (slip agent), Ascorbic acid (antioxidant), Dimethicone (slip agent), Bis-vinyl Dimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer (slip agent), Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (antioxidant), Tocopherol (antioxidant), Caffeic acid (antioxidant)

Price
$89 for 1 oz

This serum needs to be shook up really well before application and you only need to apply the tiniest amount to your skin, about the size of a dime. It takes a long time to dry down for me, around 10 to 15 minutes. If I accidentally use too much, it doesn’t seem to dry down and it feels sticky. I don’t love that I feel like I have to be very careful with its application. It makes me wonder if my sensitive, combination skin was the problem.

Now, the other big thing is the price.  At $89 for 1 oz, it’s the most expensive Vitamin C serum that I’ve ever tried. It’s also the only one that I’ve ever tried that has micro-encapsulated Vitamin C. Much like the FutureDerm Time-Release Retinol, I think that the concept of a product working over a period of hours is cool.  However, I hate the idea of spending over $60 for an ounce of serum. Of course, some of you have emailed me in the past and said you’ve had no qualms about spending $100, so I know it varies by person!

I just LOVE that Nicki explains what each ingredient is for in the formula. Very rarely do you see a company explain what each ingredient is for. I also love that there’s less than 10 ingredients. Fewer things to be allergic to! On that note, this product did not irritate my sensitive, combo skin at all.

I do love that it is micro-encapsulated Vitamin C, and it is supposed to be releasing Vitamin C for hours. I think that’s pretty awesome. It also smells like citrus, which fades quickly, so it’s a nice invigorating scent. If you use it over a long enough period of time, you will notice that your skin feels smoother. I noticed that after I’d used it for about 2 weeks my skin felt smoother and I felt like my complexion looked brighter. I didn’t notice that it had faded any of my hyper-pigmentation on its own. It may work well with any other products that you’re using to fade hyperpigmentation, since the Vitamin C works for hours rather than for a shorter period of time. I’ve been experimenting with using it with my PCA Skin Hyperpigmentation kit (subbing it for the Vitamin C that came with the kit), and it’s working well with the other products.

I think no matter what, if you start using Vitamin C regularly, you will notice that your skin is smoother, your complexion is brighter, and you may notice that your hyper-pigmentation (if you have it) is lighter.

Want to save $10 on your purchase of FutureDerm Vitamin CE Caffeic Serum? If you purchase through FutureDerm’s website and use the code: phyrravitaminC  you can save $10!

What do you think of Vitamin C Serums? Have you tried the FutureDerm Vitamin CE Caffeic Serum? Which is your favorite?