Obagi vs SkinCeuticals — side by side, no bias.
Our pick
Phloretin CF
9/10 · SkinCeuticals
| Professional-C Serum 20% | Phloretin CF | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Obagi | SkinCeuticals |
| Category | serum | serum |
| Editor Rating | 8.7/10 | 9/10 ★ |
| Category | serum | serum |
| Texture | Lightweight, slightly viscous serum | Lightweight watery serum |
| Finish | Smoothed, brightened, slightly tacky on application | Quick-absorb |
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| Verdict | Obagi's medical-grade L-ascorbic acid 20% serum has been the dermatologist-clinic vitamin C standard for two decades. Same active concentration as Skinceuticals CE Ferulic at meaningfully less than half the price; the formulation is less elegant (no ferulic acid stabilization) but the active is identical. Dermatologists who use vitamin C themselves often reach for Obagi. | 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. |
