C E Ferulic vs Phloretin CF vs Silymarin CF: Choosing Your Vitamin C Serum
SkinCeuticals makes three vitamin C antioxidant serums and most people are wearing the wrong one for their skin. How they differ, who each is for, and where Vivier and iS Clinical fit.
By Ageless Living Aesthetics TeamMedical aestheticians and nurse injectors
A vitamin C serum is the second most important morning product after sunscreen, and for the same reason: it neutralises the free radicals from UV, pollution and ozone that sunscreen does not fully block. It also brightens tone and supports collagen. The question is which one, because the three we sell most look nearly identical and are not.
What they share
Each SkinCeuticals CF serum uses 15% pure L-ascorbic acid stabilised with 0.5% ferulic acid, at a formulation the brand's own research established as the effective range. The difference is the third antioxidant and the base it sits in.
C E Ferulic
Adds 1% alpha tocopherol, vitamin E, in a slightly richer serum. It is the reference product for photo-ageing, with the most published data, and suits normal, dry and mature skin. If lines and firmness are your priority and your skin is not oily, this is the one.
Phloretin CF
Replaces vitamin E with 2% phloretin, an antioxidant from apples that also helps correct discolouration. The texture is lighter and it wears well under makeup. Normal, oily and combination skin with sun damage, pigment or early lines.
Silymarin CF
Adds 0.5% silymarin from milk thistle and 0.5% salicylic acid in an oil-free serum. Silymarin helps prevent the oil oxidation that leads to breakouts, so this is the vitamin C for oily, blemish-prone and adult-acne skin that still wants antioxidant protection and brightening. It has picked up awards for exactly that niche.
Where the others fit
- Serum 10: 10% L-ascorbic acid for sensitive skin or anyone new to vitamin C. Step up to a CF serum after a few months.
- Vivier CE Peptides and Quintiserum: 10% and 15% vitamin C with vitamin E and proprietary peptides, for those who want firmness support in the same bottle.
- iS Clinical Pro-Heal Serum Advance+: vitamin C with olive leaf extract and vitamins E and A, formulated for healing, so it doubles as post-procedure care.
Using it well
Four to five drops on clean, dry skin every morning, then moisturiser and SPF. Store it away from light and heat, and expect the colour to deepen slightly over months; that is normal. A bottle lasts about three months at the correct dose.
Questions we hear
- Which vitamin C serum is best for oily skin?
- Silymarin CF. It is oil-free, includes salicylic acid, and its silymarin helps stop the oil oxidation that causes breakouts.
- Is C E Ferulic worth it?
- For normal to dry skin focused on ageing, it remains the reference vitamin C with the most evidence behind it. For oily or blemish-prone skin, one of its siblings is the better buy.
- Can I use vitamin C every day?
- Yes, every morning. Sensitive skin can start with Serum 10 or use a CF serum every other day for the first two weeks.
Information in this article is educational and not a substitute for medical advice. Individual response varies; what is right for you is confirmed in consultation.
