
About this product
A vitamin C serum with 15% L-ascorbic acid, vitamin E, and ferulic acid, formulated to brighten skin and provide antioxidant protection.
Full ingredients
Aqua/Water/Eau, Ascorbic Acid, Glycerin, Ethoxydiglycol, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Mannitol, Tridecapeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Ergothioneine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentylene Glycol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Bisabolol, Sodium Gluconate, Decylene Glycol, Ferulic Acid, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Tocopherol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, 1, 2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol
Guru Score
Yay
10 experts · Strong agreementWhat they liked
What they flagged
What the gurus are saying
This 15% L-ascorbic acid formula earns consistent praise for its stabilization and science-backed ingredients like ferulic acid and vitamin E, which work together to boost the vitamin C's effectiveness and shelf life. Gurus call it a strong alternative to pricier options, though at $55 for 20ml it costs significantly more per ounce than comparable serums, and the L-ascorbic acid form does oxidize relatively quickly once opened, so those after maximum stability may want to explore ethylated ascorbic acid options instead. The airless pump packaging, lack of fragrance and alcohol, and addition of humectants mean it's gentler than many vitamin C serums, making it worth the investment for those who can afford it and don't have extremely reactive skin.
Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.
Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.
Topical vitamin C is an antioxidant with reasonable evidence for dullness and uneven tone. It breaks down in light and air, so how a product is formulated and packaged matters as much as the percentage on the front.
Source: DermNet
Ingredients like these draw water into the surface layers and slow how fast it leaves. The evidence is for comfort, softness and hydration rather than for changing the structure of the skin.
Source: DermNet
Peptides are short protein fragments meant to signal repair. The evidence for them is thinner than for retinoids or vitamin C, and it varies a lot by the specific peptide, so the category is more promising than proven.
A vitamin C serum with 15% L-ascorbic acid, vitamin E, and ferulic acid, formulated to brighten skin and provide antioxidant protection.
Yes. All 10 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 84%.
Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster holds a Guru Score of 84%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 10 expert reviewers we have collected. At least one expert has named it a Top Pick in its category.
Lower-priced serums the gurus still rate highly, versus this mid-range pick.
See how they stack up →Other products the same gurus have weighed in on, plus more from this brand and category.
Compare side by side →Stories where our editors dug into this product or its brand.
A weekly read of the takes worth catching up on: the raves, the splits, the ones the gurus won't shut up about. Free, no spam, unsubscribe whenever.
Subscribe to the digest