SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic vs. Phloretin CF vs. Silymarin CF: Which is Right for You?

• About SkinCeuticals

When looking out for top professional skin care lines for estheticians, SkinCeuticals skincare is one of the best in show. SkinCeuticals was born from decades of skin cancer research that led to pivotal breakthroughs in antioxidants. 

From potent Vitamin C antioxidant serums to sunscreens to multi-purpose cleaners and nourishing moisturizers, SkinCeuticals skin care products are designed to improve skin's health and prevent future skin conditions. SkinCeuticals skin care is based on the principles of prevention, protection and correction. Each skin care product has proven scientific support to help maintain and improve skin health. 

The Shops: 

SkinCeuticals (up to 6% cashback from Extrabux)

SkinStore (up to 12% cashback from Extrabux)

Dermstore (up to 8% cashback from Extrabux)

Bluemercury (up to 3% cashback from Extrabux)

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• The Difference & Reviews

| SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic

($169/30ml, up to 6% cashback at Skinceuticals)

What Is It?

An award-winning vitamin C combination antioxidant serum proven to deliver advanced environmental protection against atmospheric skin aging. Powerful antioxidant that delivers 8x environmental protection, helps prevent free radical damage and improves the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and loss of firmness.

Key Ingredients: 

- 15% L-ascorbic Acid: Lauded for its superior antioxidant benefits, this highly potent form of pure vitamin C helps neutralize free radicals and protect against oxidative stress while providing visible anti-aging benefits.

- 1% Alpha Tocopherol: This pure form of vitamin E neutralizes free radicals and replenishes skin lipids. It has been proven to act synergistically with vitamin C.

- 0.5% Ferulic Acid: A plant-based antioxidant, ferulic acid neutralizes free radicals and enhances the antioxidant benefits and stability of vitamins C and E.

Best for: Most suitable for normal to dry skin types, but anyone who wants to prevent premature aging can use it.

Review: Since its launch, C E Ferulic has become one of the most widely adored products on the market—and not just by pros. Its ability brings dull, damaged skin back to life—so much so that it won a Beauty Award in the Readers' Choice category. In addition, One of the reasons that the SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic is so hard to mimic is that SkinCeuticals patented the serum's blend of active ingredients (15 percent L-ascorbic acid, 1 percent vitamin E, and 0.5 percent ferulic acid). This is important because if the formulation isn't properly balanced, not only might it be less effective, but because vitamin C has a pretty short shelf life, it can go "bad" as early as one to two months after opening the bottle. 

One shopper said: "I'm at the brink of my mid-thirties and my skin tends to be dry and sensitive, with signs of aging slowly starting to set in, with fine lines waving 'hey' despite me trying to outrun them with arms flailing. In a world where skincare promises cherubic skin in a few days, C E Ferulic stands out for delivering exactly what it says. With only a few days of use, my skin is brighter, hyperpigmentation slowly diminished and it feels a lot less dehydrated.”

| SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF

($169/30ml, up to 8% cashback at Dermstore)

SkinCeuticals' Phloretin CF provides powerful antioxidant protection to normal, oily and combination skin types. Designed for daytime use, this antioxidant serum neutralizes free radicals to prevent signs of accelerated skin aging. The blend of phloretin, pure vitamin C and Ferulic acid improve the appearance of discoloration, fine lines and uneven skin tone.

Key Ingredients: 

- 2% Phloretin: Derived from apples and the root bark of fruit trees including apple, pear, and grapefruit, this antioxidant neutralizes damaging free radicals, helps improve cell turnover, and improves the appearance of discoloration.

- 10% L-ascorbic Acid: Lauded for its superior antioxidant benefits, this highly potent form of pure vitamin C neutralizes damaging free radicals and protects against oxidative stress while providing visible anti-aging benefits.

- 0.5% Ferulic Acid: A plant-based antioxidant, ferulic acid neutralizes free radicals and enhances the antioxidant benefits of phloretin and vitamins C and E.

Best for: Combo and oily skin types who want to prevent premature aging.

Review: If discoloration and signs of photo-aging are your main concerns, then Phloretin CF is for you. This product helps improve the quality of our skin. It is a lightweight, fast-absorbing serum that helps with brightening and a slight tightening of our skin. This formula combines vitamin C and ferulic acid with phloretin, an antioxidant derived from apples that does a number on dark spots.

"My esthetician recommended this for me based off of my skincare concerns (acne prone). I noticed a difference in my skin within a few days of using this, and have since turned on many other friends and family to using this. I couldn't recommend it enough. For those who are worried about smell -- I find it slightly reminiscent of coffee beans, and it disappears quickly after application. You need this product!" wrote one Dermstore reviewer.

Phloretin CF vs. C E Ferulic:

The difference between the two is that Phloretin CF has no vitamin E (CE Ferulic had 1%) and has reduced the dose of vitamin C from 15% to 10%. It has kept the 0.5% drop of ferulic acid and added in phloretin at 2%. Phloretin is an antioxidant derived from apples that does a number on dark spots. Plus, since Phloretin CF doesn't contain vitamin E, it's more suitable for skin types with oily T-zone (vitamin E can be too rich for combination skin).

Typically, this means that if you fall into the normal-to-dry category, most of the time, you're going to want to incorporate C E Ferulic into your routine. If you're more oily, you'll want to try Phloretin CF.

| SkinCeuticals Silymarin CF

($169/30ml, up to 12% cashback at SkinStore)

What Is It?

Silymarin CF is a powerful, award-winning vitamin C triple antioxidant serum formulated specifically for oily and blemish-prone skin. SkinCeuticals research shows that specific combinations of antioxidants, when effectively formulated, perform synergistically to provide results superior to each single antioxidant formulation. The result of six years of research and development, this lightweight formula helps reduce oil oxidation, control excess sebum and improve the appearance of blemishes and signs of aging. 

Key Ingredients: 

- 15% L-ascorbic Acid: Lauded for its superior antioxidant benefits, this highly potent form of pure vitamin C helps neutralize free radicals and protect against oxidative stress while providing visible anti-aging benefits.

- 0.5% Silymarin: Powerful plant-based antioxidant derived from milk thistle that helps prevent oil oxidation and provides antioxidant protection against free radicals.

- 0.5% Ferulic Acid: A plant-based antioxidant, ferulic acid neutralizes free radicals and enhances the antioxidant benefits and stability of vitamin C.

- 0.5% Salicylic Acid: A beta-hydroxy acid provides effective exfoliation, refines pores, and helps reduce the formation of blemishes.

Best for: Oily and acne-prone skin types who want to prevent premature aging.

Review: Silymarin CF is not just for oily or blemish prone people, but is specifically designed for oily or combination skin types and those who are particularly concerned about skin conditions such as consistent breakouts, environmental damage and/or visible signs of aging such as fine lines, dark spots and wrinkles. If you've been on the hunt for a high-quality vitamin C serum but have reacted to or noticed minimal benefits from other formulas, look no further than Silymarin CF.

One SkinCeuticals customer wrote, "I had a facial about a month ago and I have been suffering from adult acne. I have tried so many different products and each time they would fall short. She used this during my facial and I decided to give it a try. My adult acne is nearly all gone. My skin looks radiant and great! I am 50 years old and this is the first product I have ever done a review on."

Silymarin CF vs. C E Ferulic:

Compared with CE Ferulic, Silymarin CF's first magic ingredient? Silymarin. Also known as milk thistle extract, this powerhouse component helps with antioxidant protection and oil oxidation. The serum also contains a 0.5% concentration of salicylic acid to quell breakouts along with some of the aforementioned ferulic acid to stabilize vitamin C.

If skin is intolerant of ethanol and/or salicylic acid, then CE Ferulic is the way to go.  If skin gets along with these two ingredients (and also okay with a double smoked barbeque smell), Silymarin CF may be a slightly better choice.

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