CeraVe vs SkinCeuticals — side by side, no bias.
Our pick
Phloretin CF
9/10 · SkinCeuticals
| Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum | Phloretin CF | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | CeraVe | SkinCeuticals |
| Category | serum | serum |
| Editor Rating | 8.8/10 | 9/10 ★ |
| Category | serum | serum |
| Texture | Lightweight cream-serum | Lightweight watery serum |
| Finish | Brightened, even | Quick-absorb |
| Skin Types | ||
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| Verdict | CeraVe's L-ascorbic acid serum at the gold-standard 10% concentration, paired with three ceramides (NP + AP + EOP), cholesterol, panthenol, and sodium hyaluronate — the most-recommended drugstore vitamin C on TikTok and Reddit precisely because the actives deck punches well above the price. The cream-serum vehicle and ceramide layer make it dramatically better-tolerated than most equivalent-strength vitamin C serums (which strip the barrier). Routinely positioned as the SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic dupe at one-fifth the price, and the comparison is more credible than skeptics expect: stable 10% L-AA + a real barrier-supporting deck for under $30. | The CE Ferulic for combination/oily skin. Phloretin CF replaces tocopherol with phloretin (an apple-derived antioxidant), keeping the 10% L-ascorbic acid + 0.5% ferulic acid backbone but with a lighter, less oil-leaning texture. Better for oily, combination, and acne-prone skin where CE Ferulic feels heavy. Same antioxidant network in the basket — vitamin C primary, phloretin secondary, ferulic stabilising — and the same 4 a.m. orange-mid-tone shift that signals oxidation when it's gone too far. Not cheaper than CE Ferulic but worth it if your skin pushes back against the original. |
