Product record Nº 006 / Serums, vitamin C · E · ferulic
SkipMaelove Glow Maker Vitamin C Serum
- $7.43
- per gram of active
- $32.95
- retail
- $1.11
- per mL
- Best for
- Brightening & dark spots · Antioxidant defense · Anti-aging & firmness
- How it feels
- Lightweight, fast-absorbing serum
- Value
- $32.95 for 30 mL · $1.11/mL
Bottom line The $33 vitamin C serum that Reddit convinced half the internet to ditch their $182 bottle for.
Editorial verdict / Social intelligence
The $33 vitamin C serum that Reddit convinced half the internet to ditch their $182 bottle for. 1
- Beauty benefit
- Brightens dull skin, fades dark spots and hyperpigmentation, stimulates collagen, and protects against environmental damage — the triple-threat antioxidant combo (15% vitamin C + E + ferulic acid) that dermatologists have recommended for decades.
- Does it work
- Yes. With 15,000+ reviews averaging 4.6 stars and consistent praise across Reddit, editorial, and derm channels for visible brightening within 2-4 weeks, the signal is hard to argue with. It uses the same clinically validated Duke-ratio formula as SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic at roughly 1/6 the price. See the verified data below →
Consensus strength
Strong15,496 Maelove.com reviews (4.6 stars), Amazon listing with 4.6-star rating, Influenster 4.5/5 (160+ reviews), Reddit analysis across SkincareAddiction/AsianBeauty/30PlusSkinCare, 6+ editorial/chemist reviews, 2 TikTok derm endorsements, multiple head-to-head vs SkinCeuticals comparisons
We don't recommend this as a dupe. If you want it: price on Amazon ($39.90) ↗
01 / The actives
Read against the original's trio
The reference is the original's disclosed 15 / 1 / 0.5 — 15% L-ascorbic acid, 1% vitamin E, 0.5% ferulic acid. This readout is the apples-to-apples comparison.
Disclosed by brand. Percentages published by Maelove on their product page.
- 15% L-ascorbic acid the dossier →
- n.d. Vitamin E (tocopherol) the dossier →
- n.d. Ferulic acid the dossier →
02 / The full ingredient list
Every ingredient, in label order
Exactly as printed, each token matched to the EU CosIng register and flagged where a CIR safety assessment exists. Highlighted rows are the actives.
| # | Ingredient, as printed | CosIng functions | CIR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Water (Aqua) CosIng: WATER |
| — |
| 02 | Ascorbic Acid |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 03 | Ethoxydiglycol |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 04 | Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 05 | Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract CosIng: VITIS VINIFERA SEED EXTRACT |
| — |
| 06 | Glycerin |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 07 | Sodium Hyaluronate |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 08 | Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract |
| — |
| 09 | Tocopherol |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 10 | Xanthan Gum |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 11 | Ferulic Acid |
| — |
| 12 | Lecithin |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 13 | Disodium EDTA |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 14 | Sodium Metabisulfite |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 15 | Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Callus Culture Extract |
| — |
| 16 | Ethylhexyglycerin label typo → ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 17 | Maltodextrin |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 18 | Sodium Hydroxide |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 19 | Gluconolactone |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 20 | Calcium Gluconate |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 21 | Phenoxyethanol |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 22 | Sodium Benzoate |
| ✓ reviewed |
22 ingredients as printed · 19 exact CosIng matches · 2 normalized spellings · 1 label typo, matched anyway · source: disclosed by brand
03 / The ranking
We ranked it against the $185 original
Where it landed
Nº 6 of 7
25% base-formula match
Skip
Ranked Nº 6 of 7 against the $185 original, with a 25% base-formula match — and we say skip it as a dupe. Vitamin E (tocopherol) and ferulic acid appear in the formula at undisclosed percentages. It may be a fine serum on its own terms; as a stand-in for the original, the products ranked above it get you closer for less.
04 / Where to buy
If you want it anyway
We don't recommend Maelove Glow Maker Vitamin C Serum as a C E Ferulic dupe — the products ranked above it get you closer for less. If you want it on its own terms:
price on Amazon ($39.90) — not recommended as a dupe
Some links on this page earn us a commission. It never changes the verdict — the ranking and methodology are public.
05 / What people say
What buyers actually say
Aggregated from 31,149 verified reviews across 3 sources.
What works
-
My skin is like glass now Reviews
-
noticeable melasma fading and texture improvements within half a bottle Reviews
-
Lightweight and watery consistency. Absorbs quickly and leaves no sticky residue. Editorial
- Common Exceptional value: same clinically proven Duke-ratio formula as SkinCeuticals at ~1/6 the price 436
The honest budget vitamin C dupe. Worth $30 vs $182. Score: 8.7/10 Editorial
-
calm skin despite sensitive skin and rosacea Reviews
- Some Dermatologist-recommended; endorsed by skincare dermatologist @dermdude on TikTok 13
Seriously my favorite vitamin C serum with the active form ascorbic acid... affordable and effective Video
What to know
-
That is seriously dark. Which is wild since it came boxed up and away from sunlight Reddit
- Some Dropper packaging exposes serum to air and light with each use — suboptimal for a finicky active 812
Why do brands even bother packing such a finicky product like vitamin c in droppers...when it's supposed to be kept from light and air? Reddit
- Some Some users report no improvement in dark spots or hydration vs. SkinCeuticals 7
This product provides a nice glow as well, but you don't feel hydrated like CE ferulic and I still haven't noticed any improvement in my dark spots Editorial
-
oxidizes fast and some users get breakouts Reddit
-
Small 1 fl oz bottle size Editorial
What you'd only know from the reviews
-
Oxidation color tells you when to toss it: pale/golden yellow ('white wine color') is still acceptable per Maelove CS; dark orange or brown means it's degraded. One real user ran a bottle ~3 months before it turned golden — Maelove confirmed this is within normal range. 11
-
At once-daily use, a 1oz bottle lasts approximately 3 months before oxidation ends its useful life. Refrigeration meaningfully extends both shelf life and potency — worth doing from day one. editorial ↗12
-
The formula pH is 3.1-3.4 — confirmed by Maelove's own product page. This is the correct acidic range for L-ascorbic acid absorption, matching the pH rationale behind the original Duke patent. No vague 'low pH' marketing — it's a real number. 1
vs. SkinCeuticals
Near-universal consensus that the formula is the genuine CE Ferulic archetype (same 15% L-ascorbic acid / vitamin E / ferulic acid at correct pH) at ~1/6 the price. Editorial and Reddit reviewers consistently call it the best affordable dupe. However, a meaningful minority of side-by-side users find SkinCeuticals more hydrating and faster on dark spots — likely reflecting the additional botanicals Maelove substituted to avoid the patent, which add antioxidants but may change the feel profile. Brooklyn Blonde (editorial): 'Do I like it as much as C E Ferulic? Probably not — but at $28 vs $166, the Glow Maker is a really solid vitamin C.' GlowNoFilter verdict: 'delivers 75-80% of CE Ferulic's effect at 17% of the price.' One individual reviewer (Brandefyskin) reported no dark spot improvement vs CE Ferulic, illustrating that dupe-level results are not universal.
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06 / Questions
Frequently asked
- What's in Maelove Glow Maker Vitamin C Serum?
- Maelove Glow Maker Vitamin C Serum lists 22 ingredients. The actives: 15% L-ascorbic acid, vitamin E (tocopherol) at an undisclosed percentage and ferulic acid at an undisclosed percentage. Percentages published by Maelove on their product page. The full list, matched ingredient-by-ingredient to the EU CosIng register, is on this page.
- Is Maelove Glow Maker Vitamin C Serum a good dupe for SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic?
- Ranked Nº 6 of 7 against the $185 original, with a 25% base-formula match — and we say skip it as a dupe. Vitamin E (tocopherol) and ferulic acid appear in the formula at undisclosed percentages. It may be a fine serum on its own terms; as a stand-in for the original, the products ranked above it get you closer for less.
- How much vitamin C does Maelove Glow Maker Vitamin C Serum have?
- 15% L-ascorbic acid — the pure, unconverted form of vitamin C. Percentages published by Maelove on their product page.
- Where can I buy Maelove Glow Maker Vitamin C Serum?
- $39.90 on Amazon (price recorded 2026-06-12), or $32.95 direct from Maelove. We don't recommend it as a C E Ferulic dupe — the ranking above explains why.