SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF for acne-prone skin
Phloretin
Ascorbic Acid
Ferulic AcidHigh
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for acne-prone skin; a few serums fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- This formulation offers excellent antioxidant protection and helps to even skin tone for your combination skin, as ascorbic acid and ferulic acid work synergistically to shield from environmental stressors and support collagen synthesis.
- The presence of phloretin further enhances the benefits for your acne, blemishes, and breakouts by providing additional antioxidant protection and improving overall skin tone.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use your serum as part of your PM routine and start 3x/week before working up to daily use.
- Apply this treatment after cleansing and toner, and before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- Apply the product on clean, dry skin to help manage your breakouts safely.
- Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 3.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this product is highly regarded for brightening the complexion, evening skin tone, and reducing discoloration such as dark spots and melasma, particularly benefiting those with normal, oily, combination, or acne-prone skin. Many users report achieving smoother, more radiant skin and a decrease in fine lines. However, a significant number of reviews mention the high cost, a strong scent, and occasional issues with stickiness or packaging.
Highlights
Brightens skin Mostly Mentioned
- “I really love this product, as my skin is brighter.”
- “It has evened out my skin tone and helped the overall look of my skin!”
- “Noticeably smoother, more even toned skin.”
- “I immediately notice how much brighter and more even my skin looks when I add it back in.”
Fades discoloration Often Mentioned
- “Really fades brown spots, perfect for men and a little goes a long way!”
- “I have really bad melasma and this had helped to keep it under control.”
- “It also worked synergistically with azelaic acid to fade my dark spots.”
- “I have seen an amazing improvement in discoloration and uneven skin tone.”
Lightweight texture Often Mentioned
- “It is a light weight, fast absorbing serum.”
- “It feels lightweight and absorbs quickly.”
- “Absorbs well and doesn't leave a greasy finish.”
- “The formula glides onto skin easily and penetrates quickly.”
High price point Often Mentioned
- “It's not bad by any means but it's also kinda meh at a high price point.”
- “It's ridiculously expensive, but it lasts a long time.”
- “Expensive but worth the buy.”
Good for oily skin Sometimes Noted
- “If you have oily skin, this is a great vitamin C to try.”
- “Fantastic and effective vitamin c serum for acne prone skin.”
- “I like the Phloretin better because it keeps my skin from getting too oily.”
- “Great for sensitive or acne prone skin.”
Unpleasant scent Sometimes Noted
- “The scent is strong and smells like alcohol mixed with something burnt.”
- “This product smells strongly like alcohol which is quite unpleasant.”
- “Has strong fragrance... not my HG.”
- “The scent reminds me of burnt sugar and wood burning.”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “Spills fast and I cannot control the nozzle.”
- “Sometimes it makes my skin so sticky after massage.”
- “The liquid dropper is my least favorite part.”
- “Spreading in palms is essential before applying with fingers.”
Sources: lovi.care, skinceuticals.com, dermstore.com, lovelyskin.com, bluemercury.com, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF a great fit for acne-prone skin?
SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF is a great fit for acne-prone skin because phloretin, ascorbic acid, and ferulic acid provide powerful antioxidant protection while helping to calm breakouts and even out skin tone. This product is very safe and is unlikely to cause irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2016
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for acne-prone skin?
Phloretin, Ascorbic Acid, and Ferulic Acid make this serum a great fit for your skin by providing powerful antioxidant protection and improving overall skin tone. Phloretin helps manage breakouts by calming the skin, while the other ingredients work together to shield you from environmental damage and support a smooth, even look with a very low risk of irritation.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2008Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008
What does phloretin do for acne-prone skin?
Phloretin helps acne-prone skin by slowing down the growth of acne-causing bacteria and reducing swelling. It also may lower oil production and decrease clogged pores to keep your skin clearer and calmer.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2016International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2014
What does vitamin C do for acne-prone skin?
Vitamin C helps brighten skin and smooth out uneven texture for acne-prone skin while improving overall radiance. It also supports treatments for post-acne dark spots and aging.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, as Lovi routines place treatments in the PM for simplicity and extra safety around sun exposure. The formula contains Ascorbic Acid, Phloretin, and Ferulic Acid, which help protect acne-prone skin from environmental stressors and improve skin tone without causing irritation.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum alongside retinol by applying the serum in your morning routine and your retinol in the evening. This approach lets you get the protective benefits of the antioxidants while keeping your skin calm and avoiding harsh irritation.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2008Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008
How often should I use this serum?
This serum is a great fit for your acne-prone skin, so you can safely use it in the evening as part of your routine. Antioxidant treatments like this are well-tolerated and help shield your skin from environmental stressors while evening out skin tone.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2008Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This serum is a great fit and is unlikely to cause breakouts or clog pores on acne-prone skin. It has a very safe formula without harsh ingredients, and phloretin helps reduce blemishes, excess oil, and acne-causing bacteria.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2016Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (alcohol denat).
What the research says
A topical antioxidant solution of 15% L-ascorbic acid, 1% alpha-tocopherol, and 0.5% ferulic acid provides significant photoprotection against solar-simulated UV radiation in human skin compared to its vehicle.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2008Pretreatment with a topical antioxidant mixture of vitamin C, ferulic acid, and phloretin attenuated ultraviolet-induced sunburn cell formation, thymine dimer formation, matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression, p53 protein expression, and the suppression of CD1a-expressing Langerhans cells in human skin compared to vehicle control.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008Phloretin inhibits the growth of acne-related bacteria, attenuates P. acnes-induced inflammatory mediators in vitro, and significantly reduces comedo counts, sebum output, and porphyrin levels in subjects with whiteheads compared to before treatment.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2016Phloretin 3',3-disulfonate attenuated UVB-induced cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer formation, glutathione depletion, apoptosis, and inflammatory mediator release in skin cells by enhancing nucleotide excision repair gene expression.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2014Compound 11c showed potent inhibitory activity against tyrosinase at nanomolar concentrations and reduced melanin content in a UV-induced skin pigmentation guinea pig model.
Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 2023An optimized phloretin-based antiacne hydrogel formulation achieved 75% drug release over 120 minutes and strong antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis with an 11 mm inhibition zone, comparable to benzoyl peroxide gel, while showing no skin irritancy.
Anti-inflammatory & Anti-allergy Agents in Medicinal Chemistry, 2026Topical application of 5% vitamin C cream significantly improved global clinical scores, increased skin microrelief density, and induced elastic tissue repair in photoaged skin compared to excipient control in healthy female volunteers.
Experimental Dermatology, 2003Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.
Journal of Periodontology, 2009Topical application of VC-IP cream twice daily for 8 weeks reduces periorbital wrinkles in female subjects compared to a placebo cream.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Treatment with 14% ferulic acid and 12% l-ascorbic acid significantly reduced pigmentation and erythema while improving hydration and elasticity in 20 women with photoaged skin, with neither acid proving definitively more effective overall though ascorbic acid showed slightly greater skin lightening.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Combining fractional microneedle radiofrequency with a topical antioxidant serum significantly reduced wrinkle severity by 29.9% versus 18.0%, increased elasticity by 12.9% versus 2.3%, and improved aesthetic outcomes in 31 participants compared to radiofrequency and placebo.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2025Topical ferulic acid-containing formulations effectively reduce skin erythema, hyperpigmentation, and signs of aging in adults compared to baseline or alternative conditions.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2025
Ingredients
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat, Ascorbic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Triethyl Citrate, Phloretin, Ferulic Acid
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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