Cheaper alternatives to Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Vitamin C Day Serum (28 mL / 0.94 fl oz)

Is the Drunk Elephant C-Firma worth it?

The Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Vitamin C Day Serum (28 mL / 0.94 fl oz) ($79) is worth it if you want a strong L-ascorbic acid serum that stays potent for a long time after opening. Drunk Elephant lists 15% L-ascorbic acid with 0.5% ferulic acid and 1% vitamin E at pH 2.5, sold as two parts you mix before first use, and says a 12-month real-time study found the mixed serum keeps nearly 95% of its active vitamin C for one year. It is meant for mornings, one pump under sunscreen.

When a cheaper swap makes sense

If you want the same 15% L-ascorbic acid, vitamin E and ferulic acid trio and will finish a bottle within a few months, the Maelove Glow Maker Vitamin C Serum (1 fl oz) ($33) is the closest formula. The Timeless 20% Vitamin C + E Ferulic Acid Serum (1 oz) ($28) is stronger and fragrance free, and Timeless says a bottle typically lasts about a month at 1-2 pumps a day. If L-ascorbic acid has irritated you before, the Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum (1.02 fl oz) ($34) uses sodium ascorbyl phosphate instead, and The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% (30 mL) ($8) suits evening use if you can tolerate tingling and a gritty feel.

What to compare

• Vitamin C form and strength: C-Firma 15% L-ascorbic acid; Maelove 15% L-ascorbic acid; Timeless 20% L-ascorbic acid; The Ordinary 23% L-ascorbic acid in a water-free suspension; Mad Hippie sodium ascorbyl phosphate, with no percentage on its own page.
• Supporting antioxidants: C-Firma 0.5% ferulic acid and 1% vitamin E; Maelove vitamin E and ferulic acid; Timeless vitamin E (alpha tocopherol), ferulic acid, sodium hyaluronate and panthenol; Mad Hippie vitamin E, ferulic acid and hyaluronic acid; The Ordinary hyaluronic acid only.
• Freshness after opening: Drunk Elephant says nearly 95% of active vitamin C remains a year after mixing; Maelove says use within 3-6 months of opening; Timeless says use within 3 to 6 months of opening and refrigerate; Mad Hippie says replace about six months after opening.
• Time of day: Drunk Elephant suggests morning use under sunscreen; Maelove says every morning; Timeless says AM or PM with SPF in the morning; Mad Hippie recommends morning; The Ordinary says once daily, ideally in the evening.
• Storage: Maelove says open and unopened bottles can go in the fridge; Timeless says to begin use on receipt and store in the refrigerator; Drunk Elephant says the mixed formula “never touches the air” and gives no refrigeration instruction.

Watch out for

• Oxidation: Timeless says its serum slowly turns more yellow with age and is no longer effective once it turns orange or brown. Mad Hippie says its serum arrives with an amber tint, which is normal for that formula.
• Layering limits: The Ordinary lists niacinamide, peptides, retinoids, copper peptides and direct acids among products not to use with its Vitamin C Suspension, and Drunk Elephant says not to use C-Firma in the same routine as its T.L.C. Framboos.
• Texture and sting: The Ordinary says “A tingling sensation can be expected” and that the slightly granular feel comes from vitamin C powder suspended in an oil-like base; it suggests mixing it with another oil if the sensation is too strong.
• Scent from botanicals: Mad Hippie says its serum has no synthetic fragrance but smells faintly of konjac root, chamomile and clary sage, and Maelove says color and scent can vary by batch.