SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF for combination skin
Phloretin
Ascorbic Acid
Ferulic AcidHigh
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for combination skin; a few serums fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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
- Highly suitable for your combination skin, the ascorbic acid and ferulic acid offer excellent antioxidant protection and support collagen synthesis, addressing your oily shine concerns.
- The formulation is also beneficial for improving skin tone and providing relevant benefits for oily shine.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients for your combination skin.
How to apply
- Use your serum as part of your PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and move to daily use if your skin likes it.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toner, and right before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and wait a minute ⏳for it to soak in.
- Apply the serum on clean and dry skin since your skin is not sensitive.
- Always do a patch test before using the serum for the first time, and avoid the eye area .
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 combination skin?
SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF is a great fit for your combination skin because ascorbic acid and ferulic acid provide strong antioxidant protection and support collagen while helping with oily shine. The formula has an excellent safety profile and is unlikely to cause irritation since it lacks harsh ingredients.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2008Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for combination skin?
SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF is a great fit for your combination skin because phloretin, ascorbic acid, and ferulic acid work together to provide antioxidant protection, improve skin tone, and help manage oily shine without causing irritation. These ingredients also support collagen synthesis and protect your skin against UV-induced damage.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2016Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2008
What does phloretin do for combination skin?
Phloretin helps balance combination skin by controlling excess oil and soothing redness. It also may protect your skin from sun damage and fade dark spots.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2016Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008
What does vitamin C do for combination skin?
Vitamin C helps brighten combination skin, smooth out uneven texture, and protect against daily damage. Because it addresses dullness and signs of aging while remaining lightweight, it helps keep the skin looking radiant and healthy.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and toning, and before moisturizing. Putting it in the evening helps with simplicity and extra safety around sun exposure.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
How often should I use this serum?
This treatment is used in the evening once a week to start, and people who tolerate it well and see good results can carefully use it more often. Antioxidants like these help protect your skin and manage oily shine with an excellent safety profile.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2016Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2008
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for your combination skin. It features a very safe formula with no harsh or prohibited ingredients that could irritate your skin or trigger breakouts.
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, 2008A topical serum containing vitamin C, vitamin E, and raspberry leaf cell culture extract improved skin color, elasticity, radiance, smoothness, scaliness, and wrinkles compared to the untreated contralateral side in fifty female volunteers.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Phloretin 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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