Antioxidants are often marketed as if they were jewels: vitamin C here, vitamin E there, ferulic acid added like a flourish. In serious formulation, they are less like jewels and more like an electrical system. Each one carries and stabilizes energy differently. Together, they can be more resilient than they are alone.
The classic antioxidant trio of vitamin C, vitamin E and ferulic acid became famous because of a simple formulation idea: pair a water-oriented antioxidant with a lipid-oriented antioxidant, then add a stabilizing botanical acid that improves the network. In a landmark study, ferulic acid improved the chemical stability of a vitamin C and E solution and doubled its measured photoprotective effect in skin models [1]. That study used 15% L-ascorbic acid, 1% alpha-tocopherol and 0.5% ferulic acid. YJOR uses a vitamin C derivative rather than that exact L-ascorbic acid system, so we do not imply identical performance. The principle, however, remains central to the cream’s architecture.
Vitamin C has a distinguished dermatologic role. Reviews describe its antioxidant function, role in collagen-related biochemistry, and use in the appearance of photodamage and uneven tone [2]. The challenge is that pure L-ascorbic acid can be demanding: it is water soluble, pH-sensitive and vulnerable to oxidation. Cosmetic chemists therefore often work with derivatives that can be more flexible in finished formulas. 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid, for example, has been studied for skin delivery properties and is used as a stabilized vitamin C derivative [3].
Vitamin E brings the oil-phase intelligence. Skin is not only water. Its barrier is lipid-rich, and oxidative stress affects lipids as well as proteins. Tocopherols are therefore not just “another antioxidant”; they are structurally suited to protect the more lipophilic parts of the formula and the feel of the skin. In an emulsion cream, vitamin E also helps protect vulnerable oils from oxidation, a quiet act of preservation that never appears in a headline but matters in a jar.
Ferulic acid is the bridge. It is found in plant cell walls and has its own antioxidant profile, but in formulation it is loved for how it can reinforce the vitamin C and E system. It is the difference between simply including antioxidants and designing them to support one another.
This matters because environmental stress is cumulative. UV exposure, pollution, visible light, heat and everyday oxidative burden all contribute to dullness and uneven-looking skin over time. A cosmetic cream cannot replace sunscreen and should never imply it does. That is why YJOR’s directions include daytime sun protection. The antioxidant story is complementary: helping defend against the visible effects of daily environmental stress, not providing SPF.
The trio also belongs with niacinamide and bakuchiol. Niacinamide supports the look of even tone and barrier comfort [4]. Bakuchiol has clinical evidence for visible photoaging endpoints with good tolerability [5]. When antioxidants sit beside these actives, the formula becomes more coherent: smoother-looking texture, radiance, comfort and protection from visible dullness are all being addressed by different but compatible pathways.
The editorial lesson is restraint. We say the antioxidant trio is inspired by peer-reviewed research and is included for radiance and visible environmental defense. We do not say YJOR “doubles photoprotection,” “repairs UV damage,” or “prevents aging.” A luxury brand earns trust not by using the strongest possible verb, but by choosing the most accurate one.
In YJOR, vitamin C, vitamin E and ferulic acid are not decorative claims. They are a network. And networks, when carefully built, are how formulas become more than ingredient lists.
A note on evidence: the research discussed here is ingredient-level. MARSEL KEI does not publish finished-product performance figures until finished-product studies support them.
References
[1] Lin FH, Lin JY, Gupta RD, et al. Ferulic acid stabilizes a solution of vitamins C and E and doubles its photoprotection of skin. J Invest Dermatol. 2005;125(4):826-832. doi:10.1111/j.0022-202X.2005.23768.x. PMID:16185284. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16185284/
[2] Al-Niaimi F, Chiang NYZ. Topical Vitamin C and the Skin: Mechanisms of Action and Clinical Applications. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2017;10(7):14-17. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5605218/
[3] Iliopoulos F, Sil BC, Moore DJ, Lucas RA, Lane ME. 3-O-ethyl-L-ascorbic acid: Characterisation and investigation of single solvent systems for delivery to the skin. Int J Pharm X. 2019;1:100025. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6733298/
[4] Bissett DL, Oblong JE, Berge CA. Niacinamide: A B vitamin that improves aging facial skin appearance. Dermatol Surg. 2005;31(7 Pt 2):860-865. PMID:16029679. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16029679/
[5] Dhaliwal S, Rybak I, Ellis SR, et al. Prospective, randomized, double-blind assessment of topical bakuchiol and retinol for facial photoageing. Br J Dermatol. 2019;180(2):289-296. doi:10.1111/bjd.16918. PMID:29947134. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29947134/